(02 January 2023) Government Data Roundup: Social Progress Index, EPFO Payroll Data, Trend and Progress of Banking in India Among the Data/Reports Released Recently.

The nineteenth edition of the fortnightly government data roundup covers data/reports released by MoHFW, Ministry of Labour, MoSPI, RBI, and the year-end reviews by various ministries.

In this 19^th edition of fortnightly government data roundup, we look at the Social Progress Index (SPI) released by PM- Economic Advisory Council, the Consultation Paper on Unified Health Interface, All-India Consumer Price Index Numbers For Agricultural And Rural Labourers – November 2022, EPFO Payroll Data, Payroll Reporting in India – A Formal Employment Perspective, RBI Bulletin for December 2022, and Report On Trend And Progress Of Banking In India. Key publications in the last fortnight from 16 December 2022 to 30 December 2022 have been covered in this story.

In addition, as the year 2022 comes to an end, various ministries have released their respective Year-End Reviews through the Press Information Bureau. This year-end review is an annual publication that highlights key initiatives and achievements of the department or ministry in the past year. 

Social Progress Index for States and Districts

Brief about data and findings:

The Social Progress Index is a tool that may be used to prioritize public investments and bring attention to areas that need to be addressed through data-driven insights, which will assist state and district-level officials in developing strategies for inclusive growth. The report ranks India’s 707 districts and 36 States/Union Territories based on their performance on various social progress indicators. The Social Progress Index evaluates the nation’s advancements in three dimensions: Opportunity, Foundations of Well-Being, and Basic Human Needs. There are four components to each dimension. At the state & district levels, the Index covers 49 and 89 indicators, respectively.

Key findings:

• Tier-1 of Very High Social Progress (SPI Score range: 62.05 – 65.99) includes nine states and UTs, including Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Goa, Sikkim, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, and Kerala. Six states and UTs—Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Ladakh, Nagaland, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands—are included in the Tier-2, with High Social Progress (SPI Score: 58.76 – 60.76).
• Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Manipur are categorized in Tier-3, with Upper Middle Social Progress (SPI Score: 56.27 – 58.26), and ten states—Haryana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Telangana, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra are in Tier 4, with Lower Middle Social Progress (SPI Score: 50.69 – 54.15).
• Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh fall under Tier-5, with Low Social Progress (SPI Score: 48.11 – 49.16), and Assam, Bihar, and Jharkhand under Tier-6, with Very Low Social Progress (SPI Score: 43.95 – 44.92)
• A total of 58 districts fall under Tier-1, 114 districts under Tier-2, 135 districts under Tier-3, 147 districts under Tier-4, 171 districts under Tier-5, and 82 districts under Tier-6. The Tier wise SPI score range is different for states and districts. 

Consultation Paper on Unified Health Interface

Brief about the paper:

This paper focuses on the Unified Health Interface (UHI) building block within the National Digital Health Ecosystem (NDHE). It describes NHA’s current thinking related to the architecture and role UHI would play in the healthcare ecosystem. An attempt has been made to frame and contextualize the issues for consultation and provide adequate context for the citizens and concerned stakeholders to weigh in with their comments.

The development of the UHI building block as a public good would enable digital health services in the ecosystem, according to the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM). The National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB) acknowledged the necessity for developing a framework for the growth of a “National Digital Health Ecosystem” (NDHE), which is an ecosystem rather than a system. 

Written comments on the issues raised in the Consultation Paper are invited from stakeholders by 13 January 2023, through this link. 

Key highlights:

• By establishing an ecosystem that benefits both patients and health service providers, the proposed Health Services Layer and other NDHM building blocks are intended to address issues in the delivery of healthcare services digitally.
• Together with the other NDHM building pieces, an open network for digital health services democratizes access to these services. It can establish the groundwork for a more transparent, effective market where supply and demand for these services can be effortlessly matched with little information asymmetry.
• In addition to open protocols, successful open networks need a defined model for interaction with the community (of stakeholders) and ecosystem governance.
• The paper also talks about the potential incentives and disincentives for both healthcare practitioners, as well as end-users.

All-India Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural and Rural Labourers – November 2022

Brief about the report:

The Labour Bureau had been compiling CPI data for farm labourers since September 1964. The new series of CPI Numbers for (i) Agricultural and (ii) Rural Laborers (base 1986-87=100) replaced the previous series on base 1960-61=100 with effect from November 1995. These index statistics are compiled each month by the Field Operations Division (FOD) of the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO), which periodically collects price information from 600 sample villages selected from 20 States.

