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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Social Hierarchies And Public Distribution Of Food In Rural India, Deepankar Basu, Debarshi Das
Social Hierarchies And Public Distribution Of Food In Rural India, Deepankar Basu, Debarshi Das
Deepankar Basu
In this paper, we develop a simple model that shows that consumption of PDS food grains is significantly different between rich and poor households in states where the PDS functions relatively well; in places where the PDS is non-functional, the difference is not significant. Using household-level data from three recent thick rounds of the consumption expenditure survey (2004-2005, 2009-2010 and 2011-2012), we find evidence in support of the predictions from the model. This suggests that one way to make the PDS functional is to make it more accessible to poor and underprivileged households.
Non-Food Expenditures And Consumption Inequality In India, Amit Basole, Deepankar Basu
Non-Food Expenditures And Consumption Inequality In India, Amit Basole, Deepankar Basu
Deepankar Basu
This paper contributes to the ongoing debate about economic inequality in India during the post-reform period. We analyze consumption inequality through the hitherto neglected lens of nonfood expenditure. Using household level consumption expenditure data from the quinquennial “thick” rounds of the NSS, we show that inequality within food and non-food groups has declined, even as overall expenditure inequality has increased over time. We suggest that the rise in overall expenditure inequality is due to the increased weight in the household budget of non-food spending, which tends to be more unequal than food spending. We also show that inequality is very …