State ranks low in consumption expenditure survey
Source: Chronicle News Service / Keicha Chingthou Mangang

Imphal, May 13 2025: While Manipur's rural households spend slightly more than the national average, it still lags behind most of the states in terms of living standards, according to the latest data from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023-24.The survey, released in January this year by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, ranks Manipur at 21st in rural and 24th in urban Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) among all states and Union Territories, highlighting the state's relatively poor economic standing despite outperforming the national rural average.

The data paints a mixed picture of living standards in the north eastern state.

Rural residents in Manipur spent an average of Rs 4,531 per month, which is about 10 per cent higher than the all-India rural average of Rs 4,122 .

In contrast, urban households in the state recorded an average monthly spending of Rs 5,945, around 15 per cent below the national urban average of Rs 6,996, and over Rs 800 less than their counterparts in neighbouring Assam, who spent Rs 6,794 .

Nationally, the survey reveals stark regional disparities with Sikkim leading all states with a rural per capita consumption of Rs 9,377 and an urban figure of Rs 13,927, which is more than double that of Manipur.

Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh follow, with rural spending of Rs 6,259 and Rs 5,995 respectively.

Manipur's rural MPCE ranking - 21st in the country - puts it behind 20 other states and Union Territories, including Sikkim, Goa, Kerala and Tripura.

In urban areas, the state slips further, ranking 24th nationwide.

The disparity suggests that despite performing better than the national average on paper, Manipur remains among the lower-tier states in terms of actual living standards.

The low rankings reflect limited income-generating opportunities, inadequate industrial development, and a sluggish economy, indicating that many households are just managing to meet basic needs rather than enjoying any real economic comfort or security.

Among the eight states of the Northeast, Manipur ranks sixth in rural, and eighth in urban, ahead of only Meghalaya and Assam in rural, and at the bottom in urban consumption.

These figures reflect structural differences in income and cost of living.

While urban households report a higher monthly per capita expenditure of Rs 5,945 compared to Rs 4,531 in rural areas, the difference is modest by national standards.

In most other states, urban consumption far outpaces rural levels, reflecting better job opportunities and access to services.

But in Manipur, the close figures suggest that urban centres may not be delivering the expected economic advantages.

Experts said that this points to underdeveloped infrastructure, limited industrial presence, and stagnant income levels in cities like Imphal, where the cost of living is rising but earnings have not kept pace.

Analysts noted that the state's rural households have benefited from government programmes aimed at bolstering farm incomes and improving rural infrastructure.

The average rural expenditure in Mizoram and Nagaland, both ahead of Manipur, also underscores the impact of similar development measures.

Comparisons with the all-In-dia figures highlight the dual nature of Manipur's situation.

While the rural edge over the national average is a strength to build on, the urban shortfall calls for a fresh policy approach.

Economists pointed out that replicating best practices from higher-spending states could prove beneficial.

Sikkim, for example, has leveraged tourism and hydropower revenues to raise incomes, while Tripura has seen success in agro-processing and small-scale industries.

Goa, Chandigarh and Sikkim occupy the top three positions for rural consumption, underscoring the wide gap in living standards across India.

In urban rankings, the same three states lead.

Experts say these high-performing regions share characteristics that Manipur could emulate, which include diversified economies, robust infrastructure and proactive investment promotion.

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