In a first for modern India, average household spending on food drops to less than half

Within food items, share of expenditure on cereal has declined significantly across rural and urban areas, according to a government paper

New Delhi: Significant changes are unfolding in India’s food consumption pattern and the share of total household expenditure on food has declined substantially in rural and urban areas and across all States and Union Territories (UTs) since 1947, a government paper has revealed.

It is the first time in modern India (post-Independence) that average household spending on food is less than half of the overall monthly spending of households and is a marker of significant progress, according to the paper titled ‘Changes in India’s Food Consumption and Policy Implications’ by the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister.