Latest news with #Lusigi
Hindustan Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
India's HDI ranking improves for 2023
India continued its rise on the Human Development Index (HDI), improving its ranking from 133 in 2022 to 130 out of 193 countries in 2023, according to the 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) released by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday. Transit oriented development site at Karkardooma, East Delhi being developed by DDA. The planned densified mixed development is aimed at reducing traffic congestion and air pollution in New Delhi, India, on Friday, July 19, 2024. (Hindustan Times) The 2025 HDR, titled 'A matter of choice: People and possibilities in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)', linked India's progress to improvements in health, education, and income. The report highlighted the critical role of AI in shaping the next chapter of human development — particularly in fast-growing economies like India. India's HDI increased from 0.644 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023 even as the country remained in the medium human development category, moving closer to the threshold for high human development (HDI ≥ 0.700), with its score at par with Bangladesh's. Pakistan ranked 168th (0.544), Nepal 145th (0.622), and Sri Lanka 89th (0.776). According to the report, life expectancy in India increased slightly from 71.7 years in 2022 to 72 years in 2023, marking the highest level recorded for the country. While expected years of schooling remained nearly unchanged, moving from 12.96 to 12.95 years, mean years of schooling saw a notable increase from 6.57 to 6.88 years, the report said. The report lauded India's progress in school education, especially from 1990, and credited initiatives such as the Right to Education Act, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. However, quality and learning outcomes remain areas for continued focus, it said. Additionally, India's Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, measured in 2021 purchasing power parity (PPP), rose from $8,475.68 to $9,046.76, reflecting ongoing economic growth. 'We congratulate India on its notable progress in the Human Development Index, rising from rank 133 in 2022 to 130 in 2023. This advancement reflects sustained improvements in key dimensions of human development, particularly in mean years of schooling and national income per capita,' Angela Lusigi, resident representative, UNDP India, said. Lusigi added that India's life expectancy reaching its highest level since the inception of the index is a testament to the country's robust recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and its investments and commitment to long-term human well-being. On the Gender Development Index (GDI), women scored 0.631 compared to men's 0.722, with India ranking 102nd on the GDI with a score of 0.403, lagging in reproductive health, political representation, and workforce participation. The report referenced ethical concerns in India's gig economy, citing labour actions by female workers. 'These efforts culminated in the largest nationwide labour action by female gig workers working with Urban Company in India to resist algorithmic management practices,' it said. Among BRICS members, India trailed Brazil (89th), Russia (59th), China (75th), and South Africa (110th). Regionally, Sri Lanka led while Nepal and Bhutan lagged. The report said India is also positioning itself as a leader in the global AI landscape. The country has the highest self-reported AI skills penetration and is now retaining more of its homegrown AI talent — 20% of Indian AI researchers remain in the country, up from nearly zero in 2019. Globally, HDI progress slowed to its weakest pace since 1990, excluding pandemic years. The gap between very high and low HDI countries widened for the fourth consecutive year, reversing decades of narrowing disparities. All regions faced stalled HDI growth projections for 2024. 'If 2024's sluggish progress becomes 'the new normal', that 2030 milestone could slip by decades—making our world less secure, more divided, and more vulnerable to economic and ecological shocks,' said UNDP administrator Achim Steiner.
