Ludhiana children richest in India in terms of pocket money

Even though the Punjab is slipping in the nationwide list of per capita income, Ludhiana children have topped the chart for getting maximum pocket money in India, reports Vishal Rambani.

Even though the Punjab is slipping in the nationwide list of per capita income, Ludhiana children have topped the chart for getting maximum pocket money in India.

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The kids in Ludhiana get the largest sum (Rs 419) as pocket money, while kids in Nasik get the lowest amount (Rs 115) against the national average monthly pocket money that stands at Rs 259. (See Box)

Indian children stand to earn as much as Rs 664 crore as compared to their earnings to the tune of Rs 478 crore in 2008.

Eighth edition of its research study of Cartoon Network on Kid’s lifestyle and choices reflects these figures.

The survey covered cities including Ludhiana, Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Indore, Kolkata, Nasik, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi and Madurai.

The sample size for the research undertaken involved 3,431 kids in the age group of 7-14 years, along with their parents. It also covered 1,012 parents of kids in the age group of 4-6 years. The data also reflects increasing in percentage of usage of computer, Internet and mobile amongst kids.

Ludhiana is already know for luxuries and maximum number of Mercedes cars, thus the spending lavishly on children not new thing in city. “Rs. 500 is fixed as my monthly pocket money. But I always gets more whenever I demands”, said Rahul Mehra, a student of class 8th.

Bank Manger and parent Rakesh Kesar said that “Both me and my wife are earning good. Thus every time tries to fulfill all demands of our two kids. We didn’t want that a inferiority complex prevail in our children due to non-fulfilling of their genuine goods or demands which their friends have”. Beside that per capita income of Ludhiana is much higher than other cities, he opined.

But social engineers and educationists are not happy with this trend. Noted Social Scientist and Professor Emeritus Dr. Harnek Singh said “Its not a healthy trend. In fact exposure of more money in young age always dangerous as in maximum cases it de-rails kids from path of career”.

Noted Educationist Paramjit Kaur said that in fact a mad race in Ludhiana is going on amongst parents to prove their kid best through money power. And this is ruining our cultural system, She opined. She said that she closed school canteen to curtail the expenses of students, but I came to know that students are throwing parties in hotels. And all this happening as parents allow them and provide money, she added.

However, there is no need to worry. Interestingly, Indian kids are not only high spenders but equally good at savings, too. Almost 62 per cent of the kids save a part of their money.

In other trends, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan topped the list of favourite actors amongst both boys and girls. The future electorate of the country is also pretty sure about its political leanings. As to who would be their prime ministerial choice, as many as 30 per cent of the kids in the age group of 7-14 years voted for Sonia Gandhi, 19 percent for Rahul Gandhi, while both Priyanka Gandhi and Amitabh Bachchan got a nod of affirmation from 8 per cent of the kids.