Delhi has the highest monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) and the highest monthly per capita income in the country. MPCE has increased from Rs 2,078 in 2008 to Rs 2,905 in 2010 in urban area. Nationwide, the MPCE in urban areas stands at Rs 1,984. The per capita income of Delhi during 2009-10 was Rs 1,16,886 which is also the highest among all states and union territories.

This was revealed in a report “Level and Pattern of Household Consumer Expenditure in Delhi”, released on Wednesday by the chief minister Sheila Dikshit. The report has been prepared by the directorate of economics and statistics, government of Delhi.  The report is based on a sample survey conducted during July 2009- June 2010 under national aample survey.

Dikshit said that the report reveals many indicators of prosperity and preferred heads of expenditure.  She added that Delhi is placed much better in respect of average expenditure as compared to all other states.

Urban areas In Haryana recorded a MPCE of Rs 2321 in Haryana, while those in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttaranchal and Jammu and Kashmir recorded Rs 1,663, Rs 1,574, Rs 2,109, Rs 1,745 and Rs 1,759 respectively. The report also revealed that monthly per capita expenditure of 51 percent of the total household in Delhi is Rs 2,501 and above.

In urban areas of Delhi about 36 percent of monthly per capita expenditure was on food items and remaining on non-food items.  Around 10 percent was spent on milk and milk products, 7 percent on cereals and pulses, 2 percent on edible oils, 4 percent on vegetables, 2 percent on fruits. About 8 percent is spent on fuels, 6 percent on clothing and bedding, 9 percent on education, 2 percent on medical and 7 percent on rent.  The national level, urban area, the MPCE is 39 percent on food items and 61 percent on non food items.

The average household size in urban Delhi is less than 4.5 persons and the average number of children per household is 1.17.  In Delhi, 97.29 percent population is concentrated in non-rural area. The distribution of occupation of household reveals that 49 percent were regular wage-earning/salaried households and that 40 percent were households where the source of income was self-employment. 4 percent household were in the category of labour and remaining 7 percent had other occupations.  90.12 percent population in Delhi is literate.  Out of this, around 16 percent were literate upto primary level 27 percent upto middle and secondary, 13 percent upto higher secondary level, 20 percent upto graduate/post graduate level.