(23 October 2023) Government Data Roundup: Reports by MeitY, RBI, MoSPI, Agricultural Statistics Among Those Released Recently

In this 40th edition of fortnightly government data roundup, we look at the India AI 2023 report by the working groups of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, draft National Strategy on Robotics, provisional coal statistics for 2022-23, final estimates for major crops 2022-23 among others.

In this 40^th edition of fortnightly government data roundup, we look at the India AI 2023 report by the working groups of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, draft National Strategy on Robotics, provisional coal statistics for 2022-23, final estimates for major crops 2022-23, second advance estimates for area and production of horticulture crops 2022-23, PLFS annual report 2022-23, and RBI Bulletin for October 2023

Among the monthly reports, quick estimates of industrial production and CPI for rural, urban, and combined are released. 

• For the month of August 2023, the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) with base 2011-12 stood at 145.1. The sectoral indices of Industrial Production for the Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity sectors for the month of August 2023 stand at 111.9, 143.5 and 220.5 respectively. The IIP for these sectors during August 2022 stands at 99.6, 131.3 and 191.3 respectively. The electricity sector grew higher, followed by Mining and Manufacturing during August 2023 compared to July 2023.
• The All-India CPI-Rural for August 2023 stood at 187.6 points and for urban, it stood at 184.5. For September 2023, the provisional index for rural and urban stood at 185.8 and 182.2 respectively. These represent an increase compared to the August 2022 values, which stood at 176.4 and 174.1 respectively for rural and urban areas. The combined provisional CPI for September 2023 stood at 184.1 as compared to 175.3 in September 2022.

Brief about the report:

To further the dedication to developing artificial intelligence in India, with a focus on India’s specific needs, MeitY has established seven task force groups. These groups are collaborating to generate ideas and plans regarding the vision, goals, results, and framework for each key aspect of India AI. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recently presented the inaugural India AI report, which was a joint effort by these seven working groups.

Key Highlights:

• Establishing and operationalizing three Centres of Excellence (CoEs). These CoEs aim at harnessing India’s unique strengths in AI to address critical societal challenges by developing and promoting indigenous AI technologies, both at national and global levels.
• A proposal to establish the National Data Management Office (NDMO) as a non-statutory independent agency, which would function as a regulator overseeing various aspects of its operations.
• Creation of state-of-the-art AI computing infrastructure at five different locations, capable of processing a total of 3000 AI Petaflops, alongside an Inference Farm (2500 AI PF) and Edge Compute (500 AI PF) systems.
• The overarching goal is to foster the emergence of 100 new AI startups in India through the India AI program within the framework of the India AI Future Design initiative.
• Further, crafting a comprehensive framework, curriculum, and resource repository that encompass essential AI components, including mathematics, statistics, machine learning, and deep learning, among others for skilling.

Brief about the report:

India has achieved notable progress in the realm of robotics, and this advancement is acknowledged not only within the nation but also on a global scale by both public and private entities. There is a growing recognition of the pivotal role that robotic automation plays in shaping future social, economic, and technological progress.

The National Strategy on Robotics is designed to harness this potential and foster the growth of robotic technology. Its ultimate goal is to position India as a global “Robotics Hub” that leads the way in this field, contributing to worldwide advancements in the realm of robotics.

Key Highlights:

• The Robotics Innovation Unit (RIU) will operate as an independent agency within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology as part of the India AI initiative, taking charge of executing the National Strategy on Robotics.
• In order to advance India’s global leadership in the field of robotics, four key strategic sectors have been pinpointed: manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and national security. A Technology Adoption Plan may be devised to identify use cases in priority sectors that could potentially benefit from robotic automation by 2030. 
• A Robot Utilization Plan may also be developed to streamline demand aggregation and the diffusion of robotic technologies in selected industries.
• To address obstacles in technology development and deployment, testbeds will be utilized within the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-7 range. These testbeds may offer innovators financial support, access to physical and virtual infrastructure, knowledge dissemination, capacity building, and partnership support.
• A network of Centres of Excellence (CoEs), both newly established and existing, may be set up to conduct fundamental and practical research and development in the field of robotics. Additionally, demonstration centres may be established as platforms to experience the latest advancements in robotics and explore potential applications.

