SAMPLE FRAME & DESIGN DISTRICT SUB DISTRICTS / MANDALS NO OF HOUSEHOLDS TOTAL NO OF HOUSE HOLDS URBAN HOUSEHOLD RURAL

HOUSEHOLD

RANGAREDDY Marpalle Mominpet Nawabpet Shankarpalle Serilingampally 79,672 Balanagar 141,412 Qutubullapur 120,678 Medchal 7,989 12,281 Shamirpet 13,370 Malkajgiri 103,209 Keesara 38,342 6,256 Ghatkesar 32,150 Uppal 100,401 Hayathnagar 43,774 Saroornagar 134,926 Rajendranagar 60,325 Moinabad Chevella Vikarabad 10,819 Dharur 9,889 Bantwaram Peddamul Tandur 13,345 12,191 Basheerabad 1,294 Yelal 9,967 Doma 9,717 Gandeed 14,657 Kulkacharla pargi 13,363 pudur 9,838 Shabad 11,975 Shamshabad 7,249 Maheswaram Kandukur Ibrahimpatnam 2,512 Menchal 10,542 Yacharam TOTAL 37

9,569 9,253 15,292 314 20,270 16,653 44,598 11,422 12,008 5,633 12,815 13,360 7,156 9,889 8,406 11,920 25,536 7,551 9,967 9,717 14,657 14,629 13,363 9,838 11,975 11,620 14,526 12,722 13,904 10,542 11,621

11,197 11,197 9,569 9,253 15,292 79,672 141,412 120,992 30,023 103,209 43,572 100,401 55,782 134,926 65,958 12,815 13,360 17,975 8,406 11,920 8,845

14,629

18,869 14,526 12,722 16,416 11,621

911,467 352,247 1,263,714

MEDAK

Kangti 9,856 Manoor 11,641 Narayankhed 2,949 Kalher 11,246 Shankarampet 1,539 Papannapet Medak 9,203 15,289 Ramayampet Dubbak 17,292 Siddipet 25,524 Chinnakodur Nangnoor Kondapak Thoguta 8,183 Mirdoddi Doultabbad Chegunta 1,329 Shankarampet Kulcharam Tekmal 7,802 Alladurg Regode 7,761 Raikode 8,134 Nyalkal 11,032 Zahirabad 15,972 Kohir 12,670 Jharasangam Munpalle Pulkal 11,593 Andole 4,088 9,745 Kowdipalle Yeldurthy Tupran 13,452 Gajwel 5,552 11,651 Jagdevpur Wargal 9,808 Mulug 10,391 Shivampet Narsapur Hathnoora Sadasivapet 9,947 Kondapur Sangareddy 18,427 Jinnaram 12,549 Patancheru 26,607 Ramachandrapuram 46

9,856 11,641 13,508 11,246 7,464 12,378 24,492 15,131 17,292 13,879 21,754 10,144 10,854 8,183 9,443 12,036 11,674 10,268 8,089 7,802 10,374 7,761 8,134 11,032 16,757 12,670 9,171 8,382 11,593 13,833 12,334 9,504 13,452 17,203 11,178 9,808 10,391 10,171 11,698 11,760 10,169 9,657 12,890 11,330 9,841 21,502

16,457 9,003 12,378 15,131 39,403 21,754 10,144 10,854 9,443 12,036 13,003 10,268 8,089 10,374

32,729 9,171 8,382 12,334 9,504 11,178 10,171 11,698 11,760 20,116 9,657 31,317 23,879 36,448 2,192 23,694

TOTAL

155,188 511,576 666,764

NALGONDA Bommalaramaram M.Turkapalle Rajapet 981 8,186 Yadagirigutta 3,572 Alair 12,435 Gundala 9,556 Thirumalgiri Thungathurthi Nuthankal Atmakur(S) Jaji redid Gudem Sali Gouraram Mothkur 14,584 Atmakur(M) Valigonda Bhongir 11,463 12,213 Bibinagar 1,749 Pochampalle 3,032 Choutuppal 4,633 Ramannapeta 2,413 Chityala 3,392 Narketpalle Kattangoor Nakrekal 7,157 Kethe palle Suryapet 12,762 Chivvemla Mothey 11,700 Nadigudem Munagala -Penpahad Vemulapalle Thipparthi Nalgonda 35,546 Munugode Narayanapur Marriguda Chintha Palle Gundla Palle Candam pet Devarakonda 8,125 Nampalle Chandur 2,674 9,539 Kangal 10,843 Gurrampode Pedda Adiserla palle Peddavoora 4,382

