Medical expenses highest in Bengal, household consumption survey shows
Excluding food and beverages, the average Bengali now spends the most on healthcare, according to a detailed report on household expenses nationwide recently released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
According to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES), conducted from August 2022 to July 2023, Bengal’s urban residents have the highest per capita healthcare expenses in the entire country. In rural areas, only Kerala surpasses Bengal on this account.
The survey shows that Bengal is an exception in this regard. Nationally, after food and beverages, the highest expenditures are on transportation, followed by spending on items like mobile phones, TVs and refrigerators.
In Bengal, after food comes healthcare, followed by fuel and electricity bills, with the same pattern in both urban and rural areas.
The HCES reveals that, for people in Bengal, on Rs 1,000 spent per capita, food consumes Rs 450 in urban areas and Rs 510 in rural areas.
Next comes healthcare or medical expenses; out of the Rs 1,000 spent per capita, under this head, Rs 150 is spent in urban areas and Rs 168 in rural areas.
The reason for the high medical expenses is not clear, though; whether it is due to a higher incidence of illness or the high cost of healthcare services, economists suggest, further research is needed.
The survey also shows that the people in Bengal spend significantly on packaged foods (like bhujiya, namkeen, chips, nachos, noodles, cakes, pastries, biscuits and chocolates) and on food and beverages from street vendors, which is a highly unhealthy trend.
