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Mint
23-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
The week in charts: India-EU FTA, fundraising by SP Group, core sector growth
India and the European Union (EU) are conducting trade talks this week in hopes of advancing an early-harvest agreement by July, while Shapoorji Pallonji Group is planning to raise funds to manage its debt. India's core sector growth fell to an eight-month low in April. Mixed progress The government's latest Sample Registration System (SRS) data for 2021, released earlier in May, shows an increase in India's sex ratio at birth. According to the report, the number of females per 1,000 males increased to 913 in 2019-21 from 898 in 2014-16. While overall India figure has crossed the 900-mark, many states including Delhi (863) had a lower ratio. At the same time, some states with historically low ratios, such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Haryana, showed notable improvement during the period, a Mint analysis showed. Trade thrust The trade talks between India and the 27-nation EU are expected to conclude rapidly for an early-harvest trade agreement by July, news agency Press Trust of India reported. Negotiators are meeting in Brussels for the 12th round of discussions this week. India recently finalised a free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK, and a deal with the EU will bolster the country's position amid a tough trade environment. India's trade with Europe has grown significantly in the past few years, though the country imports more from the region than it exports. Fundraising $1.3 billion: That's the amount Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group is planning to raise over the next two years by taking its real estate business public and selling some assets in its oil and gas businesses, Mint reported. The money raised will be used to manage the group's rising debts by making interim payments to creditors. The SP Group reportedly has a total outstanding debt of ₹55,000-60,000 crore as of 31 March 2024. It would be the second SP Group public offering since the listing of its subsidiary in October 2024. Also Read: India starts FY26 on a strong note, reclaims top spot among EM peers in April Monsoon boost The India Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast of an above-normal monsoon in 2025 and an expected early onset has boosted the outlook for agricultural activity and rural growth in the country. While excess or deficient rainfall may be harmful for the produce, above-normal rainfall, beyond a point, has little impact on agricultural gross value added (GVA), studies showed. However, rainfall this year is predicted to be 105% of the long-period average (LPA), only slightly above the normal range of 96-104% of the LPA, which may bode well for the agricultural output. Border blockage India has imposed new port restrictions on certain consumer goods, including readymade garments and processed food items, imported from Bangladesh. The import of readymade garments, which has seen a dramatic rise over the past 15 years, accounts for nearly 34% of total imports. Overall, the restriction may impact imports worth $770 million, or nearly 42% of the total imports from Bangladesh, Global Trade Research Initiative said in a report. The trade research group also said the restrictions may be in response to Bangladesh's recent restrictions on Indian yarn, rice, and other goods. Bulging gap 10%: That's the share of adult women over 20 years of age living with obesity in India, according to the latest World Heart Federation (WHF) report. Globally, adult obesity has quadrupled since 1990. In India, this figure for women has grown at least sevenfold from 1990 to 2024. In comparison, obesity in men rose by 4.9% since 1990, making obesity a bigger problem among women. Among children, the gap is less, with a 3% increase in obesity among girls and a 4% rise in obesity among boys since 1990. Also Read: What data tells us about births and deaths in India, in 5 charts Core slowdown The output of India's eight core infrastructure sectors, representing two-fifths of the country's industrial output, expanded by a mere 0.5% in April from a year ago. This marks its lowest performance in eight months, with the previous low being a 1.5% contraction in August 2024. According to provisional data, only coal and natural gas reported a sequential rise in production during April. Conversely, output in three key sectors—crude oil, refinery products, and fertilisers—all contracted during the month. Chart of the week: Brewing exports India's coffee exports have more than doubled from around $0.8 billion in 2014-15 to $1.8 billion in 2024-25, even as coffee production has risen only marginally as India was able to extract greater value through improved market access, Mint reported. Also Read: Why a bountiful monsoon matters more this year, in five charts Follow our data stories on the'In Charts" and'Plain Facts" pages on the Mint website.