Key findings:

• The All-India Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Laborers and Rural Laborers (Base: 1986-87=100) increased by 8 points each for the month of November 2022, reaching 1167 and 1178 points, respectively.
• The increase in the prices of Rice, Wheat-Atta, Bajra, Maize, Pulses, Milk, Onion, Chilies Green/Dry, Turmeric whole, mixed spices, Vegetables & Fruits, Gur, etc. was the main factor contributing to the rise in the general index of Agricultural Laborers and Rural Laborers, rising by 4.05 & 3.56 points, respectively.
• The index varied differently in each state. In 17 States, there was a rise of 1 to 16 points for Agricultural Labourers. Himachal Pradesh is at the bottom of the index table with 912 points, while Tamil Nadu is at the top with 1345 points.
• In 18 States, there was a rise of 1 to 16 points for rural labourers. Himachal Pradesh is at the bottom of the index table with 965 points, while Tamil Nadu is at the top with 1333 points.
• Among the states, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh witnessed the largest increase in the Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers (16 points each), and Assam registered a maximum decline of 9 points each.

EPFO Payroll Data

Brief about the data:

The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation started publishing this data in April 2018 covering the period from September 2017 onwards. Information on the number of subscribers under three major schemes- the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme, the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme and the National Pension Scheme (NPS) has been used. There could be some overlap in the subscription counts from different sources. As a result, the estimations from different sources do not add up. The data gives different perspectives on the level of employment in the formal sector in the country. However, it does not measure employment at a holistic level.

Key findings:

• Over 12.94 lakh new members were added to EPFO in October 2022. Y-o-Y growth shows an increase of 21,026 members when compared to October 2021.
• Around 7.28 lakh of the total 12.94 lakh, new members who joined during the month are now protected by EPFO’s social security program for the first time. 
• With 2.19 lakh new members, the age group of 18 to 21 years had the highest registration rate. The age group of 22 to 25 years, with 1.97 lakh members, came next. Nearly 57.25 percent of all newly enrolled members are in the 18 to 25 age range.
• An examination of payroll data by gender reveals that 2.63 lakh net female members were enrolled as of October 2022. Out of this, 1.91 lakh females—roughly 72.73% of the net female member addition for the month—have joined EPFO for the first time.
• Payroll data by state-wise shows that states like Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, etc. have shown a growing trend in net member addition month over month. The top five states in terms of net payroll addition during the month made for roughly 60.15 percent of the overall net payroll addition across all age categories.

Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India

Brief about the report:

In accordance with Section 36 (2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the Reserve Bank of India published the Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India 2021–22. This report details the banking industry’s performance so far in 2021–22 and 2022–23, including cooperative banks and non-bank financial institutions.

Key findings:

• After a seven-year gap, the combined balance sheet of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) experienced a double-digit expansion in 2021–2022, driven by lending growth that surged to a ten-year high in H1 of 2022-23.
• By the end of March 2022, the capital to risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR) of SCBs increased from 16.3% to 16.8%, with all banks achieving the regulatory minimum capital requirement of 11.5%.
• From its high in 2017–18, the gross non–performing assets (GNPA) ratio of SCBs decreased progressively to reach 5.8% by the end of March 2022. This was driven by decreasing slippages as well as a decrease in outstanding GNPAs.
• The profitability of SCBs in 2021–22 increased due to an increase in income and a decrease in expenses, as assessed by return on equity and return on assets.
• Urban cooperative banks financial performance improved in 2021–2022 as evidenced by increased capital buffers, a drop in the GNPA ratio, and improved profitability indicators.
• While asset quality improved throughout 2021–2022, the NBFC sector maintained comfortable liquidity buffers, adequate provisioning, and a robust capital position.

RBI Bulletin for December 2022

Brief about the report:

The December 2022 edition of the Reserve Bank of India’s monthly Bulletin is released. The Bulletin has eight articles, four talks, and current economic statistics.

The eight articles are as follows: I. State of the Economy, II. Anatomy of Inflation’s Ascent in India, III. Assessing Inflation Expectations Adjusting for Household Biases, IV. Government Finances 2022-23: A Half-Yearly Review, V. Measuring India’s Digital Economy, VI. A Composite Coincident Index for Unorganized Sector Activity in India, VII. Agriculture in 2022-23: Kharif Performance and Rabi Outlook, and VIII. Financial Inclusion through Microfinance – An Assessment of the North-eastern Region of India.

