Mobile phones have emerged as the primary medium for information, entertainment and communication, with near-universal ownership across both urban and rural areas and all consumption groups. Among B40 rural households, mobile phone ownership rose from 66.5% in 2011-12 to 94.3% in 2023-24, it noted.

Television ownership in rural areas, too, increased from 49.6% recorded in the 2011-12 survey to 61.1% in 2023-24. Interestingly, in urban areas, television ownership declined from 80.4% to 78.5%, a trend the study attributes to mobile phones replacing TV screens.

Refrigerator ownership among both rural and urban households tripled. Ownership of air conditioners/air coolers and washing machines also rose across rural and urban areas, including B40 households.