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Hyderabad may emerge as the city with greatest energy consumption outside of NCR
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 17, 2020
The Central Electricity Authority’s electric power survey in its recent report provided the energy requirement projections of 45 mega cities (except NCR) in the next 10 years. As per the projections, Hyderabad may emerge as the city with greatest energy consumption in the next few years, overtaking Mumbai.
Globally, countries keep track of energy demands since it is closely linked to economic activity, income levels, GDP of a country. These trends also help in forecast of future energy needs for governments to plan based on the estimated demand. Forecasting also aids in policy formulation, tariff estimation, and optimization of peak demand in the long run. With this objective, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) under the Ministry of Power conducts the Electric Power Survey for India, giving projections on electricity demand for the next ten years. So far, 18 such surveys have been conducted in India. The latest survey is the 19th edition which was conducted by a committee constituted by CEA in 2015.
According to a NITI Aayog’s report, India is the third largest generator and fourth biggest consumer of electricity in the world. With increasing urbanization and industrialization, the demand for power in the country is only expected to grow.
While electrification is still an ongoing process in many parts of the world including rural areas of India, urban areas alone consume around 75% of the global primary energy supply which is only expected to rise with the increasing urban population. It is in this context that the CEA’s survey which was carried out across 45 mega cities in India becomes important. A separate report was submitted for the National Capital Region (NCR).
20 mega cities covered in part-II of the survey
In part II of the survey, the report of which was released recently, 20 major cities were covered, namely- Agra, Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Gangtok, Hyderabad, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Kota, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Srinagar, Port Blair, Pune, Ranchi, Surat, Varanasi, and Vishakhapatnam. The report presents forecasts of Energy Requirement and Peak Demand across these cities.
The calculations have been done using the Partial End Use Methodology (PEUM) which has been used by CEA traditionally. Under PEUM, time series analysis as well as final energy needs of different consumers or end users such as domestic, commercial, industries, agriculture, etc. are combined. Historical data since 2003-04 furnished by DISCOMs has been used for this purpose. The projections incorporate the demands for utility systems alone. Electricity demand met by industries from captive power plants or power generated by private entities is not covered in the report.
Hyderabad would overtake Mumbai in terms of energy requirement in 2020-21
As per the report, Mumbai had the highest energy requirement with a demand of 21,475 million units (MU) in 2018-19 and 21,977 MU in 2019-20. Hyderabad was closely behind Mumbai with a requirement of 20,059 MU in 2018-19 and 21,799 in 2019-20, among these 45 cities.
These were the only cities which had an energy requirement of more than 20,000 MU in both the years. Kolkata and Bengaluru were next in line with Kolkata’s demand getting closer to 20,000 MU and Bengaluru’s requirement near 15,000 MU in 2019-20. Surat and Pune had an energy requirement of more than 10,000 MU in the same year.
As per the projections, Hyderabad is all set to overtake Mumbai in 2020-21 in terms of energy requirement. It is also expected that Hyderabad’s energy requirement will have a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% in the next 6 years increasing its need to more than 30,000 MU by 2024-25. Mumbai’s need is expected to rise by only around 2.3% in the next decade. The energy requirement projections of the top ten cities in the report (in terms of energy requirement) is as shown in the chart below. It can be observed that Hyderabad’s growth is the steepest.
Hyderabad’s energy requirement grew by 12.9% in the last 6 years
In terms of CAGR, Hyderabad recorded a growth of 12.9% in demand between 2013-14 and 2018-19 while Mumbai’s growth was 1.9% and was on the lower side when compared to the other mega cities. Only Kanpur recorded a negative growth of 0.65% between 2013-14 and 2018-19. The CAGR estimate for the decade, 2019-20 to 2029-30, is the highest for Ranchi with 6.8% followed by Hyderabad with 6.06%. However, Ranchi’s current requirement is 1,986 MU and is expected to rise to 3,386 MU over the next decade.
Peak demand is the highest in Mumbai as of 2019-20
Peak Demand is when the electricity consumption is the highest. For instance, in summers, the demand for electricity can soar due to increased use of Air Conditioners and Coolers. Forecasting the peak demand helps power utilities to be better prepared for increase/decrease in demand during a season.
Currently, the peak demand is the highest in Mumbai which has recorded a peak demand of 3615 MW in 2018-19. Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad have recorded the second, third and fourth highest peaks in the same year. However, in 2019-20, Hyderabad recorded a peak demand of 3390 MW, higher than Kolkata and Bengaluru. It is projected that Hyderabad will overtake Mumbai in peak demand in 2022-23. Further, Hyderabad’s peak is also estimated to increase to 6458 MW over the next decade at a CAGR of 6.7% while that of Mumbai is estimated to increase to 4812MW at 2.6%. However, the consumption & demand figures for 2020-21 would have been drastically affected by the lockdown.
Per capita consumption is highest for Hyderabad in 2018-19
The per capita consumption of electricity for the mega cities in the survey is calculated using the 2011 census population estimates. It is observed that in 2011-12, Surat had the highest per capita consumption of electricity among the 9 cities considered. This was followed by Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Pune in the same order. In 2018-19, Hyderabad’s per capita consumption was estimated to be the highest, exceeding that of Mumbai, by almost 500 units. However, the estimates have been calculated using the 2011 census data.
Hyderabad’s major demand is for domestic purpose
In 2018-19, 35% of Hyderabad’s energy consumption was domestic, 27% industrial, and 24% commercial. Irrigation attributed for another 10%. In 2018-19, it was observed that the energy requirement of Hyderabad was 30.2% of the total energy requirement of the state of Telangana whereas its contribution in population and area were only 19.9% and 0.9% respectively.
It is projected that the city’s domestic energy requirement will increase from 6780 MU in 2019-20 to 12,726 MU in 2029-30 while the commercial requirement would increase from 4577 MU to 8590 MU during the same period. The industrial requirement is projected to increase from 5307 MU in 2019-20 to 9187 MU in 2029-30.
It will be interesting to see as to how much of this increased demand would be met from sources other than thermal & hydro. Since India is betting big on renewable sources of energy, especially solar, a substantial chunk of this demand may be met from the renewable sources.
Featured Image: Electric power survey

created: September 17, 2020


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Imports to India during first half of 2021-22 back to the Pre-pandemic levels
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 12, 2021
Trade data for the first six months of 2021-22 indicates that the imports to India are back to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019-20 without any major change in the source countries. The imports increased to USD 273.9 billion during the first half of 2021-22 compared to USD 151.94 billion during the same period in 2020-21, and USD 248.08 billion in 2019-20.
The value of India’s imports in 2020-21 was around USD 394 billion, lower than that of USD  474 billion in 2019-20. The first few months of 2020-21 coincided with the initial spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, which resulted in lockdowns & restrictions. These measures affected public movement and in turn the economic activity in the country. The fall in imports in 2020-21 is on expected lines because of the COVID-19 impact. In 2020-21, the volume of exports also fell to USD 291 billion from USD 313 billion in 2019-20.