Mint
21-05-2025
- Health
- Mint
What data tells us about births and deaths in India, in 5 charts
On 7 May, the government released the much-awaited Sample Registration System data, after a gap of three years as opposed to the usual two-year gap, which offered a glimpse into the key trends in births, deaths, fertility, and gender ratio, among others. An earlier Mint explainer explored 'excess deaths' in India in 2021, a year which saw a devastating second wave of covid. Beyond the excess deaths, the report also shows a decline in life expectancy in the latest period and a rise in respiratory infections as a cause of death, both of which may be linked to covid. At the same time, the report also reveals improvements in several indicators related to births. Mint explores these aspects in five charts: Life expectancy: shorter For the first time in five decades, life expectancy declined in India on a five-year moving average basis in 2017-21. According to the latest report, total life expectancy declined to 69.8 years in 2017-21 from 70.0 years in 2016-2020. The decline can be explained by the excess deaths, nearly 2.1 million more than what was expected based on past trends, in 2021. Notably, the decline was seen among the male population, with their life expectancy reduced to 68.2 years in 2017-21 from 68.6 years in 2016-2020. Also read: In charts: Why a good pulses output is an urgent need this year On the other hand, life expectancy among females, which is already higher than males, continued to rise to 71.6 years from 71.4 years. While India has seen a healthy rise in increase in life expectancy—barring the recent decline—over the years, the country is still behind its key emerging market peers like China (78 years), Malaysia (77 years), Brazil (76 years) and Thailand (76 years), as per World Bank data. Causes of death: many The covid pandemic may have caused a rare increase in deaths due to respiratory infections in 2019-21, but heart diseases remained the biggest cause of deaths in the country. Deaths due to respiratory infections surged to 9.2% of the total deaths in 2019-21 compared to 3.6% in 2017-19 (a pre-pandemic period). At the same time, deaths due to heart diseases not only remained the biggest cause but also witnessed an increase during the period, with their share rising to 30.2% in 2019-21 from 28.9% in 2017-19. While non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes led to a majority of deaths (54.9%) in 2019-21, communicable diseases such as respiratory infections and fever of unknown origin witnessed an increased share of deaths in 2019-21 at 23.9%, compared to 21.5% in 2017-19. Among the top ten causes of death, diabetes ranked seventh in 2019-21, even though it was not among the top 10 causes in 2017-19, signalling an increased danger from the disease. Gender ratio: mixed gains India's sex ratio at birth—the number of females per 1,000 males—rose to 913 in 2019-21 from 898 in 2014-16, marking a steady but encouraging trend in achieving gender balance in the demographics. Among the states, Kerala had the highest sex ratio of 962, while Uttarakhand (852) and Delhi (863) were at the bottom. A further analysis showed that some states with historically low ratios, like Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana, saw a sizeable improvement in 2019-21 compared to 2014-16. From 857 females per 1,000 males in the five-year-ago period, Rajasthan witnessed the ratio rise to 920—putting it above the national average and lifting its rank to 11 from 18 earlier. At the same time, some states, particularly Odisha, witnessed a decline in the gender ratio, giving mixed signals on the progress made so far. Among the 22 states and union territories with a population of 10 million or more for which data were given, six had a gender ratio below 900. Also read: In charts: Young Indians are patriotic and progressive, but politically disengaged Child gap: desirable Most Indians are choosing to have a gap of three years or more between two live births, signalling better family planning and greater awareness over the health of the mother. The data showed that 52.4% of Indians had a birth interval of three or more years between two children in 2021, an increase from 51.9% five years ago. In 2011, only 42% of Indians had three or more years of gap between two live births. This improvement has come against the backdrop of schemes such as the Prerna Scheme, which involves incentivising couples from below poverty line (BPL) groups for maintaining a three-year birth gap between their first and second child. However, a sizeable proportion of Indians (nearly 25%) continued to see less than two years of gap between two children. Among the states, Madhya Pradesh had the lowest percentage (35.3%) of people with three or more years of birth spacing, followed by Bihar (44.8%). Childbirths: more formalized Institutional births, which involve giving birth at a medical facility under the supervision of trained healthcare professionals, have gone up over the years. Data showed that over 90% of births were institutional births in 2021, up from about 80% a decade ago. This was led by a sharp increase in births at government hospitals, whose share increased to 66% in 2021 from 45% in 2011. Government hospitals were more prominent in rural areas, with 68% of births as opposed to about 60% in urban areas. Among the states, government hospitals were more prevalent in Jammu and Kashmir, while private hospitals were more prevalent in Kerala. As better care and more professional help became available to women during pregnancy, the maternal mortality ratio came down to 93 per 100,000 live births in 2019-20 from 130 in 2014-16. Similarly, the infant mortality rate declined to 27 per 1,000 live births in 2021 from 39 in 2014. Also read: How covid transformed tech and where challenges persist, in five charts