Brief about the report:

Coal is an important pillar of the economy, often serving as a propelling force for growth and development. Having precise data on coal and lignite is crucial for making well-informed decisions and conducting thorough data analysis. The “Provisional Coal Statistics 2022-23” functions as a central source that consolidates essential information regarding the coal and lignite sector for the year 2022-23. This report offers an extensive and in-depth overview of various factors, encompassing coal reserves, production, and coal production efficiency, among others.

Key Highlights:

• In the fiscal year 2022-23, India’s total raw coal production reached 893.190 million metric tons (MT), a notable increase from 778.2 MT in the previous year, marking a growth of 14.77% compared to the prior year. During the same period, coking coal production amounted to 60.8 MT, up from 51.7 MT in 2021-22, reflecting a growth of 17.5% year-on-year.
• For the year 2022-23, 96.1% of India’s coal production, totalling 858.3 MT, was sourced from open-cast mines, with the remaining 3.9% (34.9 MT) originating from Under Ground mines.
• Raw coal despatch in 2022-23 amounted to 877.4 MT, an increase of 7.1% from the 819.213 MT dispatched in 2021-22. The majority of coal despatches in 2022-23 were from Odisha, at 218.0 MT (24.85%), followed by Chhattisgarh (176.1MT, 20.08%), Jharkhand (150.7MT, 17.2%), Madhya Pradesh (121.3 MT, 13.8%), and Telangana (69.2 MT, 7.9%).
• The power sector remained the largest consumer of coal, with 786.1 MT (89.6%) of coal dispatched to this sector in 2022-23. Aside from the power sector, coal was primarily dispatched to the steel sector (13.9 MT, 1.6%), cement sector (8.1 MT, 0.9%), and sponge iron sector (8.0 MT, 0.9%), among others.
• Royalty collection from coal mining companies in 2022-23 amounted to ₹23,127 crore. The major source of royalty revenue was coal companies (97.1%), with the remaining 2.87% coming from lignite. Coal India Limited contributed 68.6% of the country’s royalties, while SCCL accounted for 21% among coal companies.
• Among the states, Telangana led in royalty collection at 21.6%, followed by Jharkhand (21%), Odisha (18.4%), Chhattisgarh (14.9%), and Madhya Pradesh (13%). Together, these five states collectively contributed 88.8% of the total royalty share in the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Brief about the report:

The advanced agricultural estimate provides a comprehensive prediction of the output of agricultural goods within a fiscal year. They are crucial as they are used in forecasting demand and supply and play a vital role in imports and exports.

Key Highlights:

• According to the Final Estimates for 2022-23, the total foodgrain production in the country is estimated to be 3296.9 million tonnes, which is an increase of 140.7 million tonnes compared to the foodgrain production of 3156.2 million tonnes achieved in 2021-22. Additionally, the production in 2022-23 surpasses the average foodgrain production of the previous five years (2017-18 to 2021-22) by 308.7 million tonnes.
• The total production of rice in 2022-23 is estimated at a record 1357.55 million tonnes, which is higher by 62.84 million tonnes compared to the previous year’s rice production of 1294.71 million tonnes and by 153.65 million tonnes compared to the average rice production of the past five years, which stood at 1203.90 million tonnes.
• Wheat production during 2022-23 is estimated at a record 1105.54 million tonnes, surpassing the previous year’s wheat production of 1077.42 million tonnes by 28.12 million tonnes, and the average wheat production of the previous five years by 48.23 million tonnes, which was 1057.31 million tonnes.
• Total pulse production in 2022-23 is estimated at 260.58 million tonnes, marking an increase of 14.02 million tonnes compared to the average pulse production of the past five years, which was 246.56 million tonnes.
• The total sugarcane production in the country during 2022-23 is estimated at 4905.33 million tonnes, which is higher by 511.08 million tonnes compared to the previous year’s sugarcane production of 4394.25 million tonnes.

Brief about the report:

The advanced agricultural estimate provides a comprehensive prediction of the output of agricultural goods within a fiscal year. They are very crucial as they are used in forecasting demand and supply and play a vital role in imports and exports.

Key Highlights:

• The total horticulture production for the year 2022-23 is projected to reach 351.92 million tonnes, indicating a growth of approximately 4.74 million tonnes (1.37%) when compared to the final figures for the year 2021-22.
• Fruit production is anticipated to be around 108.34 million tonnes in 2022-23, as opposed to 107.51 million tonnes in the previous year (2021-22).
• Vegetable production is estimated to reach 212.91 million tonnes in 2022-23, an increase from the 209.14 million tonnes reported for 2021-22.
• The production of plantation crops is expected to rise from 15.76 million tonnes in 2021-22 to 16.05 million tonnes in 2022-23, signifying an uptick of about 1.78%. Furthermore, potato production is predicted to be 60.54 million tonnes, up from 56.18 million tonnes in the year 2021-22.