However, an improvement is witnessed during the first half of 2021-22, compared to the same period in 2020-21. The imports during the first half increased from USD 151 billion in 2020-21 to nearly USD 274 billion in the current financial year. Similarly, the exports increased from USD 125 billion in 2020-21 to USD 198 billion during the first half of 2021-22.
In an earlier story, we discussed the trends of India’s trade with China post the COVID-19 pandemic. With the most imports, China is India’s number one import partner. It is also one of the leading export destinations for Indian products. In this two-part series, we look at the trends in India’s trade other leading trade partners (excluding China) in the last few years and assess the impact of COVID-19. In the first story, we focus on the impact on imports post the COVID-19 pandemic i.e., during 2020-21 as well as during the first half of 2021-22.
Major fall in Imports in 2020-21 from Saudi Arabia, Iraq & Nigeria
In the earlier story, we highlighted that there was only a marginal change in the imports from China, even though the overall imports in 2020-21 fell compared to the previous year.  This fall in the overall imports is contributed by reduced imports in varying degrees from many of the top import trading partners.
Imports from the USA, the second-largest source of imports after China, witnessed a decrease of 19% in 2020-21. Value of imports from the USA fell to USD 28.9 billion in 2020-21 compared to USD 35.8 billion in 2019-20.
However, the major fall in imports during 2020-21, was from Saudi Arabia & Iraq. The total value of imports from Saudi Arabia fell by nearly 40% i.e., from USD 26.8 billion in 2019-20 to USD 16.2 billion in 2020-21. Imports from another major trading partner, Iraq, also reduced by around 40% from USD 23.7 billion in 2019-20 to USD 14.1 billion in 2020-21.  The volume of imports from Nigeria is comparatively lower than in these countries. However, it is generally among the top 15 trading partners of India. Imports from Nigeria fell by nearly 45 % from USD 10.2 billion in 2019-20 to USD 5.7 billion in 2020-21.
Almost all the top 15 import partners of India witnessed a dip in the value of imports in the pandemic year of 2020-21 compared to 2019-20. Only Switzerland is an exception, whose imports to India increased in 2020-21. The imports from Iran, Germany and Hong Kong were on the decline in 2019-20 itself.
Imports from major countries back to 2019-20 levels during the first half of 2021-22
The Ministry of Commerce & Trade has recently published the trade information for the month of September 2021. In other words, complete data for the first half of 2021-22 is now available.
The imports increased to USD 273.9 billion during the first half of 2021-22 compared to USD 151.94 billion during the same period in 2020-21. In the year before i.e., 2019-20, the value of the imports was USD 248.08 billion in the first half.
We have already highlighted that the imports from China during the first half of the current financial year have already crossed the levels of the pre-COVID year of 2019-20. The same can be said for most of India’s leading import partners. Iraq & Saudi Arabia, countries from which imports fell significantly in 2020-21 witnessed increased imports during the first half of 2021-22 with the numbers reaching the 2019-20 levels.
Switzerland, UAE & USA are among the countries whose imports also increased during the first half 2021-22 compared to the same period in 2020-21. Switzerland which reported an increase in imports to India in 2020-21, reported a fall in imports during the first half of 2020-21. However, imports to India from Switzerland again increased during the first half of 2021-22 and crossed the 2019-20 levels.
Imports from Switzerland, UAE & USA increased significantly during the first half of 2021-22 compared to the same period in 2020-21.
Fall in imports during 2020-21 majorly due to the fall in Crude Oil imports
In 2019-20, around 20% of the total value of imports to India were of Petroleum Crude (HS Code: 2709).  As noted in one of Factly’s earlier stories, India imports close to 90% of its crude oil requirements.  Petroleum Crude worth USD 102 billion was imported in 2019-20, which fell to USD 59.47 billion in 2020-21, a reduction of more than 40%. The fall in the value of imports in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Nigeria as highlighted earlier can be attributed to the fall in the imports of crude oil.
Petroleum crude forms a major part of the larger product category of “Mineral fuels, Mineral Oils and Products of their distillation, Bituminous Substances, Mineral Waxes” (HS Code: 27). There is a 35% fall in the value of imports in this category between 2019-20 and 2020-21. The fall in the value of imports for most of the other major import categories has been comparatively nominal.
“Iron & Steel”, “Aircraft & Spacecraft parts”, “Nuclear Reactors, broilers, etc.” have also witnessed a decline in the value of imports. Most of the decline in the imports are of inputs & raw materials for further processing. The impact of closure & restrictions on economic activity for a major part of 2020-21 was visible in the import numbers of 2020-21.
The fall in imports from the USA along with Kuwait & France contributed to the fall under “Airspace & Spacecraft parts”. In an earlier story, we highlighted that “Iron & Steel” was one of the import categories from China that witnessed a decline.  The fall in imports of “Iron & Steel” contributed to the fall in imports from Germany, Indonesia, Japan & South Korea.
While Switzerland contributed to an increase in imports in the case of “Animal & Vegetable Oils & Fats”, the increase in imports from Switzerland is also due to an increase in imports of “Fertilizers” along with articles relating to metals like Nickel, Aluminium, Zinc, etc.
Even in the case of Switzerland, the imports of products like optical instruments and others decreased. Among the products that have contributed towards the increase in imports during the first half of  2021-22, Petroleum Crude played a major role. This also meant that the imports from Saudi Arabia & Iraq are back to the levels of 2019-20 during the first half of 2021-22.
“Natural & Cultured Pearls, Stones, Metals” etc. is another major category import of which have increased from USD 13.08 billion to USD 39.85 billion during the first half of 2021-22. Switzerland, South Africa, UAE & USA are the countries that have contributed to the increase in imports for this product category. The imports for this product category from these countries fell during 2020-21 and have revived back to the levels of 2019-20.
Import trends suggest revival to pre-pandemic levels without major changes
Review of the data for the leading import partners of India (excluding China) shows that:
At the same time, there is no major change in the list of countries that have earlier imported substantial volumes in certain product categories. Most of these countries regained their position as top import partners, without another country substituting them. This is visible in the case of Saudi Arabia & Iraq for Petroleum crude or USA, UAE, Switzerland, etc. for precious metals & Stones. In the case of a few countries like Iran, the declining trend of imports to India which began even before 2020-21 continued even in 2021-22.
Overall, the imports during the first half of 2021-22 are back to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019-20 without major changes in the source of imports. China remains India’s largest import partner even in 2021-22.
In the next story, we explore the trends in exports from India for some of the leading export partners other than China.
