Number Theory: What HCES tells us about rural-urban inequality

A section of rural India has caught up with its urban counterparts in terms of ownership of white goods, as per the 2015-16 and 2019-21 NFHS data.

The 2022-23 Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) data, when it is released in full, will hopefully facilitate a rigorous analysis on various aspects of consumption inequality in India. Till the data is released finally – the National Statistical Office (NSO) is yet to come out with a date for it – what can we say about rural-urban inequality in India? Here are three charts which try and answer this question with data that is already available in the public realm.

A settlement of mixed population - urban and rural - in Pune. (Rahul Raut/HT Photo)

What HCES tells us about rural-urban inequality

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