Mobile Phones Outnumber Toilets and Tap Water In Rural India , Says Study

PRICE, a not-for-profit think tank known as People's Research on India's Consumer Economy, has recently released a thought-provoking report shedding light on India's middle class and more. The report, as covered by The Print, highlights several significant findings. Let's take a look at the key points:

1. By 2047, India's middle class is expected to become the largest demographic group in the country.
2. According to the survey, the middle-class population is projected to reach 1.02 billion out of a total estimated population of 1.66 billion by 2047. The middle class, in this context, refers to households with an annual income ranging from Rs 500,000 to Rs 3,000,000.
3. The report reveals that the number of affluent households in rural areas has nearly doubled between 2016 and 2021, and other upper-income categories also experienced substantial growth rates of 6-10 per cent.
4. At 2020-21 prices, the average annual household disposable income is expected to rise to approximately Rs 2,000,000 by 2047.
5. The study emphasizes that the rich and super-rich income groups witnessed growth rates exceeding 10 per cent between 2016 and 2021, whereas the middle class observed growth rates ranging from 4 per cent to 7.5 per cent.
6. In 2021, only 30 per cent of impoverished households had access to tap water, and over 50% either lacked toilets or had toilets without running water, as stated in the report.
7. The report also reveals that 85 per cent of destitute households own mobile phones, and at least 39 per cent have access to the internet.