Income distribution: Recent developments

No better, though pace of worsening has reduced at the top

On the last occasion when I wrote on this topic, data availability was inclusive of 2013-14. Now we have up to 2015-16. The population totals considered are 351 million in 1980-81, 778 million in 2013-14, and 810 million in 2015-16 comprising the above-20 age group. Looking at the state of the ‘bottom’ 50 per cent of this group, and even next 40 per cent, that is, all but the top 10 per cent, there is little doubt that the improvement of income distribution remains the most intractable prevailing challenge for India. Statistics reveal the stark reality.

Table 1 dissects income distribution