Featured Image: Imports to India

source: news-factly

created: November 12, 2021

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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Data: In 20 Years Between 2002 & 2021, Five States Accounted for More Than 2/3rd of the Cybercrimes Reported in India - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 2, 2023
As information technology increases to become a more integral part of our lives, crimes associated with the cyber world are also increasing. The number of reported cybercrimes in India increased by more than 10-fold in the last ten years. Five states of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana & Assam account for more than 2/3rd of these reported cybercrimes.
Over the past couple of decades, the reach of information technology has extended to many facets of our daily lives, becoming an integral part. However, as is the case with other aspects related to humans and society, cyber space is also prone to various crimes. Any criminal activity that involves a computer, networked device, or any other related device can be considered a Cybercrime.
When compared to other types of crimes, Cybercrimes are more recent in nature and various new types of crimes are being committed in cyberspace. As such, Cyberlaw dealing with these crimes continues to evolve compared to the law dealing with more traditional crimes.
In India, cybercrimes are covered by the Information Technology Act and certain sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). There are also certain Special and Local Laws (SLL) under which few of the cybercrimes are covered.
In this series on Cybercrimes, we take a look into the trends relating to cybercrimes in India over the years. The data for analysis is taken from the collection of Datasets on Cyber Crimes available on Dataful, which is compiled from the National Crimes Record Bureau’s (NCRB) annual Crime in India (CII) reports.
In the first story of the series, we analyse the trends in overall Cybercrimes reported in the country over the years across States and Cities. As indicated above, cybercrimes in India are registered under the IT Act, certain sections of IPC, and specific SLLs.
Cybercrimes reported in a year increased by nearly 2.5 times in the Five years between 2017 & 2021
As is the case with other crimes, the numbers in NCRB’s CII report are based on the number of cases that are reported and may not necessarily reflect the number of crimes actually committed.
The latest information available is the CII report for the year 2021. As per the report, 52,974 cybercrime-related cases were reported in India for the year 2021. This includes crimes under IT Act, IPC, and SLLs. This is the highest number of cybercrimes reported in a year. There has been a considerable increase in the number of cybercrimes reported in recent years, especially starting in 2019.
In 2019, the number of cybercrimes reported was around 44.7 thousand, which was 1.5 times the crimes reported in the previous year i.e., in 2018. The number of cybercrimes reported crossed the 10 thousand mark in 2015 and since then, there has been a considerable year-on-year increase in the number of such crimes reported.
Karnataka and Telangana have a higher rate of Cybercrimes
The highest number of Cybercrimes reported during the period 2002 and 2021 was in Uttar Pradesh. More than 50 thousand cybercrimes were reported in the state during that period. The other states with the highest number of cybercrimes reported during this period are Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Assam. These 5 states account for more than 2/3rd of the total cybercrimes reported in the country during this period. Andhra Pradesh & Rajasthan are the other states with a higher number of cybercrimes reported.
As expected, Uttar Pradesh the state with the highest population in the country, is the state reporting the highest number of cybercrimes. In this context, the number of cybercrimes reported per 1 lakh population provides a better understanding of the crime rate and reporting.
For analysis, we took the mid-year projection of the population of states as per the CII report for 2021. It ought to be noted that the population projection considered was for the year 2021, while the crimes are a cumulative total for the period 2002 and 2021. However, this would provide a fair indication of the broader trend.
Apart from these two states being among the more developed states, they are also home to major IT hubs of Bengaluru and Hyderabad, which could have a bearing on the cybercrimes reported. A more effective mechanism to educate, identify & report cybercrimes can also be a factor in the higher reporting of cybercrime in these states higher cybercrime rate reported in these states.
Highest number of cybercrimes and crime rate reported in Bengaluru
During the period 2002 and 2021, nearly 37.6 thousand cybercrimes were reported in Bengaluru. This is nearly 83% of the total crimes reported in Karnataka during the same period. Among the 19 cities categorised as metropolitan cities in NCRB’s CII-2021 report, Bengaluru has the highest cumulative total of cybercrimes during the 20-year period between 2002 & 2021. During this period, Mumbai has the next highest number of reported cybercrimes followed by Hyderabad and Lucknow.
These cities are the capitals and major cities of the aforementioned States which have the highest number of cybercrimes reported during the period. As in the case of States, the number of crimes reported per lakh population is a better indicator of the extent of crime in a particular city.
The population figures of the cities provided in the NCRB’s CII report (based on the 2011 census) are considered to ascertain the number of cybercrimes per lakh population. Bengaluru also has the highest cybercrime rate. Around 442 cybercrimes per lakh population were reported during the 20-year period of 2002 & 2021. The next highest crime rate is in Lucknow followed by Jaipur and Hyderabad.
During the 20-year period being considered, the rationale of NCRB as to what constitutes a metropolitan city (earlier referred to as Megacity) has changed. Only the 19 cities being categorised as metropolitan cities in recent reports are being considered.
The number of cybercrimes reported in a state, or a city only indicates the geographical extent of where cybercrimes are more prevalent. A higher prevalence of crimes in major cities, which in turn reflects in the overall number of cybercrimes in specific states, is evident in a few of the cities like Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Hyderabad. However, the type of cybercrime committed can provide further details of the prevalence of cybercrimes in specific States or cities. In the second part of this series on Cybercrimes, we will take a look at the different types of cybercrimes reported under the IPC, IT Act, and SLLs.

created: October 2, 2023


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Data: In 2021-22, USA at 4th & Russia at 9th in India’s Crude Oil Import sources
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 17, 2022
While the gulf countries still rule the roost in India’s crude oil imports, newer countries have now entered the top-10 source nations. For the year 2021-22, the USA is at 4th & Russia is at 9th position in the list of countries where India imports most crude from. Iran & Venezuela have lost their positions as major exports of crude to India.
India is the world’s third-largest consumer of oil in the world, only behind the USA & China. India’s consumption is around 5% of global consumption. However, the domestic production is less than 1% of the global oil production. India meets this gap between demand & supply through imports. India ranks next to only China as the world’s second-largest importer of crude oil. Crude oil forms a major share of India’s total imports with around 1/5 of the total value of imports.
As per the provisional data provided by Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC), India’s oil import dependence for 2021-22 was around 85.5%. It is a slight increase from the previous year when 84.4% of its crude oil requirements were met through imports.  India is therefore excessively dependent on the import of crude oil from other countries to meet its domestic demand. India imports its crude oil from multiple countries, and hence, international trends, diplomatic relationships with these countries, etc., have an impact on the imports.
From where does India import Crude Oil? What are the trends in recent years? Here is an analysis.
Methodology: Data available on the Ministry of Commerce’s Export & Import Data Bank (EIDB) is considered for the story. Different Petroleum & Oil products are listed under various HS Codes (Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System). We have considered Imports under HS Code 2709 i.e., “Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude”, henceforth being referred to as “Crude Oil” for this story.