NDTV
06-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
India's Human Development Index Makes Progress, Ranks 130 Out Of 193 Countries
New Delhi: India continues its steady rise on the Human Development Index (HDI), ranking 130 out of 193 countries in the 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) released on Tuesday by the UN Development Programme. Between 2022 and 2023, India improved its HDI ranking from 133 to 130, and its HDI value increased from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023. India remained in the medium human development category, moving closer to the threshold for high human development (HDI > 0.700), the report said. However, the report also pointed out that inequality reduces India's HDI by 30.7 per cent, one of the highest losses in the region. While health and education inequality have improved, income and gender disparities remain significant. Female labour force participation and political representation lag, though recent steps such as the constitutional amendment reserving one-third of legislative seats for women offer promise for transformative change, the report said. In India, the report said life expectancy increased slightly from 71.7 years to 72.0 years, marking the highest level recorded for the country. While expected years of schooling remained nearly unchanged, moving from 12.96 to 12.95 years, mean years of schooling saw a notable increase from 6.57 to 6.88 years. The report lauded India's progress in school education, especially from 1990, and credited initiatives like the Right to Education Act, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, and the National Education Policy 2020. However, quality and learning outcomes remain areas for continued focus, it said. Additionally, India's Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, measured in 2021 purchasing power parity (PPP), rose from USD 8,475.68 to USD 9,046.76, reflecting ongoing economic growth. The 2025 HDR, "A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI," highlighted the critical role of artificial intelligence in shaping the next chapter of human development - particularly in fast-growing economies like India. "We congratulate India on its notable progress in the Human Development Index, rising from rank 133 in 2022 to 130 in 2023. This advancement reflects sustained improvements in key dimensions of human development, particularly in mean years of schooling and national income per capita," said Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP India. Lusigi further said that India's life expectancy reaching its highest level since the inception of the index is a testament to the country's robust recovery from the pandemic and its investments and commitment to long-term human well-being. India's HDI value has increased by over 53 per cent since 1990, growing faster than the global and South Asian averages. This progress has been fueled by economic growth and targeted social protection and welfare programmes. Life expectancy rose from 58.6 years in 1990 to 72 years in 2023, the highest recorded since the index began. National health programmes by successive governments, such as the National Rural Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojana, and Poshan Abhiyaan, have contributed significantly to this achievement. On the economic front, India's Gross National Income per capita rose over four times, from USD 2167.22 (1990) to USD 9046.76 (2023). "Over the years, India's progress on economic growth and investments in programmes like MGNREGA, Jan Dhan Yojana, and digital inclusion have contributed to poverty reduction. Importantly, 135 million Indians escaped multidimensional poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21," the report said. The report said India is also positioning itself as a leader in the global AI landscape. The country has the highest self-reported AI skills penetration and is now retaining more of its homegrown AI talent - 20% of Indian AI researchers remain in the country, up from nearly zero in 2019. AI is being deployed across sectors, from agriculture to healthcare, and new initiatives are underway to democratise AI access. A new global UNDP survey also reveals growing optimism about AI, with 70% of people expecting it to boost productivity and 64% believing it will create new job opportunities, particularly among youth. Globally, the report warned of a slowdown in human development progress - the slowest since 1990.
Mint
06-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
India climbs three spots to 130 on UNDP Human Development Index; shows strong gains in health, education, and AI
India has climbed three spots on the Human Development Index (HDI), ranking 130 in 2023, up from 133 in 2022, according to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report released on Tuesday. India's HDI score rose from 0.676 to 0.685 during the year, keeping the country in the medium human development category but edging it closer to the high development threshold of 0.700, the report said. India's latest HDI score of 0.685 is comparable to its neighbours Bangladesh (0.685), and higher than Nepal (0.622) and Pakistan (0.544). Sri Lanka (0.776) and Bhutan (0.698), however, remain ahead. The HDI measures long-term progress in three key dimensions of human development: health, education, and standard of living. Titled A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI (artificial intelligence), the report highlights global trends in human progress amid technological change. India's life expectancy rose from 58.6 years in 1990 to 72 years in 2023—the highest ever recorded—driven by flagship health programmes like the National Rural Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Janani Suraksha Yojana, and Poshan Abhiyaan, according to the report. Interestingly, average years of schooling in India rose from 8.2 in 1990 to 13 in 2023, driven by reforms like the Right to Education Act, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, and the National Education Policy 2020, though the report notes that learning outcomes and quality remain key challenges. The report noted that India's GNI (gross national income) per capita surged over fourfold—from $2,167.22 in 1990 to $9,046.76 in 2023 (2021 PPP), with economic growth and social investments, including schemes like MGNREGA, Jan Dhan Yojana, and digital inclusion, helping lift 135 million people out of multidimensional poverty between 2015–16 and 2019–21. Yet, inequality continues to erode progress—reducing India's HDI by 30.7%, among the highest in the region, the report said. While health and education gaps have narrowed, income and gender disparities remain stark, with low female labour force participation and political representation, it added. "This advancement reflects sustained improvements in key dimensions of human development, particularly in mean years of schooling and national income per capita," said Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP India. Lusigi said India's life expectancy has reached its highest level since the inception of the Human Development Index, reflecting the country's strong post-pandemic recovery and its sustained investment in long-term human well-being. "With a renewed focus on women-led development, quality education and healthcare for all, India is well positioned to achieve inclusive growth and continued progress on human development,' she added. Meanwhile, India is fast emerging as a global AI powerhouse, boasting the world's highest AI skills penetration. The country now retains 20% of its AI researchers—a significant leap from near-zero in 2019, the report noted. India is harnessing AI for inclusive development, with initiatives ranging from AI-powered agricultural support systems to a national computing infrastructure and state-led skilling programs in Tamil Nadu and Telangana, it added. First Published: 6 May 2025, 02:09 PM IST
