Economic Productivity through Net National Disposable Income

A Study of Consumption Patterns in India

Abstract

According to the Keynesian consumption function, Consumption expenditure plays a crucial role in determining the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as evident in the Absolute Income Hypothesis. This concept has subsequently been used in developing the permanent income hypothesis and the life cycle hypothesis. However, when considering the net national disposable income after accounting for factors like net factor income from abroad, taxes, and subsidies, it becomes clear that final consumption expenditure holds a more dominant position. A gap in the existing literature arises from the historical unavailability of data, leading to the use of GDP as a proxy variable instead of net national disposable income when determining the consumption function for India. This research paper aims to address this gap by employing the net national disposable income of the Indian economy to estimate the consumption function for the period between 1994 and 2018. Additionally, it empirically tests the long-term effects of current income and current wealth (defined as past year income minus past year consumption) on consumption within the context of the Indian economy. The empirical findings provide support for a significant positive relationship between consumption and income and wealth. This is further substantiated by the significant values of the marginal propensity to consume (MPC) derived from income and wealth during the given time period. The estimated equation aligns with the life cycle hypothesis for the Indian economy, indicating that long-term, steadfast planning is crucial for improving the productive capacity of the economy, reducing poverty, and enhancing employment levels more effectively.