8,197 9,167 9,891 12,435 9,556 12,350 14,276 14,873 13,469 12,324 14,584 9,914 13,920 23,676 9,568 9,011 13,135 10,427 10,955 13,026 11,425 8,414 9,878 24,273 11,862 11,700 10,770 12,032 10,355 12,096 12,272 11,668 10,953 10,890 9,209 11,076 10,439 12,325 14,108 9,956 12,213 10,843 10,470 12,762

8,565 8,197 13,463

8,565

12,350 14,276 14,873 13,469 10,443 10,443 12,324 9,914 13,920 11,317 12,043 17,768 12,840 14,347 13,026 11,425 15,571 9,878 37,035 11,862 10,770 12,032 10,355 12,096 12,272 47,214 10,953 10,890 9,209 11,076 10,439 12,325 22,233 9,956 10,470 12,009 12,009 17,144

Anumula Nidamanur Thripuraram Dameracherla Miryalaguda Neredcherla Garide palle Chilkur Kodad 15,483 Huzurnagar Mattam Palle Mella Cheruvu TOTAL 59

16,749 25,988 10,664 18,576 -

16,749 13,914 12,195 17,419 18,241 18,320 15,390 10,664 34,059 16,058 11,727 20,185

13,914 12,195 17,419 44,229 18,320 15,390 16,058 11,727 20,185

143,352 732,080 875,432

MAHABUBNAGAR Kodangal Bomraspet Kosgi Doulathabad Damaragidda Maddur Hanwada Nawabpet Balanager Kondurg Farooqnagar Kothur 2,296 Keshampet Talakondapalle Amangal Madgul Veldanda Midjil Jadcherla Mahbubnagar Koilkonda Narayanpet Utkoor -

12,304 12,997 11,259 13,777 10,823 12,745 13,849 11,373 12,107 10,526 39,891 8,182 10,925

11,151 10,951 12,304 10,170 11,025 12,997 11,259 10,338 15,652 13,777 16,172 15,041 10,106 12,527 13,849 11,373 11,850 12,107 11,641 7,909 13,145 10,673 10,925

11,151 10,951 10,170 11,025 10,338 15,652 26,995 10,106 12,527 11,850 22,167 47,800 13,145 18,855

Dhanwada Devarkadra Bhoothpur Thimmajipet Kalwakurthy 5,924 Vangoor 12,300 Amrabad 1,158 11,086 Achampet 5,770 Uppununthala Telkapalle Tadoor 8,916 Nagarkurnool 6,063 Bijinapalle Ghanpur 9,889 Addakal 11,129 Chinnachintakunta Narva 10,247 Makthal 14,422 Maganoor Dharur 14,048 Atmakur 2,518 10,503 Kothakota 4,020 Peedamandadi Wanaparthy 12,469 Gopalpeta Balmoor 9,131 Lingal 8,041 Peddakothapalle Kodair 9,885 Pangal 13,396 Pebbair 15,304 Gadwal 12,598 11,515 Maldakal Ghattu 14,559 leej 17,218 ltikyal 11,710 Veepangandla Kollapur Waddepalle Manopad 12,397 Alampur 10,760 TOTAL 64

12,731 11,769 10,379 8,799 9,068 12,300 12,244 9,894 7,989 11,137 8,916 10,306 16,363 9,889 11,129 1,175 10,247 14,422 9,818 14,048 13,021 12,830 8,078 9,883 12,630 9,131 8,041 12,063 9,885 13,396 15,304 24,113 11,498 14,559 17,218 11,710 11,897 16,677 15,821 12,397 10,760

