Context: Earlier this week, the National Statistical Office (NSO) released the results of a nationwide survey aimed at assessing the financial strength of households in the country. 
About the survey

• The survey was conducted from January to December 2019.

Objective: To collect basic quantitative information on the assets and liabilities of the households as on 30.6.2018.

• The survey gathered information on the amount of capital expenditure incurred by the households during the Agricultural Year 2018-19.

Assets were calculated by putting a monetary value on everything owned by households, including

• Physical assets like land, buildings, livestock and vehicles
• Financial assets like shares in companies, deposits in bank, and post offices, etc.

Findings of the survey

• The richest 10% of Indians own over half of the country's physical and financial assets while the bottom 50% own less than 10%.
• The richest 10% own 55.7% of the total assets in urban areas and 50.8% in rural areas.
• The total physical and financial assets owned by people living in the rural areas was Rs 274.6 lakh crore.
• Out of which Rs 139.6 lakh crore was owned by the richest 10%.
• The bottom 50% owned 10.2% of assets in rural areas and an even smaller 6.2% in urban areas.

Inequality in distribution of assets

• Within rural areas, where close to two-thirds of India lives, the skew was the highest in Delhi.
• In Delhi the top 10% owned 80.8% of assets and the bottom 50% just 2.1%.
• Among large states, after Delhi, asset inequality in rural areas was highest in Punjab where the richest 10% own over 65% of assets and the bottom 50% just over 5%.
• Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana had high inequality in asset ownership in the villages.
• Among large states (and UTs), the rural skew was the least in Jammu and Kashmir with the top 10% owning 32% and the bottom half 18%.