India's first income survey struggles as 450,000 families reluctant to disclose earnings

India has launched its first comprehensive income survey, targeting 450,000 families across the country. However, the initiative is encountering significant hurdles as households show reluctance to disclose their income details.

The survey employs a 90-question questionnaire designed to gather detailed financial information from participating families. This data collection effort represents a major step toward understanding India's income distribution and household finances systematically.

The low willingness of respondents to share income information poses a challenge to the survey's effectiveness and the quality of data it can generate for policymakers and economists.