12,731 11,769 10,379 8,799 14,992 15,664 7,989 11,137 16,369 16,363 9,714 9,818 16,850 8,078 22,352 12,630 12,063 10,889

11,498

11,897 16,677 15,821

123,413 750,446 873,859 1,333,420 2,346,349 3,679,769

TOTAL MANDALS 206(Mandals) 59(Mandals) 200(Mandals) Source: [census 2011 Population] Directorate of Census Operations,Andhra Prade sh, Hyderabad, H.No. 4-3-596/Dr, 3rd Floor, Posnett Bhawan, Tilak Road Ramkote,H yderabad 500001 SAMPLING METHOD: SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING METHOD CALCULATION OF SAMPLE SIZE: ARITHMETICAL MEAN (x) = 17,863 STANDARD DEVIATION () = 19,034 COEFFICIENT OF VARIATION (2) = 106.5 2 = ----- X 100 = 19,034

------------------ X 100 =106.5 17,863 Calculations were performed according to the formula for simple random sampling: (To determine the sample size in estimating the mean) n= Z2 2 ___________ e2 (Reference: Basic Business Statistics (8th Edition) by Author: Mark L. Berenson; David M. Levine; Timothy C. Krehbiel chapter 8 Confidence Interval Estimation P rentice-Hall, Inc.) n Calculated size of simple random sample 2 variation coefficient of arithmetical mean Z confidence probability coefficient, calculated on the basis of preset confiden ce probability e preset margin relative error of deviation of arithmetical mean - confidence probability is 95% - margin relative error is 5% (e = 5) If confidence probability is equal to 95%, then the table value of confidence pr obability coefficient is equal to 1.96 (z=1.96). Under given conditions, the size of simple random sample is equal to: 1.96 2 X 19,0342 3.8416 X 11342.25 n = -----------------= ---------------------------= 17 43 5 2 25 Sample Size (n) = 1743 Approximately 1700 The proportion of households within the project area (4 districts [Rangareddy,Me dak,Nalgonda and mahabubh nagar] ) A. NO OF MANDALS FOR URBAN HOUSEHOLD [INCLUDE RANGAREDDY ,MEDAK, NALGONDA AND MAHABUBH NAGAR DISTRICTS] = 59 B. NO OF MANDALS FOR RURAL HOUSEHOLD [INCLUDE , RANGAREDDY ,MEDAK, NALGOND A AND MAHABUBH NAGAR DISTRICTS] = 200 1. 2. URBAN HOUSEHOLD POPULATION = 2,214,932 [36% OF TOTAL POPULATION] RURAL HOUSEHOLD POPULATION = 1,333,420 [64% OF TOTAL POPULATION]

Urban Households = 1700 * 0.36 = 612 Rural Population = 1700 * 0.64 = 1088

15 URBAN MANDALS are the (Mean of 59 Urban Mandals) 50 RURAL MANDALS are the (mean of 200 rural Manadals)

[From the total Urban Respondents (612) 41 Respondents in each mandal are select ed from 15 urban mandals of 4 Districts 1. 2. 3. 4. ] Rangareddy Medak Nalgonda Mahabubnagar