The share of Crude in the total value of imports is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels
As per the data available on EIDB, India imported crude oil worth USD 122.45 billion in the year 2021-22.  It is more than double the value of imports in the pandemic hit 2020-21, when the value of import of crude oil fell to USD 59.48 billion.  The share of Crude oil in the overall imports has also increased to nearly 20% in 2021-22 compared to 15.1% in 2020-21. In 2019-20, the share was 21.6%.
In terms of the value of imports in USD, the import of crude oil in 2020-21 is the highest since 2014-15. Trends over the 10-year period (2012-13 to 2021-22) indicate a fall in the value of imports during 2015-16 and the following year before picking up later. This can be corroborated by the information available with PPAC. However, there is no reduction in the number of petroleum products (including crude) imported during these years. The fall in value reflects the lower crude prices in the international market during the period.
In terms of the number of Petroleum products imported, data from PPAC indicates a year-on-year increase in the volume of petroleum products, except for 2020-21. The quantity of petroleum products imported has increased in 2021-22, but is still lower than a pre-pandemic year.
In 2021-22, 53.5% worth of Crude Oil Imports is from Iraq, Saudi Arabia & UAE
India imports Crude oil from around 50 countries. However, there is a large variance in the import volumes from each of these countries with a major share of crude oil imports from select few countries.
Over the past 10 years, there have been changes in the countries from whom India majorly imports crude oil. While few countries have emerged as the major source in recent years, the imports from few of the traditional countries have reduced.
While the middle eastern countries have the major share of the crude oil imports into India, there has been a gradual decline in the value of imports from African countries.  Here is a snapshot of a few key trends over the years.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21 seems to have allowed for the emergence of new countries in crude oil imports while impacting a few of the traditional sources. It is to be seen if the imports from countries like the USA, Russia, etc. would consolidate their position in the coming years at the cost of others. With the Russia-Ukraine war continuing and Russia offering deep discounts, the volume of crude imports from Russia will be closely watched. Despite these changes, the gulf countries remain the major source of India’s crude oil imports.
In addition to crude, India also imports petroleum products derived from non-crude i.e., products that are refined. These are categorized under HS Code 2710. Even in this case, middle eastern countries have the major share. Apart from these countries, South Korea has been a major exporter of refined petroleum products to India.
India majorly exports ‘Petroleum Products’ to a few South-East Asian Countries & European countries
As per the data with EIDB, India does not export Crude oil i.e., products under HSC 2709. However, it does export refined petroleum products that fall under HSC 2710.  These include Motor Spirit (Petrol), Diesel, Kerosene oil, Naphtha, etc. among others. These products are processed in the country from Crude oil and exported.
In 2021-22, India’s exports of these petroleum products were USD 66 billion. It is not only higher than the pandemic hit 2020-21 but also more than the value of exports prior to the pandemic. This could be due to the high price of crude in the international market.
For 2021-22, Singapore is the largest importer from India with petroleum products worth USD 6.1 billion. UAE & Netherlands are the other countries to whom India exports a major share of petroleum products.  As was the case with imports, there is also an increase in the export of petroleum products to the USA in recent years.
Apart from Singapore, Indonesia & Malaysia are other South East Asian countries to which India exports. China & Korea are the other countries.
Featured Image: India’s Crude Oil Import sources


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Data: In About 90% Cases Registered by NHRC, the ‘Nature of Incident’ is Reported as ‘Others’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 21, 2024
According to various media reports, the GANHRI, a UN linked body, has deferred the accreditation of India’s NHRC for the second consecutive year, signalling concerns over India’s human rights record. But what do the numbers say about the cases registered by the NHRC?
According to various media reports, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), a UN linked body, has deferred the accreditation of India’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for the second consecutive year, signalling concerns over India’s human rights record. National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) with ‘A’ status can participate fully in international and regional activities. They have the right to speak at the UN Human Rights Council and UN treaty bodies, act as representatives in multilateral discussions, vote, and hold leadership roles in NHRI networks. NHRIs with ‘B’ status can join GANHRI meetings but cannot vote or hold leadership positions. India’s human rights watchdog, NHRC’s ‘A’ status is under the lens now.
India’s former Finance Minister P Chidambaram expressed his disappointment on Twitter regarding the GANHRI’s decision to decline accreditation to India’s NHRC for the second consecutive year. He tweeted, “It is sad – and a shame – that the GANHRI has declined accreditation to India’s NHRC. The status of NHRC as an accredited Human Rights body was suspended in 2023 and now again in 2024.” He noted that GANHRI concluded the NHRC failed to demonstrate its independence from government interference, calling it a rebuke to both the NHRC and the Indian government.
It is sad – and a shame –  that the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions has declined accreditation to India's NHRC
The status of NHRC as an accredited Human Rights body was suspended in 2023
and now again in  2024
The GANHRI has concluded that India's NHRC…
What is GANHRI’s accreditation and why is it significant? Why was NHRC’s status deferred? How has NHRC’s performance been over the years? This story aims to address these questions.
GANHRI promotes and strengthens NHRIs worldwide
Established in 1993, GANHRI, formerly known as the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, is an international body that promotes and strengthens NHRIs worldwide. GANHRI facilitates cooperation among NHRIs, enabling them to share best practices and collaborate on global human rights issues. It provides support, capacity building, and accreditation to ensure NHRIs comply with international standards, particularly the Paris Principles.
The Paris Principles emphasize pluralism, independence, and effectiveness
The Paris Principles establish the minimum standards that NHRIs must meet to be credible and effective. These principles emphasize three key pillars: pluralism, independence, and effectiveness. The Paris Principles outline several key requirements for NHRIs:
Sub-Committee on Accreditation reviews and gives accreditations to NHRIs based on their adherence to principles
The compliance to the principles is monitored and reviewed by the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA). It is also responsible for the accreditation. This process involves representatives from NHRIs across the four regions: Africa, Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe, engaging in a rigorous, peer-based evaluation. NHRIs undergo SCA review when they apply for the initial accreditation, when seeking re-accreditation every five years, and when there are changes in the NHRI’s circumstances that could impact its adherence to the Paris Principles.
As of December 2023, GANHRI had 120 members including 88 NHRIs with ‘A’ status accreditation and 32 with ‘B’ status accreditation. In accordance with the UN Paris Principles and the GANHRI Statute, ‘A’ status is given when the NHRI is fully compliant with the Paris Principles and ‘B’ when it is only partially compliant with the Paris Principles.
NHRC achieved ‘A’ status accreditation for the first time in 1999
The NHRC of India achieved ‘A’ status accreditation for the first time in 1999. This accreditation was reaffirmed during reviews in 2006 and 2011. In the 2016 review process, the accreditation was deferred to the second session in November 2017. During this session, the SCA recommended that the NHRC be granted ‘A’ status accreditation once again.
