60% of rural India lives on less than Rs 35 a day: National Sample Survey

As per 66th round of National Sample Survey (NSS) carried out b/w July 2009-June 2010 on income and expenditure:

• Nearly 60% of India’s rural population lives on less than Rs 35 a day and about as many in cities live on Rs 66 a day.
• The all India average Monthly Per Capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) in rural areas was Rs 1,054 while in urban areas it was Rs 1,984.
• The average MPCE in rural areas was lowest in Bihar and Chhattisgarh at around Rs 780 followed by Odisha and Jharkhand at Rs 820.
• Kerala has the highest rural MPCE at Rs 1,835 rupees followed by Punjab and Haryana at Rs 1,649 and Rs 1,510 rupees respectively.
• The highest urban MCPE was in Maharashtra at Rs 2,437 rupees followed by Kerala at Rs 2,413 and Haryana at Rs 2,321. It was lowest in Bihar at Rs 1,238.