[From the total Rural Respondents (1088) 22 Respondents in each mandal are sele cted from 50 rural mandals of 4 Districts, 1. Rangareddy 2. Medak 3. Nalgonda 4. Mahabubnagar ] Personal Care: -shampoos -Soaps -Detergents Target Persons: Decision maker >25, Married, Male, female, Income,Occupation,Edu cation Ex Des Simple random Sampling Simple random sampling Use Use in simple experiments that require a single sample to be taken from a given population or a representative sample frame. The people in the sample frame must all be accessible and available. Use when the target group is sufficiently large. Do not use when the target is a relatively small subgroup that might be missed by this method. Method Create the sample by selecting randomly from the sample THE 16TH CII CHANDIGARH FAIR TAKES OFF H.E. Shri Shivraj V Patil inaugurates the show New fervour and new flavours added 12 concurrent exhibitions attracting do mestic and international visitors The 16th edition of CII Chandigarh Fair started off here today with huge fanfare . The Mega Shopping Carnival was inaugurated by H.E. Shri Shivraj V Patil, Gover nor, Punjab & Administrator, Chandigarh at the Chandigarh Parade Ground. On the occasion, the Governor extended a very warm welcome to both..... CII brings international best practices on currency risk hedging to Indian corpo rate Indian industry has contributed over half a trillion dollars to global commerce in 2010-11 and this increasing international trade of Indian corporate has raise d its exposure to foreign exchange risk in the global economy, said Dr Gregory B auer of Simon Graduate School of Business. Dr Bauer was fac..... Seminar on Water Efficiency CII Tamil Nadu organized Seminar on Water Efficiency on 30 September 2011 in Che nnai. The seminar provided a macro-level approach to Water management techniques that could be adopted in different user points in the industry such as source o f water, process plant equipment and water treatment units ..... Need to intensify focus on Affirmative Action, Employability and Governance: Pre sident, CII ..... COOLEX 2011 SETS COOLING MARKET ABLAZE CIIs exclusive exposition registers trade inquiries worth INR 50 million Over 100

cooling products showcased by 12 major brands 7000 visitors in four days Energy saving products to be the highlight of the season Health Oriented Technologies gaining popularity COOLEX 2011, Con..... CII COOLEX 2011 Commences Today at Himachal Bhawan. Presents Latest Products fro m 24 Companies to chill your summers Successfully entering the 14th Edition, COOLEX 2011, CIIs exclusive exposition on air conditioning and refrigeration was today inaugurated by Mr S C Agrawal , Ch ief Secretary, Government of Punjab at the Himachal Bhawan, Sector 28, here toda y. ..... Project Management Workshop:Cochin Confederation of Indian Industry (Southern Region) in association with Project M anagement Institute (PMI) is organizing a series of Capacity Building workshops on Project Management across the region. Project Management is like juggling thr ee balls simultaneously as it involves maintaining the..... Read more... CII Awards & Recognitions CII-EXIM Bank Award for Business Excellence CII and Export Import Bank of India have, in 1994, jointly established the CII-E XIM Bank Award for Business Excellence, with the aim of enhancing the Competitiv eness of India Inc. The Award is based on the internationally recognized EFQM Ex cellence Model. Household care Fabric wash, Household cleaners Personal care Oral care, hair care, skin care, cosmetics/deodorants, perfumes, feminine h ygiene and paper products

Indias Rural FMCG Market to Grow to $100 Billion by 2025 November 24, 2010 The Indian rural market is expected to grow more than tenfold to become a USD$10 0 billion opportunity for retail spending in the next 15 years, The Nielsen Comp any has found. Details of the findings were unveiled today at Nielsens flagship Consumer 360 con ference in New Delhi, India. The study showed that in more than half the largest FMCG categories, rural India is now contributing more to their growth than urba n. One of the key drivers of this trend appears to be the unprecedented growth o f smaller packaging options in rural India. While the ability of lower priced packs to improve accessibility is known, their pace and presence has been unrelenting said Prashant Singh, Vice President, The N ielsen Company, India. In addition, premium skin care brands typically associate d with urban areas are growing nearly twice as fast in rural, he added. The good news is that the opportunity neednt overwhelm smart marketers. For instan ce, even a mere 2.5 percent of villages, if selected correctly, can generate a 2 0 percent jump in sales growth, Singh added. The rural market is currently worth approximately USD$9 billion in consumer spen ding in the FMCG space annually. The study findings show that food categories ar e currently driving the bulk of the additional USD$91 billion into the marketpla ce by 2025. One of the most telling points is the unprecedented pull of consumer demand fuele d by an overdrive of awareness and acceptability. This will allow, and propel ma nufacturers to swing into full gear, said Prasun Basu, Executive Director and Vi