In 2023, the review of NHRC was deferred for a year. Although the latest report about the recent deferment is pending, the Sub-Committee identified several areas of concern regarding the NHRC’s adherence to the principles in 2023, as outlined below.
Cases of human rights violations registered in NHRC have increased
Data from NHRC’s website and Dataful indicate that the number of cases registered in NHRC has increased from about 76.6 thousand in 2019 to more than 112.3 thousand in 2022, registering an increase of 46%. However, the figure dropped to about 79 thousand cases in 2023, a reduction of more than 29%. In the first four months of 2024, a total of 21.64 thousand cases have been registered.
According to our previous analysis for the period from 2015-16 to 2019-20, there was a steep fall in the number of cases registered by the NHRC. However, in 2020 and 2021, the cases registered have increased to 2015-16 levels.
Among the cases registered between 2021 and 2024, close to 90% in each of the years were registered under the ‘others’ category. Cases related to women, children, SC/ST/OBCs, custodial deaths, police encounters, and bonded labour made up the remaining 10 to 12%. Categorizing a large portion of complaints under ‘others’ hampers the analysis of the nature of complaints received by NHRC. This lack of detailed categorization makes it difficult to identify and effectively address specific human rights issues.
Backlog of pending cases has dropped
Data also indicates that the backlog of pending cases has declined over the years. Cases pending and cases disposed of include those from preceding years and the current year. Except in 2021, more cases are being disposed of than those registered each year.
The role of NHRC and its effectiveness have always been a matter of discussion. Reports by various global bodies like the Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International have highlighted that there have been human rights violations by the government. The reports of the deferment of NHRC’s status come at a time when the Ministry of External Affairs rejected US State Department’s report on alleged human rights abuses in India that spoke about the Manipur ethnic clashes. The government maintained that the report is deeply biased and reflects a very poor understanding of India. The US State Department’s report criticized the government for taking minimal credible steps or action to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses.


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Data: In the last four years, RBI spent 44% of its public awareness campaign expenditure on high profile sports events & KBC
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 25, 2021
RBI spent a significant amount of money on public awareness in the last four years. Between 2017-18 & 2021-22 (as of November 2021), the RBI spent more than Rs. 600 crores on a public awareness campaign. Most of this was spent on TV commercials during high profile sports events like IPL, FIFA, Olympics, and KBC. More than Rs. 100 crores are spent on KBC so far.
RBI spent close to 650 Crores on a public awareness campaign in the last four years, most during high profile sports events
A wide range of awareness campaigns has been the mainstay of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) outreach and consumer protection strategy. This includes advertising campaigns, publicity through newspapers and radio, Town Halls events, live and interactive Television programmes, documentary films, etc.
In an RTI response to Factly, RBI has furnished details on the total amount spent on consumer awareness activities through various media platforms between 2016-17 and 2021-22. In this article, we look at the trends of RBI’s expenditure on publicity/advertisement activities between 2016-17 and 2021-22 via various mass media platforms.
Earlier outreach campaigns of RBI included field visits by executives, joint advertising
Some of the earlier forms of outreach and customer awareness generation are outlined in Annual Reports on RBI. For instance, the RBI Annual Report 2012 highlights that the outreach programmes of RBI involved top management i.e. Governor, Deputy Governors and Executive who would visit villages across the country to encourage banks, financial institutions and local government to boost economic activities by involving rural masses in particular. The RBI officials would interact with villagers to understand their problems and expectations, and spread awareness on the advantages of being linked to the formal banking sector through lectures, skits, posters, short films, pamphlets, quiz, comic books on financial literacy, etc. The target group included students, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), farmers, NGOs, bankers, government employees, senior citizens, housewives, panchayat members, daily wage earners, etc.
In the three years preceding 2012, RBI executives undertook outreach visits in 115 villages spread throughout the country. An analysis presented in the annual report demonstrated progress in financial inclusion in these villages with 73% of the villages receiving banking services through ICT based BC (Business Correspondent) model and the remaining villages were covered through branches.
Meanwhile, about 718 Financial Literacy Centres (FLCs) were set up (by the end of March 2013) and a total of 2.8 million people were educated through indoor and outdoor activities such as awareness camps/choupals, ghostis, seminars, and lectures between April 2012 and March 2013, as per the RBI Annual Report 2013.
In the coming years, the National Strategy for Financial Education (NSFE) was prepared and displayed on RBI’s website for wider circulation. The report describes that the focus strategy at the base level was to create awareness about basic financial products through the dissemination of simple messages in vernacular languages through large campaigns across the country. The NSFE was to be implemented in a timeframe of five years and aims to establish initial contact with 500 million adults and educate them on key savings, protection, and prudent financial decisions, as well as consumer protection and grievance redressal mechanisms available in the country.
Documentary films, publicity through newspapers and radio, setting up stalls at various melas (exhibitions), Town Halls events, live and interactive programmes on Doordarshan were also some of the measures initiated by RBI and the offices of Baking Ombudsman over the years, as highlighted in various Annual Reports.
As per the Annual Report 2014, the RBI undertook a joint advertising campaign in mass media with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to increase public awareness and ensure clarity on legislative reforms and their effective enforcement.
A new range of customer awareness programmes undertaken post-2016
To popularise electronic payment products among stakeholders like merchants and consumers, Electronic Banking Awareness and Training (e-BAAT) programmes were launched by the RBI along with other banks. Under e-BAAT, structured campaigns were undertaken by the RBI, in collaboration with stakeholders, to enhance customer awareness, as per the RBI Annual Report 2016.
The report also highlights that RBI, jointly with the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs conducted awareness campaigns on currency under the “Jaago Grahak Jaago” campaign. The campaign was undertaken in 13 languages in three different design sets in 1,055 newspapers all over the country.
The year 2016 also marked the beginning of new consumer awareness programmes of the RBI in coordination with concerned departments. To create awareness at a large scale on key topics, the RBI decided to observe one week in a year as ‘Financial Literacy Week’ starting from 2017. For 2018, the Financial Literacy Week was observed during June 4-8 with the theme ‘Consumer Protection’. The Financial Literacy Week 2021 was observed from February 08-12, on the theme of ‘Credit Discipline and Credit from Formal Institutions’. The messages disseminated during the week focusing on
Since 2018-19, several initiatives have been launched focussing on financial literacy as a crucial prerequisite for the efficacy of financial inclusion initiatives of the Reserve Bank.
RBI’s expenditure on publicity increased dramatically in 2018-19
As illustrated by the RTI response, RBI’s total expenditure on publicity and advertisements (via various media platforms) for the purpose of public awareness has risen dramatically since 2016.
