How much a common man pays for a plate of Thali across India: Economic Survey

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday tabled the Economic Survey 2019-20 in Parliament. A part of the survey has tracked the affordability of Thalis for common persons now.
 

According to the Economic Survey, the affordability of vegetarian Thalis has improved 29% from 2006-07 to 2019-20, and for non-vegetarian Thalis by 18%.

The Economic Survey 2019-20 was tabled on Friday in the Parliament by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. "The conclusion has been drawn on the basis of "Thalinomics: the Economics of a plate of food in India" - an attempt to quantify what a common person pays for a Thali across India. Using the dietary guidelines for Indians, the price of Thalis are constructed," it read.

Taking into account the four regions - North, South, East, and West - across India, the survey states that absolute prices of a vegetarian Thali have decreased significantly since 2015-16 though the price has increased in 2019. The sharp downward trend in the prices of vegetables and dal in contrast to the previous trend of increasing prices could be one of the factors.

As a result, an average household of 5 individuals that eat two vegetarian Thalis a day, gained around Rs 10887, on average per year, while a non-vegetarian household gained Rs 11787, on average per year," according to Economic Survey.