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Growth
Rural household income rose 27% in real terms between 2016-17 and 2021-22
NABARD's two rural financial inclusion surveys put average monthly household income at Rs 8,059 in 2016-17 and Rs 12,698 in 2021-22, a nominal rise of 57.6%. Rural consumer prices rose 24.2% over the same years, so the real rise is about 27%, close to 5% a year. Borrowing rose too: the share of rural households with outstanding debt went from 47.4% to 52%.
What follows. Rural incomes grew in real terms between the two surveys, and rural debt grew alongside them.
Real growth in rural household income
2004-2013 average none published; 2014-2026 average 113.4%; latest 126.8% in 2021. Source, method and every year.
One of 37 readings of the dataset, rebuilt whenever the data are refreshed. Data vintage 2026-10-10. Cite as Raman, V.S., Some Perspective: India's Political Economy, 2004-2026, someperspective.info, CC BY 4.0.