For the fiscal year 2016-17, the total expenditure on publicity and advertisements stood at Rs. 6.54 crores. Between 2016-17 and 2017-18, the total expenditure increased slightly from Rs. 6.54 to Rs. 7.2 crores.
However, in the fiscal year 2018-2019, the expenditure increased to Rs. 158.5 crores – registering a dramatic increase from Rs. 7.2 crores in the previous year. Thereon, the expenditure has seen a progressive trend with Rs. 206.7 crores in 2019-20 and Rs. 201.84 crores in 2020-21, despite the limitations caused by COVID-19 restrictions. For the fiscal year 2021-22, the expenditure on public awareness through media platforms stood at Rs. 71.8 crores as of November 2021.
High TRP events like IPL and FIFA targeted for campaign-related commercials
During 2018-19, the RBI conducted country-wide awareness campaigns through print and electronic media on various topics such as fictitious offers, Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts (BSBDA), safe digital banking, and banking facilities for senior citizens and persons with disability (PwD).
As per Annual Report 2018, RBI also undertook a public awareness programme through Short Message Service (SMS) followed by a 360-degree campaign. The campaign started in November 2017 through SMS cautioning the public about fictitious offers purportedly send out in the name of RBI. The SMS campaign also had a unique missed call element. Upon giving a missed call to the designated number, the caller would receive more information on the subject through a pre-recorded Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS).
The second segment of the campaign saw the release of a television commercial during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Season 11 in April 2018. The commercial spoke about the opening of the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts (BSBDA) which obviates the requirement of minimum balance in the bank account provided certain limitations on the account operation are acceptable to customers.
As per RBI’s annual report, the television commercial, which featured the Reserve Bank’s six cricketer employees became quite noticeable. The message on BSBDA was also released in other media, viz., print, other television channels, radio, digital and hoardings during May-June 2018.
Another advertisement with a message on customer’s liability in case of fraudulent transactions in one’s bank account was aired during the FIFA World Cup matches. The advertisements were released in print media and were also released in other media, viz, other television channels, radio, digital and hoardings.
High publicity/advertisement expenditure share in TV, Print & SMS mediums
RBI’s total expenditure on publicity and advertisements on public awareness between 2016-17 and 2021-22 across different media can be seen below. The highest proportion of expenditure i.e., 64.81% (Rs. 422.93 crores) has been spent on publicity via Television (TV) medium.
This was followed by Print medium with 12.11% expenditure share (Rs. 79.01 crores), SMS medium with 7.29% expenditure share (Rs. 47.55 crores), Radio with 6.27% expenditure share (Rs. 40.94 crores) and others.
The lowest share of publicity/advertisement expenditure was on Cinema medium (0.64%), followed by OOH (Out-of-home advertising) medium (2.84%), and Digital medium (2.88%).
Awareness content broadcasted on popular shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) &Pro Kabaddi League
A multi-media and multi-lingual flagship public awareness initiative called “RBI Kehta Hai/ RBI Says” was launched to educate the public about baking regulations and practices. The campaign link was enabled on the RBI website for people who want to know more about the messages being broadcast on various media, as highlighted in the RBI Annual Report 2019. In addition, the RBI released digital awareness material through its flagship programme, “RBI Says”. To enhance public outreach, all authorised payment system operators and participants were advised to undertake targeted multi-lingual campaigns by way of SMS and advertisement in print/visual media to educate their users on the safe and secure use of digital payments.
The public awareness campaigns grew further in 2019-20, using 360-degree mass media awareness programmes. RBI’s Department of Communications (DoC) conducted country-wide campaigns through print and electronic media. As per the annual report, the RBI SMS handle ‘RBISAY’ was also used extensively to send text messages on these issues. The IVRS was further strengthened for awareness generation efforts. Additionally, the offices of Ombudsman conducted 26 town hall events and 113 awareness/outreach programs, mainly in Tier-II cities, as per the RBI Annual Report 2020.
Under its 360-degree mass media awareness campaigns, RBI also broadcasted awareness materials on popular shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), Pro Kabaddi League and Road Safety Series on Television. Films on Safe Digital Banking, Limited Liability, Banking Ombudsman, and banking facilities were broadcast on these platforms.
Films on financial education and other useful areas, featuring cricketers and badminton players, who are employees of the Reserve Bank, were also released on Doordarshan and All India Radio as part of a year-long campaign.
For instance, the expenditure on broadcasted awareness materials on popular shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) is provided in the following chart.
The various forms of publicity/advertisements expenditure on KBC have risen over the years. While in 2017-18, the expenditure on KBC is absent, it increases progressively in the coming years. (Data for 2021-22 fiscal year is only as of November 2021)
Similarly, RBI’s RTI response also provides information on its publicity/advertisements expenditure in other high TRP (target rating point/television rating point) for various sports events such as Asian Games, Euro & Olympics 2021, FIFA 2018, Wimbledon 2019, ICC World Cup 2019, and IPL (Indian Premier League) in 2018, 2020, and 2021.
Virtual modes of awareness campaigning due to COVID-19
The RBI undertook financial education programmes through virtual mode and leveraged local cable TV and community radio to spread financial awareness messages during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in a special video message to the citizens, the RBI Governor advocated the increased use of various digital modes of payment as part of the social distancing measures.
Popular social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook were used for two-way communication to ensure wider dissemination, lengthening the life of each campaign, and to engage with the youth. In February 2020, RBI also undertook a centralised mass media campaign to disseminate essential financial awareness messages to MSME entrepreneurs. Films on farmers and MSMEs were broadcast on All India Radio and Doordarshan. As per the RBI Annual Report 2020, the Reserve Bank’s Twitter handles (@RBI) with its 8,92,000 followers as of 30 June 2020, is the largest among the central banks of the world.
A special campaign on “Pay Digital, Stay Safe” starring Amitabh Bachchan was released on digital and social media in April 2020, as part of the COVID-19 public awareness measures. It was followed by the dissemination of Graphics Interchange Formats (GIFs) and caricatures on social media handles conveying messages in English, Hindi and eleven regional languages.
As per the RBI Annual Report 2021, the Banking Ombudsman conducted about 154 awareness programmes during 2020, mostly through digital mode on account of pandemic related restrictions. Of these, 34 awareness programmes were conducted in educational institutions. During the year, the RBI actively used its second Twitter handle and Facebook page (@RBIsays) to ensure wider dissemination of public awareness messages in Hindi, English and 11 other regional languages. As per the annual report, the ‘RBI Kehta Hai’ microsite is regularly updated with material on public awareness campaigns as and when they are released via television, digital and social media platforms.
Featured Image: RBI Campaign Expenditure

created: December 25, 2021


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Data: Increase in India’s Goods Exports Driven Largely by Increase in Export of ‘Petroleum Products’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 29, 2023
Data indicates that India’s goods exports increased by over 50% between the COVID-19 hit year of 2020-21 and 2022-23. During the same period, imports increased by more than 75%.  The exports in 2022-23 are also about 50% more than the exports in 2012-13. The increase in exports is largely driven by the increase in exports of ‘Petroleum Products’.
