<h1>Rural Consumption Rises, Urban-Rural Gap Narrows to 70% in 2023-24 Survey; Sikkim Leads in Spending.</h1> The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation conducted the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey for 2023-24, revealing a continued rise in rural consumption, with the urban-rural expenditure gap narrowing to 70%. The survey, covering over 261,000 households, showed an increase in Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) by 9% in rural and 8% in urban areas. Non-food items dominated household spending, while consumption inequality decreased. Sikkim reported the highest MPCE, while Chhattisgarh had the lowest. The survey also considered imputed values from social welfare programs, reflecting slightly higher MPCE figures.