BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | India’s logistics cost lower than govt estimate; Indian company earning more than 1 million profit per employee; and more
Latest data shows that India’s actual logistics cost is much lower than the government’s estimate. Meanwhile, there was a decline in the number of life insurance policies sold to women in 2022-23. And an Indian company has figured in the list of top five companies earning the highest profit per employee globally.
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | Suspension spree in the Parliament, Indian students’ spending abroad soars, and the rise in credit demand
With the 2024 Budget session left, the 17th Lok Sabha has already seen the most number of suspensions in India’s legislative history. Meanwhile, expenditure of Indian students going abroad is on the rise and is expected cross USD 70 billion annually by 2025, according to estimates.
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | Surge in food prices propel retail inflation, desktops gain ground, & air pollution funds languish
Retail inflation in November reached a 3-month high on the back of rising food prices. Meanwhile, FASTag appears to be on the right lane, with toll collection seeing steady growth. Data from Cloudflare shows that the share of Indians using desktops to get online is rising
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics: Crime declines, suicides increase, heat-related deaths surge, and unemployment remains high
Recently released data from the NCRB shows that the crime rate in India declined in 2022. However, along with it the chargesheeting rate, which is used to measure police performance, has also gone down. Meanwhile, analysis of data shows that although the unemployment rate saw a dip in November, it remains elevated compared to the longer-term trend.
ENVIRONMENT
COP28: The long road of climate negotiations from Rio to Dubai
An interactive timeline chronicling the major milestones in the history of climate negotiations
POLITICS
Political parties go all out to woo women voters as their numbers rise steadily
As per election analyst Sanjay Kumar, a slight tilt has been noticed in favour of parties which have provided schemes meant for women.
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
Assembly triumphs no guarantee for Lok Sabha victory, data reveals, but can impact national politics
Although Congress had won 54 percentage of the Assembly seats cumulatively in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan in 2018, it failed to use the momentum during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, only winning 4.62 percentage of the seats available.
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | Corporate profits surge, yet wages stagnate; snacking woes, and content takedown requests surge
Although corporate profits reached record highs, wage growth has stagnated. Meanwhile, 76 percent of the revenue of India’s top packaged food companies came from selling unhealthy products
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
Rajasthan Elections 2023: Why SC/ST reserved seats can be the key to winning power in the state
In the six elections that Rajasthan has seen since the 2008 delimitation exercise, the winning party has always been the one that has secured the most number of reserved seats.
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | Record rise in Indian students in the US, dip in wheat acreage, and cargo growth in ports
Indian students now contribute an estimated $7.14 billion to the US economy. Meanwhile, the total wheat production in India is expected to see a decline this fiscal year
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | The hottest 12 months on record, deepening wealth gap, and the rise of OTT
With an average warming of more than 1.3°C, the past 12 months were the hottest on record. Meanwhile, income and wealth inequality is deepening in India. And data shows a significant drop in the number of employed persons in October.
INDIA
Delhi pollution: Stubble burning has declined in Punjab but is still a menace
Although not much in the spotlight, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh have seen a spike in stubble burning. And according to experts, stubble burning isn’t the only reason for the rapid deterioration of air quality in Delhi over the last week
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
Majority of sitting MLAs in 5 poll-bound states are crorepatis, many face criminal cases, shows data
Telangana MLAs are the richest of the five, and the state also has the maximum share of MLAs with criminal cases registered against them. No state has done too well when it comes to female representation.
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | Increasing child fatalities in Gaza, the link between diabetes and air pollution, and the rise of women-led startups
As Indian cities grapple with air pollution, a new study shines light on its link with diabetes. Meanwhile, startups are leading the way in reducing the gender gap with data showing that they have a significantly higher share of women in the workforce and leadership positions, compared to traditional Indian companies.
INDIA
Despite feeling the heat, Indians optimistic about avoiding climate disaster
Nearly 60 percent of Indians believe that climate change is the biggest threat facing the globe today. However, only over 10 percent of them think that a climate disaster could happen during their lifetime, shows data from Epson Climate Reality Barometer 2023.
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | Russia’s rising share in India’s oil basket, fall in net FDI, and more
The share of Russia in India’s oil imports has gone up 204 percent on an annual basis in the first five months of this fiscal, while imports from OPEC countries have declined. Also, during this period, net FDI saw a sharp fall amid the high interest rates in advanced economies.
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
In Charts | KCR battled high inflation, unemployment in Telangana, but scored in FDI and fiscal discipline
A graphical snapshot of the economy of Telangana as it gears up for its third assembly election shows the ruling BRS battling anti-incumbency amid high inflation and unemployment. However, the state has done well comparatively when it comes to reining in its fiscal deficit, attracting foreign investments and improving its digital penetration
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
Unemployment, poverty, low income per capita - Gehlot had more than just factionalism to tackle
A graphical snapshot of the economy of Rajasthan, India’s largest state, India, as it gears up for elections next month. Notably, Both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP are dealing with factionalism within their parties as the state grapples with unemployment, poverty and the digital divide.
BUSINESS
In Charts | How Shivraj Singh Chouhan was marred by inflation, slowed growth, but scored in employment
A graphical snapshot of Madhya Pradesh, which has more than 20 percent of the population living under multidimensional poverty
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | Rising toll in Israel-Hamas war, limited impact of Canada row on student loans, and lack of quality service jobs
The number of those killed or wounded is rapidly rising as the conflict between Israel and Hamas intensifies. Meanwhile, the ongoing diplomatic row between Canada and India is unlikely to affect overseas student loans given out by NBFCs
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
In Charts: Chhattisgarh's low fiscal deficit, falling poverty marred by digital divide, entrepreneurship woes
A graphical snapshot of the state’s economy, which has had a balanced performance in recent years, lifting an estimated 4 million out of poverty in five years. However, the state government has also had to face accusations of impropriety in implementing central government schemes.
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
High debt, lower per capita income, inflation— Mizoram has more than a poll battle at hand
A graphical snapshot of the service sector-led economy of the election-bound state, which has struggled to meet its fiscal deficit targets.
BUSINESS
Weekly Numerics | A million coal jobs under threat, compliance cost burden, and the persistent issue of hunger
Latest estimates show that more than a million coal mine workers could be laid off by 2050, and most of them will be from India and China. Meanwhile, despite a marginal improvement, hunger remains a serious issue in India.
TRENDS
In Charts | The link between a country’s economy and its sporting performance
The top four medal-winning countries in the Asian Games 2023 also have the biggest economies in the continent. An analysis of historical data shows that this isn’t merely a coincidence.