Policymakers across the globe are looking for ways to promote seamless cross-border trade. The international trade landscape is undergoing structural shifts and nations are sensing opportunities to utilize this opportunity and integrate their markets with the global markets. Trade facilitation is expected to improve by incorporating technology and digitization.
India had also embarked on an ambitious mission to make the nation self-reliant by promoting the philosophy of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and encouraging local products to go global. The New Foreign Trade Policy (FTP 2023) is expected to replace the previous foreign policy (2015-20), which was extended till 2023 due to a ‘volatile geo-political scenario’. The new policy is a shift from an incentive-based approach to creating an enabling ecosystem for exporters. It is based on the principles of ‘trust’ and ‘partnership’ with exporters. The FTP 2023 aims to facilitate ease of doing business for exporters, thereby integrating India further into global markets and making India an export hub.
In this context, we look at some of the trends in India’s foreign trade over the last 10 years. All the statistics are sourced from Export Import Data Bank and pertain to only goods (merchandise) and not services.
Over 40% growth in exports and imports in 2022-23 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
India’s export and import of goods is marked with ebbs and flows. There is neither consistent growth nor decline. After a brief dip in exports and imports during the pandemic, the value of exports and imports grew significantly. Both exports and imports recorded more than forty percent growth during 2022-23 when compared to the average figures of the last decade. With the adoption of the new FTP 2023, the government of India is expecting the trade figures to further increase, thereby making India a crucial link in global value chains.
USA and UAE continue to be dominant export partners, Netherlands enters top-3 in 2022-23
Ten countries account for almost half of India’s total exports. The top export destinations for India include the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, China, Bangladesh, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Indonesia. Among them, the United States remains the largest export destination, accounting for almost 18 percent of the total exports during 2022-23. It is followed by the United Arab Emirates, whose share stands at 7% in 2022-23. Interestingly, the share of UAE declined from 12% in 2012-23 to 5.7% during 2020-21, to settle at 7% in 2022-23.
The Netherlands is increasingly becoming another important export destination. The share of the Netherlands in 2012-13 was 3.5%, which fell to 2.2% during 2020-21. It increased to 4.8% in 2022-23, registering its highest share in the last decade. It jumped to 3 position replacing China in 2022-23.
Exports of ‘refined petroleum’ rose by more than 275%
If we look at the broad trend in the exports from India, there is a significant jump from 2020-21 to 2021-22. There is almost a rise of more than 55% between 2020-21 and 2022-23. The commodity-wise analysis of the export data shows that mineral fuels, mineral oils and products, bituminous and mineral waxes (hs code 27, also known as ‘Refined Petroleum’) category rose by a whopping 275% from 2020-21 to 2022-23. This is followed by electrical machinery and parts category (hs code 85) with 101%, and the pearl and jewellery group (hs code 71) growing by 45% during the same period. The list of hs codes can be found here.
Upon further classification, under the ‘hs code 27’ category, Light oils, and preparations group (hs code 271012) grew by 245%, whereas other petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (hs code 271019) grew by 300% between 2020-21 and 2022-23.
Netherlands and UAE are top export destinations for refined petroleum.
While India imports a vast amount of crude oil, India also exports refined petroleum products to other nations. Data indicates that the export of refined petroleum rose by more than 275% between 2020-21 and 2022-23. The export of refined petroleum products to countries like Brazil, South Africa, the Netherlands, the USA, and Togo grew by more than 400%.
While the large quantities of imports by Brazil, South Africa, Netherlands, and Togo is a recent phenomenon, countries like Singapore and UAE imported refined petroleum products in large quantities from India before the pandemic also. Together, five countries namely the USA, Singapore, UAE, Netherlands, and Togo account for almost 40% of the export of refined petroleum products from India. One possible reason behind the substantial rise in imports (became 3rd largest export destination replacing China in 2022-23) of refined petroleum by the Netherlands could be the sanctions due to the Russia-Ukraine war, and India being a key Asian refining hub.  India is continuing to buy discounted crude oil from sanctions-hit Russia, refining them and exporting to other countries including the USA, and Europe.
UAE and USA tops in imports of ‘Electrical machinery’
The uptick in India’s outbound shipments is largely due to refined petroleum products. This is followed by exports of ‘electrical machinery’ (hs code 85) that saw almost 100% growth in 2022-23 when compared to 2020-21. The destination-wise analysis of exports of electrical machinery shows that the United Arab Emirates and the United States top the list of importers of electrical machinery. Both countries increased their share in imports of electrical machinery by more than 130% in 2022-23 as compared to 2020-21.
The data indicates that while there is an improvement in the overall exports, this improvement is concentrated in only a few sectors, while the rest traditionally India’s strong export sectors such as pharmaceuticals and drugs, chemicals, Rice registering minimal growth. With changing geo-political scenario and the risks of economic slowdown, these trends assume significance.


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Data: Independents won Less Than 10 Seats in Each of the Last 8 Lok Sabha Elections
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 16, 2024
All the datasets related to the 1st to the 17th Lok Sabha Elections (from 1951 to 2019) are available on Dataful.
Independent Candidates won an average of more than 30 Seats in each of the first four Lok Sabha elections. However, with each passing Lok Sabha elections, the ability of Independents to win has decreased significantly. Even on the vote share front, their vote share decreased from average of 15% in the first four Lok Sabha elections to less than 5% in the last four Lok Sabha elections.
Election season is flooded with debates on whether people vote for a party, for a candidate, or both. In the absence of political affiliations, potential candidates face significant barriers in their electoral process, right from money, media, and message. To this extent, Political Parties have largely been dominant in the Indian Parliamentary system since independence. With changing electoral scenarios, and growing personalization of politics, individual candidates sometimes trump the party affiliations, as it can be seen in the re-election of defectors.
Yet, the political importance of independent candidates remains a hugely contested subject. Questions on how independent candidates impact the quality of electoral processes and the cloning of major party candidates by fielding independents, often linger around during the election seasons. We have observed in the Karnataka Assembly Elections, 2023, where a clone name of a major party candidate could possibly impact an electoral outcome.
With this context, and keeping in mind the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha election, we look at the independent candidates in Indian Parliamentary elections. Factly’s earlier story on a similar topic with some recommendations can be read here.
Significant rise in the number of independent candidates, while the share out of total is reduced.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) classifies the contesting candidates based on their party identification- National, State, Unrecognized but registered party, and independent candidates. Each identification is done based on an already existing objective criteria. Independent candidates are those who do not have any affiliation with any political party.
