Abstract

This study analyses the demographic and economic changes of households in Maharashtra pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic, concentrating on variations in consumption expenditure within food, health, and non-food sectors. It aims to identify how socio-economic and demographic factors such as income, education, occupation, gender, and household size influenced household consumption patterns between 2019 and 2021. The study examines six districts—Amravati, Aurangabad, Nashik, Nagpur, Pune, and Mumbai—encompassing both rural and urban regions, utilizing secondary data from the CMIE’s Consumer Pyramids Household Survey (CPHS). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and regression analysis were employed to evaluate variations in household demographics and their association with consumption patterns.

Results reveal significant demographic shifts and changes in expenditure patterns during the pandemic. Income and household size were some factors that affected consumption in all time periods. After the pandemic, education and occupation became more important. The pandemic made income differences bigger, cut down on extra spending, and changed people’s perceptions, like food and health care.

The study is confined to Maharashtra and depends on secondary data, which may not fully reflect informal economic intricacies. However, the findings offer valuable insights for policymakers to design region-specific recovery strategies emphasizing income stability, education, and employment generation.

This research offers one of the initial district-level, annual comparative analyses of household consumption patterns in Maharashtra during pre- and post-COVID periods. It helps us understand demographic resilience, consumption inequality, and how to make India’s economy more stable in the long run.

Keywords: Household consumption, expenditure patterns, socio-economic determinants, Maharashtra

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