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Households in 18 of 35 states and Union territories (UTs) spent more on paan, tobacco and alcohol than education on an average a month in rural areas in 2011-12 (July-June), according to the 68th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS).
The list includes some surprises such as Gujarat, Mizoram and Lakshadweep, as these have banned the sale and consumption of liquor. An official, who did not wish to be named, said this shows how prohibition in these states was just on paper and does not happen on the ground level.
Take the case of Gujarat. While a household spent Rs 44 on intoxicants, it incurred Rs 34.09 on education on an average in a month in 2011-12. So, the per capita rural household spending on education constituted 77 per cent of the expenditure on intoxicants that year. The situation was, better in 2009-10, when expenditure on education (Rs 26.08) accounted for 82 per cent of that on intoxicants (Rs 31.87). (EXPENDITURE UNDER THE INFLUENCE)
In 2004-05, a rural household in Gujarat shelled out Rs 7.49 on education, and Rs 16.29 on intoxicants on an average.
In Odisha, the spending on education increased twice to Rs 20 per household in 2011-12 from Rs 10 in 2004-05 but on intoxicants increased thrice to Rs 30 from Rs 10.
Tobacco products and alcohol dented a rural household’s pocket by Rs 75.41 in Rajasthan, while education got only Rs 64.66 in 2011-12. The situation was better in 2009-10 when spending on education was just marginally less at Rs 42.92 a month against Rs 43.22 on intoxicants. However, in 2004-05, the per capita household expenditure on education was 77 per cent less (Rs 15.65) than on addictive products (Rs 20.3).
In Jharkhand, a household in villages spent 67.2 per cent more on intoxicants at Rs 32.15 against Rs 21.61 on education a month in 2011-12. The situation improved a bit from 2009-10 when tobacco, alcohol, etc got 70.8 per cent higher spending than education, but worse than 2004-05 when it used to be 47.7 per cent (see charts).
This trend, however, was strange in Andhra Pradesh. In 2004-05, a rural household spent Rs 7 a month on education, while it shelled out 32 per cent more at Rs 23 on paan, tobacco and alcohol. In 2009-10, the equation changed as the spending on education as a percentage of such products soared to 106 per cent. There was again a behavioural change in the consumption pattern in 2011-12 when the spending on education compared to intoxicant products declined. In the year, rural households in the state had spent Rs 59 on studies and Rs 89 on intoxicants on a monthly average.
“It is certainly a weird trend witnessed in the case of Andhra Pradesh. It’s difficult to substantiate these figures,” said a key official.
In the NSS, education not only includes tuition fees or admission fees but also library fees, and expenditure on newspapers, books, magazines and journals.
Taking rural India as a whole, there was only a marginal difference between the monthly spending of households on intoxicants and education.
Rural India had spent Rs 45.93 monthly on tobacco and alcohol and just an 8.8 per cent higher sum at Rs 49.97 on education in 2011-12.
Over the years, this situation has not improved much. In 2009-10, rural households spent Rs 31.11 on tobacco and alcohol, and Rs 37.79 on education. At that time, too, half of the rural India had spent more on intoxicants.
Half the 18 states, which constitute the list, are categorised as “major states” in the 68th Round survey as these have population of 20 million or more. These states are: Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Assam, Chattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
In 2004-05, 11 of 18 major states spent more on tobacco and alcohol than on education requirements such as books and tuition and school fees. Back then, the expenditure on both these items was the same with households spending Rs 15 on both these categories monthly.
“In rural areas, the orientation towards education is low. Around one-fourth of children choose to go to work rather than school. It’s among these poorer people that this trend of spending more on alcohol is often seen,” said S R Hashim, a former member of the Planning Commission.
Economists feel this is a problem of a low-level poverty trap. “It’s a catch-22 situation. It’s a low-level poverty trap as people do not know how to optimally spend their income,” said Abhirup Sircar, economist and professor at Indian Statistical Institute.
Although the literacy rate improved from 64.8 per cent in 2001 to 74.4 per cent in 2011 across India, there were still 8.1 million students out of school till 2009, according to the latest data.
