Aggregate consumption functions for India: A cointegration analysis under structural changes, 1919-86

This paper extends cointegration methodology to include the effect of possible structural changes on aggregate consumption behaviour in India during 1919-86. The only cointegrated relation is found to be a dynamic linear regression of lag order two, with 1944 as the year in which structural change began. The estimated short-run marginal propensity to consume (MPC) is greater than the long-run MPC. The estimates of the MPC are different from previous estimates for the Indian economy based on conventional econometrics. The initial year of structural change has been selected by extending the method of Perron and that of Zivot and Andrews.