Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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The Ministry of Electronics and IT released a report titled “Estimation and Measurement of India’s Digital Economy.” India’s digital economy was 11.74% of national income in 2022-23, expected to rise to 13.42% by 2024-25. It may grow twice as fast as the overall economy, contributing nearly 20% of national income by 2029-30. The digital economy employed 14.67 million workers (2.55% of the workforce) in 2022-23. India is the second-largest market for 5G and mobile subscriptions globally. India led global contributions to AI projects (23%) on GitHub and had 1644 billion digital payments in FY 2023-24.

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The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 report by Pratham Foundation shows improved literacy and arithmetic in rural areas after the pandemic. The percentage of Class 3 students with basic arithmetic skills increased from 25.9 percent in 2022 to 7 percent in 2024 with more progress in government schools The percentage of Class 5 students reading at Class 2 level increased to 8 percent in 2024 from 38.5 percent in 2022 The National Education Policy 2020 played a key role in strengthening foundational skills in reading and arithmetic Government school enrollment has increased along with better student and teacher attendance Technology access has expanded with 90 percent of teenagers owning smartphones but only 57 percent using them for education Pre-primary enrollment is high in states like Karnataka Gujarat and Kerala

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The Union Minister for Labour & Employment launched State and Union Territory Microsites under the e-Shram initiative and the Occupational Shortage Index (OSI). e-Shram Microsites are state-specific platforms linked to the national e-Shram database, providing workers seamless access to welfare programs and employment opportunities. The microsites offer multilingual support, real-time updates, and data-driven insights for policy-making. The OSI uses real-time labour data to address job market demand-supply gaps, helping align skills with industry needs and support skill development and job matching.

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RBI released the Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) to measure the growth of digital transactions in India. Digital payments grew by 11.1% YoY as of September 2024. The RBI-DPI for September 2024 stood at 465.33, up from 445.50 in March 2024. The index tracks five key factors: Payment Enablers, Infrastructure (Demand & Supply), Payment Performance, and Consumer Centricity. UPI’s share in digital payments surged from 34% in 2019 to 83% in 2024, with a CAGR of 74%. UPI transactions grew from ₹5.86 lakh crore (2018) to ₹246.83 lakh crore (2024).

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The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) released the Global Infrastructure Resilience Report, assessing disaster preparedness. The Global Infrastructure Risk Model and Resilience Index (GIRI) provides financial risk data for key sectors like transport, energy, telecom, water, and health. A $9.2 trillion annual investment is needed by 2050 to address infrastructure gaps and climate resilience. Infrastructure is vulnerable to disasters like earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and droughts. Many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) face weak infrastructure governance. The report emphasizes data-driven risk assessment, economic benefits of resilience, nature-based solutions, informed policymaking, and global collaboration.

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The UNCCD released a report on Land Restoration for International Peace and Security. It highlights that cooperation in managing shared natural resources can help prevent conflicts and foster political agreements. Land degradation causes economic loss, pushing affected communities into criminal activities like smuggling and human trafficking. Food insecurity due to crop failures and inflation can trigger political and economic instability, as seen in Somalia. It increases migration and displacement. Marginalized groups face discrimination and inequality. Weak land governance can escalate conflicts, as seen in disputes over the Amazon rainforest between Brazil, Peru, and Colombia.

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NITI Aayog launched the report “From Borrowers to Builders: Women’s Role in India’s Financial Growth Story.” The report, released by CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, highlights the rise in women’s financial awareness. By December 2024, 27 million women were monitoring their credit, a 42% increase from the previous year. The report was published by TransUnion CIBIL, NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), and MicroSave Consulting (MSC). WEP works on financial literacy, credit access, mentorship, and market linkages for women. Financing Women Collaborative (FWC) was formed to ensure inclusive financial access and seeks financial sector participation.

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The State of India’s Digital Economy (SIDE) Report 2025 by Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) highlights India’s digital growth. India is the 3rd-largest global economy but ranks 28th in digital user spending, showing a gap in per capita digital adoption. The CHIPS framework (Connect-Harness-Innovate-Protect-Sustain) measures digitalization across technology, economy, and society. India’s digital economy is growing twice as fast as its overall economy and may contribute 20% of GDP by 2029. India ranks 11th in AI research and 16th in AI infrastructure, while the US, China, South Korea, Singapore, and the Netherlands lead AI innovation. Overall, India ranks 8th globally in digital user economy when adjusted for economic size. ICRIER is an independent think tank researching economic growth, trade, digital economy, and climate change.

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World Health Organization (WHO) released the report titled “Compassion and Primary Health Care”. The report highlights compassion as a key factor in transforming health care. Compassion improves patient recovery rates, mental well-being, and doctor-patient relationships, while reducing burnout among healthcare workers. Research shows compassionate care leads to faster recovery and shorter hospital stays. A study from Johns Hopkins Hospital found that a 40-second compassionate conversation helps reduce patient anxiety and speeds recovery, especially in cancer patients. For healthcare providers, compassionate care reduces stress and enhances job satisfaction and patient relationships.

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The National Housing Bank (NHB) released the “Report on Trends and Progress of Housing in India, 2024” under Section 42 of the NHB Act, 1987. The report covers housing trends, price movements, government schemes, and the role of lending institutions. As of September 2024, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low-Income Groups (LIG) hold 39% of housing loans, Middle-Income Groups (MIG) have 44%, and High-Income Groups (HIG) hold 17%. The Housing Price Index (NHB-RESIDEX) rose by 6.8% year-on-year. The report highlights regional credit disparities, climate risks, and growth opportunities through technology and digitization.