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Neonatal, infant deaths decline in U.P; no change in under-five mortality rate
In improving signs for Uttar Pradesh, the state reported a decline in neonatal and infant deaths, as per the central government's latest Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2021. U.P's neonatal mortality rate or NMR stood at 26 per 1,000 live births against 28 stated in the 2020 report. Overall, India reported 19 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021, a one-point decline from 20 in 2020. In Bihar, it was at 19, in comparison to 21 in 2020, said the report. In the tally of 19 bigger states, UP stood third in terms of NMR after Madhya Pradesh (30) and Chhattisgarh (28). While a total of eight states reported declining NMR, seven others showed no change in the figures for 2020 and 2021. However, Assam (four points), Chhattisgarh (two), and Haryana and Punjab (one point each) saw their NMR increase. Kerala's NMR was the lowest at four. 'The falling NMR in UP is significant even if the decline is just two points. We can still bring it down considerably if the problems are addressed. Several people, especially in the rural pockets, do not use health services regularly. Avoiding treatment unless it becomes unavoidable is still a prevalent habit,' said Dr Neha Rai, an associate professor (Paediatrics) at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow. 'If Kerala's NMR can be four, then why can't Uttar Pradesh's also be,' added Dr Rai. Similarly, Uttar Pradesh's infant mortality ratio (IMR)—which is the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births—stood at 37, compared to 38 in 2020. Bihar's IMR stood steady at 27. Among the 19 bigger states, five (MP, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat and Karnataka) recorded a decline in IMR by two points, whereas nine others (including U.P.) witnessed their IMR decline by one point. Along with Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Kerala did not record any decline in IMR. Nationally, the IMR for 2021 stood at 27 as compared to 28 for 2020. The IMR was the highest in Madhya Pradesh (41) and the lowest in Kerala (six). Meanwhile, there was no significant change in the under-five mortality rate (U5MR) —which is the probability of a child dying before the age of five, per 1,000 live births—in many states. Nationally, it decreased from 32 to 31. A larger decline was observed in 2019-2020, with U5MR dropping from 35 to 32 deaths per 1000 live births. Madhya Pradesh (49) and Kerala (eight) reported the highest and lowest U5MR. For UP, it remained unchanged at 43 even as Bihar saw a one-point increase from 2020. Among the 19 bigger states, four (Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Tamil Nadu) recorded a one-point increase in U5MR, while seven others showed no change. The sharpest decline in U5MR was noted in Assam and Andhra Pradesh (three points each), followed by two points each in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. As per the Office of Registrar General, SRS provides reliable annual estimates of infant mortality rate, birth rate, death rate and other fertility & mortality indicators at the national and sub-national levels. It is a large-scale demographic survey conducted every year in all states and UTs
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Why is there variation in India's fertility rates?
The story so far: The Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report of 2021, released by the Office of the Registrar General of India recently, showed that India has maintained its Total Fertility Rate (TFR) at 2.0 — the same as reported in 2020. While the national average for TFR has remained the same, there is a wide regional variation in TFR data for States and Union Territories (UTs) reported independently. Which State saw highest TFR? The highest TFR was recorded in Bihar at 3.0 and the lowest was reported for West Bengal and Delhi at 1.4. The data went on to reveal that in the decade between 2009-11 and 2019-21, TFR has been on an overall decline, in States, and nationally, albeit at different rates. What does TFR measure? The SRS report calculates TFR to measure the number of children each woman in India is expected to have throughout her reproductive age, which the survey defines between 15 and 49 years. According to the report, this value is derived from other indicators for fertility — more specifically age-specific fertility rates put together through a formula. Age-specific fertility rates measure the number of children women of a particular age range are expected to have. This data is gathered as part of the SRS survey, which is the largest demographic survey conducted by India to measure various fertility and mortality indicators annually. The SRS 2021 survey was conducted across 8,842 sample units in all the States and UTs, and compiles data gathered from a sample size of about 84 lakh people. What do fertility indicators record? Within fertility indicators, the SRS report broadly measures the Crude Birth Rate (CBR), Sex Ratio at Birth, General Fertility Rate, Age-Specific Fertility Rate, and Total Fertility Rate, among other indicators. Crude Birth Rate measures number of live births per 1,000 people in the population, and General Fertility Rate measures live births per 1,000 women of reproductive age (15-49 years). The surveys also measure another indicator — Gross Reproduction Rate, which reflects the number of daughters a woman is expected to have, and who will, in turn, bear children. The report further notes