A leaked report by the National Statistical Office (NSO), based on a consumption expenditure survey conducted by the organisation between July 2017 and June 2018, has shown a drop in consumer spending for the first time in more than four decades on weak rural demand, Business Standard reported on Friday, 15 November.

However, hours after the newspaper report, the government said that the 2017-18 consumer spending survey won't be released due to "data quality issues.” It added that the government will release the next report in two years.