(24 October 2022) Government Data Roundup: Statistical Reports Released by The Department of Telecommunications, and Ministry of Civil Aviation Among the Data Released Recently.

In the fourteenth edition of the ‘Government Data Roundup’, we cover some of the vital monthly statistical reports released by the Department of Telecommunications, and Ministry of Civil Aviation, reports published in the sectors of Finance and Telecommunications among others.

Six months ago, Factly launched a new fortnightly series called the ‘Government Data Roundup’. The objective of this fortnightly roundup is to bring you a compilation of the important data and reports released by the government during those two weeks with information about the type of the data, the sector to which the data relates, the frequency of release, and a brief about the data. In this fourteenth edition we cover some of the vital monthly statistical reports released by the Department of Telecommunications, and Ministry of Civil Aviation. We also cover other important reports published in the sectors of Finance and Telecommunications. 

Concept Note on Central Bank Digital Currency

Brief about the report

Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is a digital form of currency notes issued by a central bank which may be used in addition to the other forms of money already available. It is expected to be easier, cheaper, and faster. The concept note released by the RBI explains the objectives, choices, benefits, and risks of issuing a CBDC in India, referred to as e₹ (digital Rupee). The note also discusses key considerations such as technology and design choices, possible uses of digital rupee, issuance mechanisms, etc. Further, it also assesses the implications of introduction of CBDC on the banking system, monetary policy, financial stability, and analyses privacy issues.

Key Highlights

• RBI defined CBDC as the legal tender issued by a central bank in a digital form.
• Two forms of CBDCs may be introduced- a CBDC which is retail oriented, which would be used by all for general retail transactions; and a CBDC which is wholesale oriented, which would be used by select financial institutions intended for interbank settlement of transfers.
• Two models have been proposed by the RBI for the issuance and management of the CBDCs. One is a single-tiered direct model which gives the central bank the entire responsibility of managing all aspects of the CBDC system and the second is a two-tiered indirect model where the central bank and other intermediaries (banks and similar service providers) play a role in managing the CBDC system. 
• RBI has also proposed structuring CBDC as ‘token-based’ or ‘account-based’. A token-based CBDC is a bearer instrument like banknotes, meaning whosoever holds the tokens at a given point in time would be presumed to own them. In contrast, an account-based system would require maintenance of record of balances and transactions of all holders of the CBDC and indicate the ownership of the monetary balances.
• Ensuring anonymity would be a challenge for digital currency. But the degree of anonymity which can be achieved is what remains to be seen.

Significance

The purpose of the document is to create awareness about CBDCs and lists out the planned features of the digital currency. The note also seeks to explain Reserve Bank’s approach towards introduction of the digital Rupee. 

Market Study on The Film Distribution Chain in India: Key Findings and Observations

Brief about the report

The report is released by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). It highlights some of the key competition issues in the film distribution chain, as identified by stakeholders. It also discusses the role of various associations in the chain such as production, distribution, or exhibition level; the superior bargaining power of some entities and the resultant imbalances; the bottlenecks that exist at various levels; unequal distribution of risks; revenue-sharing arrangements; newer technologies in cinema; tying and bundling arrangements at the exhibition level, etc.

Methodology

Desk research and primary research including focus-group discussions, one-on-one meetings, post-discussion surveys, and written submissions of stakeholders was employed. 65 industry stakeholders and experts participated in the study, including nine exhibitors and their associations, 11 Bollywood producers and their associations, 14 producers from the Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam film industries, 11 OTT platforms, and six broadcasters and their associations.

Key Highlights 

The following are some of the recommendations put forth by the commission-

• Multiplexes should refrain from putting any restraint on trade in the exhibition of films that may impinge on producers’ freedom of trade.
• Tailor-made arrangements should be preferred between multiplexes and producers in the pace of standard templates for contracting.
• Box office monitoring systems should be adopted to generate, record, and maintain ticketing logs and reports. The data collected by such a system should not be alterable by any stakeholder. Producers should engage independent auditors to check the same.
• Virtual Print Fee should be phased out.
• Associations must refrain from engaging in bans, boycotts and other conduct previously found to be anti-competitive by the commission and prohibiting industry from working with non-members. 
• Eleven Bollywood producers and their associations, fourteen producers from the Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam film industries, eleven OTT platforms, and six broadcasters and their associations took part in the study.

Significance

The purpose of the study was to understand the state of competition in the film industry in view of the evolving industry dynamics related to digitization and to identify issues related to competition that can be resolved or mitigated through self-corrective measures to limit the need for Commission’s interventions. The aim is to encourage the production and dissemination of content and overall wellbeing of the stakeholders in the ecosystem and address bargaining power imbalances across the value-chain, if any.

