Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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India ranks 49th in the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2024, up 11 spots from 2023. NRI evaluates 133 economies based on Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, using 54 variables. Published by the Portulans Institute, the report highlights India’s score improvement from 49.93 in 2023 to 53.63 in 2024. India leads globally in AI scientific publications, AI talent concentration, and ICT services exports. It ranks 2nd in FTTH subscriptions, mobile broadband traffic, and international internet bandwidth, and 3rd in domestic market scale. Among lower-middle-income countries, India is 2nd, reflecting strong digital progress and innovation.

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Global Wage Report (2024-25) is released by International labour organization (ILO). It highlights wage trends, inequality, and real wage growth worldwide. Global real wage growth recovered in 2023 after a decline in 2022. Wage growth is faster in Asia-Pacific, Central/Western Asia, and Eastern Europe. 9.5% of Indian workers are low-paid wage earners. Wage inequality has generally declined but remains highest in low-income countries. Women and workers dominate low-wage jobs, with rising informal employment due to lack of formal jobs. Labour productivity has grown faster in high-income countries than real wages.

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India is the most targeted country for mobile malware attacks, with 28% of global attacks occurring there. The Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 report analyzed mobile, IoT, and OT attacks from June 2023 to May 2024. After India, the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and the Netherlands were the next most targeted countries. India was ranked third for mobile malware attacks globally in the 2023 report. In IoT attacks, the U.S. topped the list, followed by Singapore, the U.K., Germany, and Canada. India accounted for 66.5% of mobile malware attacks in the Asia Pacific region.

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The latest Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS) by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows weakened consumer confidence in the economy, employment, income, and spending. The survey indicates that consumer optimism drives higher spending, while pessimism can lead to recession. It is released bi-monthly by RBI. It uses the Current Situation Index (CSI) and Future Expectation Index (FEI) as key indicators. The FEI improved by 0.5 points to 121.9, indicating higher optimism for future spending. The CSI declined by 0.7 points to 94 in November 2024, reflecting weaker sentiments, except in household spending.

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The World Solar Report 2024 by the International Solar Alliance highlights rapid growth in global solar energy. Global solar capacity grew from 22 GW in 2000 to 1,419 GW by 2023, with a 36% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) . Solar energy now contributes 75% of renewable energy capacity additions. Emerging technologies include quantum dot solar cells (18.1% efficiency), self-healing solar panels, solar-powered phyto-mining, and solar paver blocks. Solar PV costs have declined, with utility-scale projects costing as low as $40/MWh. China leads global solar capacity (43%), and investments in solar energy are expected to exceed $500 billion by 2024.

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The World Malaria Report 2024 is an annual publication by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It evaluates global progress and identifies gaps in the fight against malaria. Malaria cases in India dropped 69%, from 6.4 million in 2017 to 2 million in 2023, and deaths decreased by 68%, from 11,100 to 3,500. Globally, there were 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths in 2023. Africa accounted for 94% of global cases and 95% of deaths, with children under 5 making up 76% of deaths. The WHO South-East Asia Region saw an 82.4% reduction in malaria cases since 2000.

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NITI Aayog released a report “S.A.F.E. Accommodation – Worker Housing for manufacturing growth”. The report highlights the need for secure, affordable, flexible, and efficient housing for industrial workers to boost India’s manufacturing sector. The Union Budget 2024-25 proposes rental housing with dormitory-style accommodations for workers under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and industry commitments. India aims to raise the manufacturing sector’s GDP share from 17% to 25% by 2047, aligning with Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat goals. The S.A.F.E. initiative seeks to align regulations and finances for sustainable housing, boosting workforce stability, productivity, and global investments.

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The Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change recently released the ‘India State of Forest Report 2023’ (ISFR 2023) at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun. The report, published biennially by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) since 1987, assesses forest and tree resources using satellite data and National Forest Inventory (NFI). India’s forest and tree cover is 8,27,357 sq km (25.17% of the country’s area), with forest cover at 7,15,343 sq km (21.76%) and tree cover at 1,12,014 sq km (3.41%). There is an increase in forest and tree cover, with states like Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Mizoram, Gujarat, and Odisha showing significant growth. Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra have the largest forest and tree covers. Lakshadweep has the highest forest cover percentage (91.33%). 19 states/UTs have over 33% forest cover, with eight exceeding 75%. Mangrove cover is 4,992 sq km, and bamboo-bearing areas have increased. India’s carbon stock reached 30.43 billion tonnes, surpassing its 2030 carbon sink target.

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The Confederation of Indian Industry released a ‘Industry 4.0 adoption and strategic roadmap for Indian manufacturing Report’. Industry 4.0 refers to smart, connected production systems that interact with the physical world. Automotive, electronics, and pharmaceuticals are leading in adoption, while textiles, metals, and mining face challenges. Key drivers for Industry 4.0 in India include workforce up-skilling, digital infrastructure, and sustainability to meet global green manufacturing standards.

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The World Bank launched the Business Ready (B-READY) report, replacing the paused Ease of Doing Business report. The Ease of Doing Business report was suspended in 2020 due to data manipulation and ranking integrity concerns. B-READY serves as a benchmarking tool to evaluate the global business climate and promote inclusive private sector growth. It focuses on ten core topics: Business Entry, Location, Utility Services, Labor, Financial Services, International Trade, Taxation, Dispute Resolution, Market Competition, and Insolvency.