ce President, The Nielsen Company. The study also found a surprising set of priorities. In rural areas, education o f children ranked second after having a good crop. On the consumption front, a third of rural consumers are eating biscuits for bre akfast and one in six rural buyers of hair dye now uses colors other than black to indulge in the trend of externalized beauty that is picking up fast in rural areas. These emerging cues that seem to be on the fringes of the larger market, or EmerFr inge trends are the signs of a future that has arrived. The rural consumer is no longer merely experimenting with urban products because of a phase of prosperity rather, she is reveling in it and indulging unabashedly, providing gratificatio n to her senses and her self-esteem, said Basu. The study also revealed that: Rural purchasing power has grown faster than urban in the last six quarters Faster growth in rural is not limited to penetration; today the rural consumers f requency of consumption is growing faster as well, demonstrating their entrenchm ent in these categories. Instant noodle sales are growing nearly twice as fast in rural India compared to urban in both penetration and frequency. Seemingly urbane brands in categories like deodorant and fabric softener are growi ng much faster in rural India than urban New Strategies to Win Now that the new phase of rural consumption appears here to stay, marketers will need to evolve new strategies to connect and communicate with a more aware and unreserved consumer than ever before, the study found. With this, product and br and development cycles will need to undergo a dramatic change. This growth is pr oving to be systemic and sustainable as multiple factors converge: Government spending in rural India has tripled over the last four years and is n ow translating into higher consumer spending. Significant progress on literacy levels 99 percent of the villages have a primar y school within a 1 km walk Rural consumers are consuming more premium and convenience oriented categories t hat are typical of their urban counterparts DTH television connections in rural are more than double that of urban and have grown dramatically; today two out of five new mobile telephone connections are i n rural. Todays rural consumer is not just indulgent, but smart too: she wants products that carry the best of traditional wisdom and modern science; ones that provide her c onvenience and individualism in one go. This means product and brand strategies that respond to these demands are more likely to succeed said Basu. This bolder an d more individualistic consumer is unafraid to exhibit and externalize the need to indulge. Recognizing this and coupling it with ideas that offer individualized c onvenience will separate the brands that will win from the others. These findings have wide-ranging, practical implications for creating successful portfolio strategies and packaging formats that recognize these traits and appea l to the rural consumers senses. Combined with a smarter selection of locations a nd targeted distribution plans, brands can transform their plans for growth dram atically and profitably to make the most of the next big rural opportunity, added Prashant Singh. Branded Products get to Rural Markets by V S Rama Rao on December 10, 2010 Essentially what we define as rural is really a place which is difficult to access and reach physically perhaps an urbanites definition. The Census defines urban a s All the places that fall within the administrative limits of a municipal corpor ation, municipality, cantonment, board etc. or have a population of at least 5,0 00 and have at least 75 per cent male working population in outside the primary sector and have a population density of at least 400 per square km. Rural India, on the other hand, comprises of all places that are not urban. With rural consumers warming up to branded products, the urban rural divide is f ading away faster than one can imagine. There is now very little difference betw