Monthly Air Traffic Statistics

Brief about the data

Every month, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) releases an analysis of air traffic data submitted by various domestic airlines. The report for the month of September 2022 was released in the previous fortnight. The report provides data on the number of passengers carried by domestic airlines, passenger load factor, number of cancellations and reasons behind them, market share of various airlines, complaints raised by passengers by reason and by airlines, among other things.  

Key Highlights

• 8.74 crore passengers were carried by domestic airlines during the period from January-September 2022 as against 5.31 crore passengers during the corresponding period in 2021, thereby registering an annual growth of 64.6%. 
• Out of the 8.74 crore passengers who travelled in domestic airlines in the first nine months of 2022, 56.2% amounting to 4.95 crore passengers were carried by IndiGo.
• In the third quarter from July to September 2022, IndiGo carried the most passengers (1.75 crores) followed by Vistara with 29.91 lakhs and Air India with 26.24 lakhs. Their market share was 58%, 9.9% and 8.7%, respectively.
• During September 2022, a total of 517 passenger related complaints had been received by the scheduled domestic airlines of which 500 were addressed. About two-thirds of the complaints were about refund and flight problem.

Report on Drive Tests in 15 cities

Brief about the report

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), with the assistance of the Telecom Service Providers, conducts Drive Tests regularly in select cities and surrounding areas. The Drive Test were conducted in 15 cities across the country during the quarter ending June 2022. Separate reports are published for each city. The purpose of the Drive Tests is to assess the network quality provided by cellular mobile telephone service providers for voice and data services. 

Key Highlights

• The 15 cities covered are Jalandhar, Ambala, Aizawl, Contai, Imphal, Kishanganj, Port Blair, Bilaspur, Gwalior, Meerut, Ahmednagar, Chikmagalur, Warangal, Cuttack, Coimbatore, two highways Meerut-Agra, Gwalior-Guna and one rail route Raigarh to Dongargarh. 
• In Jalandhar, Coimbatore, and Warangal, all Telecom Service Providers met the Drop Call Rate (DCR) benchmark of 2% and the Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR) of 95%.
• BSNL 3G failed to meet the benchmark in Drop Call Rate and Call Block Rate in Chikmagalur and Aizawl. In Meerut, BSNL 3G failed to meet the benchmark in Drop Call Rate. 
• In the northeastern areas of Imphal and Aizawl and in Contai (West Bengal), Reliance Jio, Vodafone India Ltd, and Airtel failed in the quality of 4G Network. 

Telecom Subscription Data- August 2022

Brief about the report

The monthly telecom statistics report provided by TRAI is the official source of data pertaining to subscription to telecom services in the country which helps keep track of the internet and phone network penetration in the country. It is important in these times when internet has become an integral part of life for education, health, banking, etc. following the pandemic. This monthly report gives data on telephone subscriptions- overall, urban, and rural, broadband subscriptions, wireless and wireline subscriptions, teledensity, market share of various service providers, and mobile number porting. Data is available at circle level and for each service provider.

Key Highlights

• As on 31 August 2022, there were 1175.08 million telephone subscribers in the country, including 1149.11 million wireless and 25.97 million wireline subscribers. 
• Over 1.08 million wireless subscribers and 0.34 million wireline subscribers were added in the month of August alone of which 0.73 million and 0.016 million new subscribers respectively were from rural areas. 
• The share of urban and rural subscribers in total number of telephone subscribers at the end of August 2022 was 55.41% and 44.59% respectively.
• The overall Tele-density in India increased from 85.11% at the end of July 2022 to 85.15% at the end of August 2022. The Urban Tele-density decreased from 134.78% at the end of July 2022 to 134.71% at the end of August 2022 while the Rural Tele-density increased from 58.37% to 58.44% during the same period.
• The total number of broadband subscribers was 813.94 million.

Direct Tax Collections for 2022-23 up to 08 October 2022

Brief about the data

The Ministry of Finance releases data on the total direct taxes collected every month. However, the provisional figures are published on different dates every month through press release and the data provided is as on the date on which the data is published. In the month of October 2022, the data on direct tax collections up to 08 October 2022 was published on the 09 October 2022.  

Key Highlights

• Direct Tax collections up to 08 October 2022 show that gross collections are at Rs. 8.98 lakh crore which is 23.8% higher than the gross collections for the corresponding period of last year.
• The growth rate for Corporate Income Tax (CIT) is 16.73% while that for Personal Income Tax (PIT) (including STT) is 32.3% in terms of gross revenue collections. After adjustment of refunds, the net growth in CIT collections is 16.29% and that in PIT collections is 17.35% (PIT only)/16.25% (PIT including STT).

Featured Image: Government Data Roundup