Household saving rate of an average employee in metros has come down by 45% in last six years due to an exorbitant increase in prices of essential commodities, fuel and education, an Assocham survey today said.
A majority of the 5,000 employees who participated in the survey, said that they were falling behind financially and their standard of living had deteriorated.
In the last six years, the salary of common man has gone up by 30% but the discretionary spending has shrunk by 35%, it said.
"In an average salary structure of Rs 40,000 per month, the amount available for discretionary spending is not more than Rs 17,000 as average employee shells out over Rs 6,000- Rs 8,000 on housing loan or rent, Rs 5,000 loan on cars or two wheelers, Rs 7,000-10,000 on education cost and FMCG," it said.
The survey also said that high inflation is putting lots of pressure on companies to give higher salary hikes.
About 70% of the respondents said that the salary hike is not in sync with the cost of living. "Right from vegetables to petrol prices to house rent, everything has gone up so much and savings are also reduced to half," it said.
Headline inflation in March, as per the wholesale price index (WPI), surged to 8.98% -- way above the comfort zone of 5-6%.