een the aspirations of rural consumers and their urban counterparts. Certain gro wth statistics have shattered the myth that the rural consumer is content with u nbranded or mass end products alone and gives a strong indication that rural mar ket consumption has picked up and is accelerating faster than urban markets . Th is has led to their changing consumption pattern. Demand for top of the drawer FMCG products is no longer restricted to urban Indi a. The rural consumer has emerged as an important cog in the sales growth of pre mium offerings. Clever pricing, rising aspirations and new marketing mantras are driving this trend. Dove shampoo a premium end product reported a growth of over 100% in rural marke t during January-October 2010 over the same period last year. In fact, Dove grew faster than its lower priced cousin, Sunsilk shampoo which reported a growth of around 14% in rural India during the period. So it is not just mass brands like lifebuoy, Nirma or Wheel which have for decad es met the need of rural India. Take a look at the growth numbers of a beauty ca re product like Ponds white Beauty and the figures are mind boggling. The brand g rew 4,200% in January-October 2010 in rural markets over the same period last ye ar. Although analysts explain that the high growth is due to a lower base and that a ctual sales number would be smaller given the recent introduction of the brand, one cannot overlook the fact that there is a demand for such products and market ers can no longer underestimate the aspirations of the rural consumers. Gone are the days when the rural consumer was content with using mustard oil and plain soap. Today, he/she is seeking special branded products, daily skin and h ealthcare needs. Rural consumers across income segments are showing a marked pro pensity towards spending on premium high quality products which are backed by st rong brand values. For instance take food products. Not only has the demand for cream biscuits gone up in rural markets the sale of instant noodles, too is growing nearly twice as fast in the rural market compared to the urban one. Whats more one in every six rural buyer of hair dye now uses colors other than black something which would h ave been dubbed as indulgence a decade go. Even the seemingly urbane brands in c ategories like deodorants and fabric softeners are said to be growing much faste r in rural Indian than urban. Variety biscuits (creams, cookies) are growing significantly faster than glucose . Even in rural market, they are taking away significant consumption from glucos e biscuits. According to a retail audit, the share of glucose biscuits in overall market has changed from 30% to 26% in the last 18 months. Clearly consumers are valuing su perior quality and better delivery in product experience and are wiling to pay a higher price for it. The trend particularly serves as a wake up call for those marketers, who still do not have a deep rural reach. It is also a broad based cu tting across of categories. The year on year rural growth of premium soap brand Cinthol original during April-September was higher this year at around 28% as co mpared to 12.5% in the corresponding period last year. Similarly the rural growt h of mosquito repellent brand doubled than its urban market growth this year. more at http://www.citeman.com/12714-branded-products-get-to-rural-markets.html# ixzz21N5dLP2m Catalytic causes A few factors are catalyzing this growth. Nearly a decade ago, Nielsenhad identi fied the trend of commodity to branding. This phenomenon appears to have taken roo t and continues to drive category and market expansion. In addition, consumer tr ial through Low Unit Packs is widening the ambit of these categories and bringing into their fold large numbers of consumers who are increasingly exercising their desire for packaged branded goods as markers of a better, healthier lifestyle. For the value-vaulters, the LUP represents value for money, as they are able to fl irt with premium or impulse products without a huge outlay. Lastly, geographic p resence and the availability of these products in proximal markets now mean fast

er replenishment cycles that is likely to translate into greater per capita cons umption. Implications for marketing These paradigm shifts will mean that rural marketing practiceswill no longer be restricted to a specialization they will become part of mainstream marketing and a necessary criterion for marketing knowledge amongst Indias marketing community . Today, most FMCG categories (80%) are growing faster in rural as compared to urb an India. This growing importance of rural India will also mean that competitors (both regional players and categories with a strong regional franchise) will in fluence marketing plans. As these categories expand, they will influence the way adjacent categories and emerging alternatives will seek to market themselves. More importantly perhaps, marketing must undergo a change. Whether it is creatin g products especially for rural markets; the ascendancy of the shopkeeper as the advocate for brands; or a hectic pace of brand switching as consumers experimen t with a widely available and accessible array of choices every aspect of rural marketing will have to align with the oncoming wave of consumer demand in rural India. Importance A remarkable change is visible in Indian Rural Market. Lot of factors contribute d in its growth like infrastructure, information technology, health, education awareness, availability of finance and media explosion etc.Rural market is ready to accept the change th at is rapidly happening in urban market but rural consumers are different from their counterpa rts in many ways. They are growing but expansion is different from urban consumers. Indian r ural consumers are different in terms of income, education level, mobility pattern an d lifestyle from their counterparts. The objective of the study was to identify this pattern and to know the awareness level and purchase intention of rural consumers towards premium FM CG Brands. The study is relevant for marketers, retailers and for consumers. Market ers and retailers can frame their strategy accordingly to enter into the rural market to tap the rural consumers for premium FMCG brands.

