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Unequal progress? A decadal examination of consumption gaps among social groups in India.

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Title: Unequal progress? A decadal examination of consumption gaps among social groups in India.
Authors: Azam, Mehtabul1 (AUTHOR) mazam@okstate.edu
Source: Applied Economics. Jul2025, p1-22. 22p. 1 Illustration.
Subject Terms: *WEALTH inequality, SOCIAL groups, SCHOLARLY method, INDIGENOUS peoples, POOR people, DALITS, SUBORDINATION (Psychology)
Geographic Terms: INDIA
Abstract: We provide recent evidence on the evolution of consumption gaps between social groups in India from 2012 to 2023. First, we decompose the consumption gaps between general category (GC) households and three disadvantaged groups – Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) – at both the mean and across the distribution for 2012 and 2023. Second, we analyse the change in disadvantage for each group over the decade. We find that ST (OBC), which has the largest (smallest) disadvantage compared to GC, experienced the lowest (highest) percent decline in the disadvantage over 2012–2023. Changes in attributes over time have exacerbated the disadvantage for ST and SC, while some convergence in returns has contributed to the reduction in consumption gaps. Differences in characteristics explain 56–69% of the consumption gap, with education, occupation, and urban share accounting for a significant portion of the explained effects in both years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Business Source Index
Description
Abstract:We provide recent evidence on the evolution of consumption gaps between social groups in India from 2012 to 2023. First, we decompose the consumption gaps between general category (GC) households and three disadvantaged groups – Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) – at both the mean and across the distribution for 2012 and 2023. Second, we analyse the change in disadvantage for each group over the decade. We find that ST (OBC), which has the largest (smallest) disadvantage compared to GC, experienced the lowest (highest) percent decline in the disadvantage over 2012–2023. Changes in attributes over time have exacerbated the disadvantage for ST and SC, while some convergence in returns has contributed to the reduction in consumption gaps. Differences in characteristics explain 56–69% of the consumption gap, with education, occupation, and urban share accounting for a significant portion of the explained effects in both years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:00036846
DOI:10.1080/00036846.2025.2530234