Rural India

Retail inflation for farm workers eases to 5.35%, rural labourers to 5.47%

Retail inflation for farm workers and rural labourers dipped to 5.35 per cent and 5.47 per cent in November compared to 5.96 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively, in October this year. The All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL) and Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) registered an increase of 5 points each in November 2024, reaching levels of 1,320 and 1,331, respectively, a labour ministry statement said. The CPI-AL and CPI-RL were 1,315 points and 1,326 points, respectively, in October 2024. "The year-on-year inflation rates based on CPI-AL and CPI-RL for the month of November 2024 were recorded at 5.35 per cent and 5.47 per cent, respectively, compared to 7.37 per cent and 7.13 per cent in November 2023. The corresponding figures for October 2024 were 5.96 per cent for CPI-AL and 6.00 per cent for CPI-RL," it stated.

Rural literacy rate up by 10 percentage points in last 10 yrs: Govt in LS

The literacy rate in rural India recorded a jump of more than 10 percentage points in the past decade, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday. It was also told that the literacy rate among women rose 14.50 percentage points during this period. The information was shared by Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary in response to a written question about government efforts, challenges and strategies in achieving 100 per cent rural literacy. According to the statistics shared by Chaudhary, rural India's literacy rate rose from 67.77 per cent in 2011 to 77.50 per cent in 2023-24 among individuals aged seven and above. Female literacy rose from 57.93 per cent to 70.40 per cent during this period. Male literacy improved from 77.15 per cent to 84.7 per cent. "In order to improve the literacy rate, including rural literacy among adults, the government of India has launched several centrally-sponsored schemes and programmes, such as the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Saakshar Bharat

Activists counter govt claims of timely MGNREGS payments, demand a raise

Countering the Union rural development ministry's claims of MGNREGS wages being paid on time, the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha on Wednesday alleged the payments to workers' accounts were being delayed by "weeks or months". The organisation -- a national platform of workers' collectives, unions, organisations and individuals working on the flagship rural employment scheme -- also announced a two-day protest at Jantar Mantar, starting Thursday. In a statement, the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha said economist Jean Dreze had pointed out that it was only Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs) that were generated on time, even as crediting of workers' accounts was delayed by weeks or months. The statement said Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers debunked the government's claims that the budget for the scheme had been hiked. They also demanded that wages under the scheme be increased to Rs 800 per day. According to the statement, Jharkhand NREGA Watch's Afsana Khatun said

Rural India's appetite for FMCG grows by 60%; what's behind the surge?

The Kantar and GroupM study highlights a nearly 60 per cent growth in the average FMCG basket size for rural consumers, increasing from 5.8 in 2022 to 9.3 in 2024

Access to capacity: Public transport in urban India has miles to go

It has been pointed out that metro train networks are expensive and not ideal unless commuting distances are long

Rural India emerges as a goldmine for e-com companies during festive season

Despite logistical challenges, e-commerce firms are ramping up their infrastructure and technology to meet the diverse customer needs in small towns and hinterlands

From Humble Beginnings to Wall Street Banks: A Journey of Determination and Excellence

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Rural India CHC's see nearly 80% shortfall of specialist doctors: Govt rpt

The report for 2022-23 shows that only 4,413 specialist doctors, against the 21,964 needed in rural CHCs for March 2023, were available, indicating a shortfall of 17,551, or 79.9%

Large no of health sub-centres in rural India do not have building: Report

A large number of sub-centres, which are the most peripheral and first point of contact between the primary health care system and the community in rural India, do not have their own building, according a government report. These sub-centres operate either from a rented building or space provided by the local village panchayat or voluntary society building, according to the 'Health Dynamics of India (Infrastructure and Human Resources) 2022-23', an annual publication formerly known as 'Rural Health Statistics', which was released by the Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra on Monday. The report shows India has a total of 1.69 lakh sub-centres, 31,882 primary health centres (PHCs), 6,359 community health centres (CHCs), 1,340 sub-divisional/district hospitals (SDHs), 714 district hospitals (DHs), and 362 medical colleges (MCs) serving both rural and urban areas. While releasing the report, Chandra said that there is a need to integrate the Health Management Information System (HMIS)

Many Scheduled Caste sub-categories have limited urban presence in Punjab

In the last of a three-part series, Business Standard looks at Punjab's Scheduled Caste population and inter-group variance on key parameters