Refined Edible oils Iodised salt Packaged tea powder Toilet soaps Fairness creams Hair oils Shampoo Hair dye Washing powers in the last few years, spending patterns have been changing in both rural and ur ban india. consumption patterns have evolved rapidly in the last five to ten years. The con sumer is trading up to experience the new or what he hasnt. Hes looking for produc ts with better functionality, quality, value, and so on. What he needs is fast get ting replaced with what he wants. A new report by Booz & Company for the Confedera

tion of Indian Industry (CII), called FMCG Roadmap to 2020: The Game Changers, s pells out the key growth drivers for the Indian fast moving consumer goods (FMCG ) industry in the past ten years and identifies the big trends and factors that will impact its future. The report estimates the FMCG sector witnessed robust year-on-year growth of app roximately 11 per cent in the last decade, almost tripling in size from Rs 47,00 0 crore in 2000-01 to Rs 130,000 crore now (it accounts for 2.2 per cent of the countrys GDP). Growth was even faster in the past five years almost 17 per cent a nnually since 2005. It identifies robust GDP growth, opening up of rural markets , increased income in rural areas, growing urbanisation along with evolving cons umer lifestyles and buying behaviours as the key drivers of this growth. The report further estimates that the FMCG industry will grow at least 12 per ce nt annually to become Rs 400,000 crore in size by 2020. Additionally, if some of the factors play out favourably, say, GDP grows a little faster, the government removes bottlenecks such as the goods and services tax (GST), infrastructure in vestments pick up, there is more efficient spending on government subsidy and so on, growth can be significantly higher. It could be as high as 17 per cent, lea ding to an overall industry size of Rs 620,000 crore by 2020. RURAL VS URBAN CONSUMERS - CHALLENGES The biggest mistake a FMCG company can make while entering the rural India is to treat it as an extension to the existing urban market. But there is a vast difference in the lifestyles of t he rural and urban consumers. The rural Indian consumer is economically, socially, and psycho graphically differen t from his urban counterpart. The kind of choices that an urban customer takes for granted is different from t he choices available to the rural counterparts. The difference in consumer behavior in essence stems from the way of thinking with the fairly simple thought process of the rural consumer in contrast to a much more complex urban counterpart. On top of this there has hardly been any research into the consumer behavior of the rural areas, whereas there is considerable amount of data on the urban consumers regarding things like - who i s the influencer, who is the buyer, how do they go and buy, how much money do they spend on their purchases, etc. On the rural front the efforts have started only recently and will take time to come out with substanti al results. So the primary challenge is to understand the buyer and his behavior. Even greater challenge li es in terms of the vast differences in the rural areas which severely limits the marketers ability to seg ment, target and position his offerings. The population is dispersed to such an extent that 90% of the rural p opulation is concentrated in villages with population of less than 2000. So the geographical spread is not as homogeneous as it is with the urban areas owing to vast differences culture and education levels. Also with ag riculture being the main business of rural sector the purchasing power of rural consumer is highly unpred ictable which can lead to high variations in demand patterns. One more gray area that needs to be probed into i s the importance of retailer in rural trade. Rural consumers brand choices are greatly restricted and this is whe re the retailer comes into the picture. The rural customer generally goes to the same retailer to buy goods. Na turally theres a very strong bonding in terms of trust between the two. Also with the low education levels of

rural sector the rural buying behavior is such that the consumer doesn t ask d but like "laal wala sabun dena" or "paanch rupey waali chai dena". Now in such ervient to the retailer and he pushes whatever brand fetches him the greatest to understand the rural consumer, similarly need is there to study the cer in the buying decision.

for the things explicitly by bran a scenario the brand becomes subs returns. Thus, as there is a need retailer as he is a chief influen

The rural India has 75 percent of the population living in 5,72,000 villages spe aking 33 languages, 1652 dialects and have diverse sub cultures and diverse requ irements. More than 80 percent of the rural consumers depend upon agriculture an d allied activities for their livelihood. The rural market has been growing stea dily since the 1980s and, is now bigger than the urban market for both fast movi ng consumer goods (53 percent share of the total market) and consumer durables ( 59 percent). An analysis of the National Samples Survey (NSS) data reveals that 75 percent of the expenditure on manufactured goods is accounted by rural India. Technological developments are taking place in rural areas at a rapid fast rate as is in the urban areas. The disposable income in rural India has increased ma nifold in the last five years than the urban area. All these paved way for rural marketing. The socio-economic profile of the consumers, viz. income status, occupational position, educational level, age and region are the major determinants of the co nsumption patterns of milk. Hence, the concentrate of the present study will deliberate on the profile of consumers, their consumption pattern in milk consumption and its correlates.