that the TFR of India at 2.0 has come down below the replacement level of 2.1. The replacement level TFR is measured as the number of children each woman should have for each generation to replace the previous generation's population. According to the TFR data for 2021, just six States had TFR above the replacement level of 2.1. These were Bihar (3.0), Madhya Pradesh (2.6), Jharkhand (2.3), Uttar Pradesh (2.7), Chhattisgarh (2.2), and Rajasthan (2.4). All other States had reported a TFR at or below the replacement level. According to the SRS report, India's CBR is at 19.3 for 2021, which has declined at a rate of 1.12% every year from 2016 onwards. While all bigger States and UTs across the country are reporting a declining CBR, Uttarakhand was the only outlier, reporting a slight increase in CBR from 2016. Among the States and UTs, the rate of decline in CBR is highest for Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi, where the CBR is declining at almost twice the rate of the national average. How do experts read fertility data? Based on a reading of the numbers, Professor Praveen K. Pathak of Jawaharlal Nehru University's Centre for the Study of Regional Development, explains, 'It clearly tells us TFR has come down below replacement levels and there are remarkable differences in data of States.' He says there is a 'clear indication' that in southern States and some States in the north, which are doing socio-economically well, the TFR is 'far below' the replacement level, whereas States like Bihar, U.P., and M.P. are reporting much higher TFRs. 'The reason being that some of these States still need human development policies, greater female education, and improving healthcare policy action. There are about six to seven States, bigger ones, where these issues persist,' he said. But moving on to the States where TFR has come down below the replacement level, Prof. Pathak cautioned that they might have their own set of challenges. He cited Sikkim, for instance, where the TFR is below 1, which is equivalent to South Korea's. 'It is a reality that in many parts, people simply do not want kids. It may be because of changing family structure, opportunity cost for parents, and increasing stresses associated with caregiving.' While the States with higher TFR need to tailor policies on human development that can bring them closer to the replacement level, the States reporting lower TFR have a 'different set of challenges altogether', Prof. Pathak explained.
India Today
16-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
India sees big drop in maternal and child deaths: Report
India has shown progress in improving maternal and child health. According to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) 2021 report released by the Registrar General of India, the country witnessed a decline in maternal and child mortality over recent IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTHThe Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), which reflects the number of maternal deaths per one lakh live births, dropped from 130 in 2014–16 to 93 in 2019– Child health indicators have also improved:Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) fell from 39 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 27 in Mortality Rate (NMR) declined from 26 to 19 in the same Mortality Rate (U5MR) dropped from 45 to 31 per 1,000 live Sex Ratio at Birth has improved from 899 girls per 1,000 boys in 2014 to 913 in Total Fertility Rate (average number of children per woman) remained stable at 2.0 in 2021, down from 2.3 in 2014. Several states and union territories met the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets for reducing maternal and child mortality, well ahead of the 2030 maternal mortality, the sustainable development goal target is to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to 70 or fewer deaths per one lakh live topped the list of low MMR of 20, followed by Maharashtra (38), Telangana (45), Andhra Pradesh (46), Tamil Nadu (49), Jharkhand (51), Gujarat (53), and Karnataka (63).These states made progress in ensuring safer pregnancies and better maternal care services, resulting in fewer women dying due to pregnancy-related complications. For maternal mortality, the sustainable development goal target is to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to 70 or fewer deaths per one lakh live births. () In terms of child health, the Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR), which is the number of deaths of children under five per 1,000 live births, has a target of 25 or states and union territories already brought their U5MR within this target. These included Kerala and Delhi, both reporting just 14 deaths per 1,000 live births, as well as Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Punjab, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and regions have shown improvement in child healthcare, immunisation, and nutrition, helping more children survive beyond their early years. Similarly, the Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR), which measures deaths within the first 28 days of life, has a target of 12 or fewer per 1,000 live stood out with an NMR of just 4. Other regions that achieved this goal were Delhi (8), Tamil Nadu (9), Maharashtra (11), and both Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh at states strengthened newborn care services, including improved delivery practices, neonatal intensive care units, and early detection and treatment of complications, which are crucial for saving newborn track progress, the Health Ministry boosted digital platforms to collect real-time health data, to make evidence-based decisions and adjust strategies where needed.