Rapid rise in number of students cycling to school, girls lead, finds study

There has been a rapid rise in the number of students cycling to school in rural areas and the "silent revolution" is being led by girls, especially in Bihar and West Bengal, new research has found. The scholars at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and the Narsee Monji Institute of Management Studies also found strong evidence that bicycle distribution schemes (BDS) have helped increase cycling in states where these were implemented and the biggest beneficiaries were rural girls. According to Srishti Agrawal, a PhD scholar at IIT-Delhi's Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre, gender norms, affordability of bicycles, distance to school, and safety on roads are likely the major determinants of cycling to school in India. "Nationally, cycling to school levels increased from 6.6 per cent to 11.2 per cent over the decade (2007 to 2017). These levels nearly doubled in rural India (6.3 per cent to 12.3 per cent) while remaining stable (7.8 per cent to 8.3 per cent) i

Community-led nutrition initiatives in rural India can empower women: Study

In the Pindwara village of Rajasthan, a grassroots-level initiative led by local women has transformed the community's approach to nutrition. The women, part of a self-help group, began cultivating kitchen gardens to ensure a steady supply of diverse and nutritious food for their families. These gardens now yield a variety of fruits and vegetables, contributing to a balanced diet and reducing the community's dependence on market-bought food items, which are often less nutritious. This initiative has not only improved health, but has also empowered women by giving them control over their family's nutrition. Similarly, in the tribal regions of Chhattisgarh, a collective effort by local community leaders has revitalised traditional agricultural practices. The community has reintroduced indigenous crops like millets and pulses, which are more resilient to the changing climate and require fewer resources to cultivate. These crops are rich in essential nutrients and have historically be

Shopsy intensifies efforts to tap millions of shoppers in rural India

The primary focus is on the Bharat consumer, particularly households with an annual income of less than Rs 10 lakh

From Dabur to Britannia, FMCG firms begin to see volumes growth revival

Companies expect the trend of rural outpacing urban to continue

Govt focus on agri, rural incomes to sustain tractor demand: Swaraj Engines

The government's focus on improving the state of agriculture in India and several initiatives taken by it to drive higher rural incomes are likely to support to sustain the tractor demand momentum despite industry sales witnessing a decline of 7 per cent, according to Swaraj Engines Ltd. The company, which supplies diesel engines for tractors manufactured by M&M Swaraj Division, in its annual report for 2023-24, said the growing horticultural segment in the country also offers good opportunities to increase tractor penetration in the lower horsepower (HP) market. "The domestic tractor industry for FY24 at 8,75,700 units registered a degrowth of 7 per cent over last year's (FY23) 9,45,300 units mainly because of erratic and uneven rainfall distribution that impacted kharif output, coupled with the high industry base of FY23," it said. On the outlook and opportunities, Swaraj Engines in its management discussion and analysis said factors like increasing affordability with adequate ..

Easing inflation no respite for people's financial woes: Kantar report

Rural market 'bright spot' for consumer goods products, says consumer research firm

Rural India will continue to outpace urban expansion in FMCG sales: Kantar

Rural India remains a "bright star" for the growth of fast-moving consumer goods sales and the region is expected to maintain better pace of expansion than urban areas in the second quarter of 2024, a report said on Friday. According to a report from data, insights and consulting firm Kantar, rural India will maintain "better growth levels" racing ahead of the urban markets for FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) companies in the second quarter (April-June) of 2024. Terming the rural market as a "bright star", the report said it had a "resurgence" in 2024. While urban is likely to remain under stress, the rural may consolidate its position in second quarter of the year, it said. This growth in the rural areas is helped by region-centric measures by the government in the interim budget earlier this year, which provided stability. Moreover, populist measures are expected by some states which are going to face elections this year, said Kantar FMCG pulse report for Q2. "We should also b

World Bank working paper advocates increased devolution for Panchayats

Empowering ward members (WMs) within village councils, who currently lack financial resources and act merely as rubber stamps, is another recommendation

SUVs dominate rural India: Hyundai's sales in January-April 2024 surge

In the first four months of this year, SUVs like the Exter, Venue, and Creta made up 67 per cent of Hyundai's rural sales, doubling their share since 2020

Putting rural India first

Amarjeet Sinha draws on four decades of work experience as a bureaucrat, offering valuable lessons for effective programme delivery in poverty reduction and gender empowerment in his book