Key findings:

• One key highlight of this bulletin is on unorganized sector and its informational asymmetry. In India, the unorganized sector accounts for over half of the recorded economic activity, yet this sector lacks high-frequency data. By methodically merging several proxy indicators, a new composite coincident index for the unorganized sector (UNCCI) has been prepared.
• Separate UNCCIs are generated for agricultural and non-agricultural activities since the cyclical pattern and seasonal fluctuation in these two sectors differ significantly. Then, an overall UNCCI is produced by taking the weighted average of the two, where the weights represent the corresponding sectoral shares in the total GVA. For the UNCCI, a total of fourteen high-frequency indicators (HFIs) were chosen.
• On the rise in inflation, the article mentions that the initial inflationary pressure was caused by a series of supply shocks, but as their influence lessened, a reciprocal expenditure rebound, particularly a shift away from commodities to contact-intensive services, is generalizing and maintaining pricing pressures. However, brief shocks, notably in the vegetable sector, added some instability to the headline figures. 
• In H1 of 2022-23, the Union government’s finances and those of the states dramatically improved as the pandemic’s spillover effects subsided and targeted fiscal measures were implemented. Both direct taxes and GST collections were high, which is evidence of the economy’s ongoing recovery, better tax administration and governance, and a healthier corporate sector balance sheet.

Payroll Reporting in India – A Formal Employment Perspective

Brief about the report:

Using data on the number of subscribers who have subscribed under three major schemes, namely the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme, the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme, and the National Pension Scheme, this Ministry has been publishing employment-related statistics in the formal sector since April 2018 covering the period from September 2017 onward (NPS). The subscriber counts from several sources could overlap sometimes, which results in differences in the estimates from several sources. The information provides many viewpoints on the level of employment in the nation’s formal sector. It does not, however, quantify employment in a comprehensive way.

Key findings:

• Over 5.99 crore new subscribers joined the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) scheme between September 2017 and July 2022. About 7.27 lakh new subscribers joined the EPF scheme in October 2022, which is less than 9.82 lakh new subscribers who joined in September 2022.
• The data of new members joining EPFO has shown a declining trend since July 2022. Out of 7.27 lakh, new members added, approximately 57.25% are from the age group of 18-25 years.
• Payroll data analysis by gender reveals that in October 2022, there were 1.91 lakh net new female members, comprising of only 26%.
• Between September 2017 and October 2022, 7.49 crore new subscribers joined the Employees State Insurance Corporation scheme. The number of new ESI subscribers during October 2022 was 11.82 lakh, down from 14.52 lakh in September 2022.
• Under the NPS Central Government, State Governments and Corporate schemes, 39.11 lakh new subscribers joined and contributed to the scheme between September 2017 and October 2022.

Year-End Reviews for 2022

Several ministries had published their year-end reviews, a few highlights of each ministry are mentioned below.

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)

• The domestic production of electronic goods has significantly expanded, expanding at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15% from Rs. 3,17,331 crores in 2016–17 to Rs. 6,40,810 crores in 2021–22.
• To spread the IT/ITES/ESDM industry throughout the country’s smaller cities, 63 Software Technology Parks of India operational centres/sub-centres are set up, of which 55 are in Tier-II and Tier-III cities. 
• In 2022, 32 Advisories, 463 Vulnerability Notes and 599 Security alerts (a total of 1094) were issued during the year 2022 (up to November) by CERT-In to enable organizations and users to secure their systems and data.
• In comparison to a target of 6000 crores, 8840 crore digital transactions were completed in 2021–22, with a YoY growth rate of 59%. The expansion of digital payments is being driven by indigenously developed UPI, which processed 730 crore transactions online in October 2022.

Ministry of Civil Aviation

• More than a total of 90 evacuation flights were operated for the safe rescue of more than 22,500 Indian people from Ukraine.
• The DGCA granted an all-time high of 1061 CPLs in 2022 (as of 29 November 2022). In 2018, it was 640. In 2019, it was 744. It was 578 in 2020 and in 2021, it was 862.
• 140 new RCS routes were awarded under UDAN 4.2 and 4.3, and 10 new RCS routes were started in the nation’s Northeastern States. 16 new airports, heliports, and water aerodromes were recognized under UDAN.

