‘Attempt to pat itself on the back’: Kharge says Household Consumption Expenditure Survey ‘election inspired’

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge targeted the Centre for its Household Consumption Expenditure Survey and called it “election-inspired”. Kharge slammed the Modi government and asked them to release the Census too. 

In a rather long post on social media, Kharge slammed the government for its “deep sleep” of 10 years. “After 10 years of snoring in deep sleep, the Modi government has finally come out with an “election-inspired survey” on public expenditure and income. The Modi government has made an unsuccessful attempt to pat itself on the back in the survey,”  said Kharge. 

He asked if everything is “so shiny” in the country then why do the poorest 5 per cent of rural India spend only Rs 46 per day. Kharge asked why do the poorest 5 per cent families get only Rs 68 per month from government schemes. “Did only the capitalist friends get the remaining benefits?” the Congress leader asked.

Why did the expenditure on fuel of rural families decrease only 1.5 per cent if the Ujjwala scheme has been such a success as the Modi government claims, asked Kharge. 

“NITI Aayog officials are now saying that according to these figures, poverty in India is now only 5%, but according to another report of Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index of the same NITI Aayog, the poverty figure is 11.28%. Is. Both the surveys/reports are for the same year 2022-23. Why is Modi government making fun of the poor?”  asked Kharge.

The Congress President said that the government is attempting to hide “back-breaking inflation” with fake data and that the Modi government wants to take electoral advantage of a change in the GDP base year and hide the real facts. 

He said that the name of the survey and which particular round it is has been deliberately omitted so that the manipulation of data cannot be detected.

“All our questions are according to this Household Consumption Expenditure Survey. Modi ji, do dip everything, but do not dip the reputation of India's universal data collection and surveys earned over the years. We have only one demand, for correct information, Census of 2021 should be done as soon as possible and Caste Census should be a part of it.Congress party will definitely get it done as soon as the government of India is formed,”  said Kharge.

According to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) under Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation during August 2022 to July 2023, Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) at current prices (without imputation) more than doubled to Rs 6,459 in urban areas in 2022-23 from Rs 2,630 in 2011-12. In rural areas MPCE jumped to Rs 3,773 from Rs 1,430 at current prices. 

As per the study, the average MPCE at 2011-12 prices (without imputation) increased to Rs 3,510 in 2022-23 from Rs 2,630 in 2011-12 in urban areas, while it rose to Rs 2,008 from Rs 1,430 in rural areas at 2011-12 prices.