Brief about the report:

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) was introduced by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in April 2017 in response to the need for labour force statistics to be available at more frequent time intervals. It is used to estimate key employment and unemployment indicators.

Key Highlights:

Estimates of key labour market indicators in usual status (ps+ss)

• In rural regions, the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) increased from 50.7% in 2017-18 to 60.8% in 2022-23, while in urban areas, it increased from 47.6% to 50.4%. For males in India, the LFPR increased from 75.8% in 2017-18 to 78.5% in 2022-23, and for females, it rose from 23.3% to 37.0%.
• The Work Participation Rate (WPR) in rural areas increased from 48.1% in 2017-18 to 59.4% in 2022-23, and in urban areas, it increased from 43.9% to 47.7%. Among males in India, the WPR increased from 71.2% in 2017-18 to 76.0% in 2022-23, and for females, it increased from 22.0% to 35.9%.
• The Unemployment Rate (UR) in rural areas decreased from 5.3% in 2017-18 to 2.4% in 2022-23, and in urban areas, it decreased from 7.7% to 5.4%. For males in India, the UR decreased from 6.1% in 2017-18 to 3.3% in 2022-23, and for females, it decreased from 5.6% to 2.9%.

Estimates of key labour market indicators in Current Weekly Status (CWS)

• In rural regions, the LFPR increased from 48.9% in 2017-18 to 56.7% in 2022-23, while in urban areas, it increased from 47.1% to 49.4%. The LFPR for males in India increased from 75.1% in 2017-18 to 77.4% in 2022-23, and for females, it increased from 21.1% to 31.6%.

• The WPR in rural areas increased from 44.8% in 2017-18 to 54.2% in 2022-23, and in urban areas, it increased from 42.6% to 46.0%. For males in India, the WPR increased from 68.6% in 2017-18 to 73.5% in 2022-23, and for females, it increased from 19.2% to 30.0%.
• The UR in rural areas decreased from 8.4% in 2017-18 to 4.4% in 2022-23, and in urban areas, it decreased from 9.5% to 7.0%. Among males in India, the UR decreased from 8.7% in 2017-18 to 5.1% in 2022-23, and for females, it decreased from 9.0% to 5.1%.

Brief about the report:

RBI releases a monthly bulletin consisting of research articles, speeches by RBI, and some current statistics. These are important as they provide different perspectives on the functioning of the economy. October Bulletin consists of six articles:

1. State of the Economy
2. Measuring Uncertainty: An Indian Perspective
3. Impact of G-Sec Yield Movements on Bank Profitability in India.
4. Production Weighted Rainfall Index and Agriculture Production: Relationship Re-visited.
5. Housing Finance Companies and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Does Size Matter?
6. COVID-19 Pandemic and the Resilience of India’s R&D Expenditure.

Key highlights of the bulletin:

• Global economic growth began to slow down in the third quarter of 2023 due to sluggish manufacturing activity and tight financial conditions in advanced economies. However, certain emerging market economies managed to achieve surprising growth.
• In India, there is noticeable momentum building across a wide range of high-frequency indicators. During periods of high uncertainty, these indicators provide valuable early signs of slowing economic growth and rising inflation. Nevertheless, they pose a dilemma: should monetary policy be relaxed to address the slowdown, or should it be tightened to control inflation?
• Regarding the southwest monsoon (SWM) months, July rainfall has the most significant impact on kharif foodgrain production, followed by June, September, and August. This implies that the adverse effects of a delayed or underperforming monsoon in June on kharif production can be partially mitigated if the monsoon improves in July.
• Housing Finance Companies (HFCs), which held approximately 36% of the market share as of March 2022, are the second-largest players in the housing finance sector after scheduled commercial banks (SCBs). The sector rebounded from the COVID-19 shock, thanks to policy and regulatory support, and displayed strong credit growth and a low Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio.
• Firm-level characteristics such as size, age, digitalization, and promotional expenses were significant factors influencing firm-level Research and Development (R&D) activities. Remarkably, there was no significant adverse impact of COVID-19 on firm-level R&D activities.

Featured Image: Government Data Roundup