Ministry of Communications

• The PM started 5G services in October 2022. The Indian government auctioned out 72,098 MHz of spectrum, of which 51,236 MHz (71% of the total) were sold for a total of Rs. 1,50,173 crores. The revenues from this auction set a record for the highest-ever auction revenue.
• Total telephone connections rose to 117.02 crores in October 2022 from 93.30 crores in March 2014, with a growth of 25.42% in the said period. The number of mobile connections reached 114.4 crores in October 2022.
• Internet connections increased by 232% from 25.15 crores in March 2014 to 83.69 crores in June 2022. From 6.1 crore in March 2014 to 81.62 crore in September 2022, the number of broadband connections increased by 1238%.
• India jumped by 6 places in Network Readiness Index from 67^th place in 2021 to 61^st position in 2022.

Ministry of Minority Affairs

• A total of 4,43,50,785 pre-matric scholarships have been approved from 2014–15 to 2021–22, with 52.24% of women receiving them.
• A total of 57,06,334 post-matriculation scholarships (including 55.91% females) have been approved from 2014–15 to 2021–22.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

• India is now ranked fourth in the world for installed renewable energy capacity (including large hydro), fourth for wind power capacity, and fourth for solar power capacity.
• A total of 172.72 GW capacity is added from non-fossil fuel sources as of 31 October 2022. 
• During the period of January to October 2022, a total of 14.21 GW of Renewable Energy (RE) capacity was added, as opposed to 11.9 GW added during the period of January to October 2021. 151.94 BU have been produced overall from RE sources between January and September 2022, compared to 128.95 BU from January to September 2021.

Ministry of Women and Child Development

• In line with the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, 2.79 crore recipients received payments totalling Rs. 12,241 crores in benefits.
• Anganwadi workers were provided with 11.22 lakh smart phones; 12.65 lakh Growth Monitoring Devices procured by States/UTs.
• 9.84 crore beneficiaries onboarded on POSHAN Tracker; close to 85.63% beneficiaries registered on the “Poshan Tracker” successfully Aadhar seeded
• Launch of GHAR – GO Home and Re-Unite (Portal for Restoration and Repatriation of Child).

Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change

• In accordance with the Ramsar Convention, India added 10 wetlands to the List of Wetlands of International Importance (also known as Ramsar Sites), bringing the country’s total number of Ramsar Sites to 75, the highest in Asia.
• On 17 September 2022, eight cheetahs were transported from Namibia to India and released by the Indian Prime Minister into quarantine bomas.
• 95 cities have shown an overall increase in ambient air quality between 2021 and 2022 compared to 2017. In 2019–20, 18 cities were found to meet the required National Ambient Air Quality Standard (PM10 less than 60 g/m3), and which increased to 20 cities in 2021–2022.

Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises

• On 8 April 2022, the MSME-Sustainable (ZED) Certification program was introduced. More than 23,000 MSMEs are listed.
• More than 8.34 lakh businesses have been established since the PMEGP scheme’s commencement in 2008, creating an estimated 68 lakh jobs.
• In 2022, 1222 programs under the “Entrepreneurship Skill Development Program” (ESDP) were carried out, helping 91,938 people.

Ministry of Steel

• Finished steel consumption reached 75.3 MT, which is 11.9% higher than CPLY of 67.32 MT, and domestic finished steel production stood at 78.090 million tons, compared to 73.02 million tons during the same period last year, registering a growth of 6.9% CPLY.
• Crude steel production touches a new record of 81.9 million Tons.

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways

• 567 projects were identified under the Sagarmala Programme for Holistic Development of Coastal Districts, with an estimated cost of Rs. 59,000 crores.
• Coastal shipping volume had increased from 74.9 MMTA in 2014 to 133 MMTPA in 2022.
• CSL made maritime history by delivering the famous Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) “Vikrant” to the Indian Navy, making India among the select few nations having the capability to design and build an indigenous aircraft carrier.

Ministry of Heavy Industries

• Under FAME II, incentives for a total of 7.43 lakh electric vehicles and 2877 EV charging points were approved.
• Under the National Program on Advanced Chemistry Cell, an investment of Rs. 27,000 crores is planned (ACC)
• In comparison to the projected estimate of investment of Rs. 42,500 crores over a period of five years, the PLI Auto program has been successful in garnering a proposed investment of Rs. 67,690 crores.

In addition to these, year-end reviews for various departments such as Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Sports, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Department of Land Resources, Department of Fertilizers, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Department of Science & Technology, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, CSIR (Ministry of Science & Technology), Department of Legislative Affairs, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare, Department of Personnel and Training were released.