Indian families are investing heavily in their children’s education and spending
more on healthcare at the expense of basic needs like food, reveals: NSSO Report
Between 1999 and 2009, expenditure on food increased
by about 70% among rural families and 78% among urban ones. But the spending on
education jumped up by as much as 378% in rural areas and 345% in urban areas.
Even after correcting for inflation, the expenditure on education increased by a
phenomenal 162% in rural areas and 148% in urban areas during the decade. Compare
this to the overall household expenditure on all items, which increased by a mere
8% in rural areas and 20% in urban areas after adjusting for inflation.
It is not just the same people who are spending more on their children’s education.
In 2004-05, when the previous such survey was carried out, 40% of rural and 57%
of urban families said that they were spending on education. The latest survey records
a big jump in these numbers 63% of rural and 73% of urban families were getting
their children educated.
Expenditure on health too has shown a considerable increase though not as much as
education.
At current prices, spending on medical care in hospitals increased by 152% in rural
areas and by 136% in urban areas. The corresponding figures after adjusting for
inflation are 38% and 31%.
Spending on non-institutional medical care medicines, tests, fees etc jumped up
by 60% in rural areas and 102% in urban areas. After adjusting for inflation, this
works out to a decline of about 12% in rural areas possibly an effect of the National
Rural Health Mission and a modest increase of 12% in urban areas.
Courtesy: Times of India