The data on the profile of political candidates show that there is a proliferation of independent candidates, up from 533 in 1951, to reaching the highest in 1996, with 10,636 independent candidates. Interestingly, 1996 was also the year in which the security deposits of candidates rose from Rs. 500 to Rs. 10,000 for Lok Sabha. It was during the 1996 Lok Sabha elections that two constituencies had more than 400 contesting candidates each. In both Nalgonda (from then Andhra Pradesh), and Belgaum (Karnataka), more than 400 candidates contested the Lok Sabha elections.
Post 1996, the number of independent candidates fell significantly, accounting for 1915 candidates in the 1998 elections. Thereafter, there is a consistent rise in independent candidates till 2009, with 3831 candidates. In 2009, the security deposits were further rose from Rs.10,000 to Rs. 25,000. Post 2009, the number of independent candidates fell marginally, reaching 3461 in the 2019 elections.
In terms of the percentage out of the total, independent candidates accounted for an average of 32% from 1951 to 1971 elections. After the imposition of emergency, and restoration of democratic processes till 1984, their average share accounted for 61%. This further rose to 67% till the 1996 elections. Post-1996 elections, and till 2009, their share fell significantly to 43%. This further reduced to 41% post-2009 elections.
Among all the elections, independent candidates accounted for 76% of the total, their highest ever, in the 1996 elections. That is, 3 out of 4 candidates, were independents in the 1996 elections.
Vote share of independent candidates joint second lowest in 2019.
Independent candidates represent a political alternative to the voters to show their disenchantment with the political parties. However, the current age of politics blurred the lines between independent candidates and dummy candidates. Many candidates are often fielded just to prove a point, an example being the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to the Nizamabad constituency, where 178 out of 185 candidates were farmers, in support of their demand for Turmeric board.
The data regarding the proportion of votes polled by independent candidates out of all valid votes indicates a decline in the vote share of independent candidates. The share dwindled from 15.9% in 1951 to a low of 2.4% in 1998. In 2019, it reached 2.7%, the second lowest tied with 1999. This decline in independent candidates’ vote share reflects public disinterest, despite the increase in their numbers indicating political pluralism. Nevertheless, despite their low numbers, independents can potentially be ‘game-changers’.
Success rate of independent candidates is diminishingly low.
Electoral success often depends on a multitude of factors- starting from the campaign to the candidate profile. The incentive to participate in the electoral process for an independent candidate is already low, given the party-dominated politics in Indian elections and the lack of resources. In such scenarios, the success rate of independent candidates is bound to be very low.
Data shows that the success rates of independent candidates fell considerably from 6.9% in 1951 to 0.12% in 2019. On the flip side, the success rates of candidates from political parties fell from 33.7% to 11.7% during the same period, largely on account of hundreds of new parties contesting elections. In 2019, only four independents won, one each from Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
99.5% of independent candidates lost their deposits in 2019.
The Representation of People Act, 1951, mandates candidates to deposit a fixed amount to contest in elections, for Lok Sabha, it’s Rs 25,000; and for Assembly, Rs 10,000 for all general candidates. If the candidate gets less than one-sixth of valid votes, they lose the deposit. This means the Election Commission doesn’t refund the money.
While it is normal for wins and losses in electoral processes, losing elections without even securing a deposit is the last thing any contesting candidate wishes for. It is also a matter of pride for candidates. Independent candidates have higher probabilities of both losing, as well as losing without securing deposits, while candidates with party affiliations have higher probabilities for securing deposits, even in cases of defeat.
Data on this aspect shows that almost 99.5% of the independent candidates lost their deposits in 2019, up from 67.6% in 1951. Only in the first four general elections, from 1951 to 1967, the percentage of independent candidates forfeiting their deposits averaged at 75%, which further rose considerably, averaging 98.7% till 2019.


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Data: 'India Ageing Report 2023' Highlights Challenges of Demographic Shift - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 13, 2023
To understand the phenomenon of ageing in India, the UNFPA India, in collaboration IIPS recently released ‘India Ageing Report 2023.’ The report presents a review of the living conditions and welfare of elderly individuals in India. As per this report, the share of those aged 60 and older, the elderly population in India is estimated to rise from 10.5% in 2022 to 20.8% in 2050.
In 2022, there were 1.1 billion people aged 60 or older worldwide, accounting for 13.9% of the total population of 7.9 billion. Over the next 30 years, this elderly population is expected to double to 2.1 billion by 2050, making up 22% of the global population. This trend is evident in all regions. The more developed regions will see the proportion of older individuals increase from 26% in 2022 to more than one-third of the population in 2050, while less developed regions will see an increase from 11.5% to 20%.
Asia, with 649 million individuals aged 60 and older is home to the majority (58%) of the global elderly population. In the next three decades, the share of older individuals in the total population in Asia is expected to go up from 13.7% to 25%, reaching a total of 1.3 billion by 2050. India, just like the rest of the world, will also witness this demographic transition.
India Ageing Report 2023 was released recently
To understand the phenomenon of ageing in India, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) India, in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), recently released ‘India Ageing Report 2023.’ The report presents a review of the living conditions and welfare of elderly individuals in India and scrutinizes the obstacles, opportunities, and institutional responses associated with elderly care in the country. The increasing number of elderly people in India will have a significant impact on healthcare, the economy, and society. To deal with this, the government and other groups need to prepare by making plans and policies to ensure the well-being of the elderly now and in the future.
The latest data available from the Longitudinal Ageing Survey in India (LASI), 2017–18, Census of India, 2011, Population Projections by the Government of India (2011–2036) and World Population Prospects 2022 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs have been used in the report.
One in five persons by 2050 & one in three persons by 2100 will be a senior citizen aged 60 years & over
According to the report, the elderly population in India has been growing rapidly in the past few years, and this trend is expected to persist in the coming decades. The share of those aged 60 and older (hereafter referred to as the elderly population) is estimated to rise from 10.5% in 2022 to 20.8% in 2050. By the end of the century, the elderly will constitute over 36% of the total population of the country.
However, the share is still much lower than that projected for 2050 in Japan (43.7%), South Korea (46.4%), and China (38.8%). The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries are projected to have only about 19.8% population above 60 years by 2050. Within SAARC, Bangladesh (21.3%), Bhutan (23.8%), Maldives (34.1%) and Sri Lanka (27%) are estimated to be above the SAARC average by 2050. India is expected to report around 20% elderly by 2050. Though the share seems small, the absolute numbers will be very large. The share of the elderly is low in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Huge variation across states persists in terms of share of elderly population
Between 2021 and 2036, the estimated share of the population of elderly persons in India is expected to increase from 10.1% to 15%. The share of the elderly population varies significantly across different states. Several factors contribute to this variation, including differences in birth rates, healthcare access, economic opportunities, and lifestyle choices. In 2021, many states in the south and some in the north, like Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, had a greater share of elderly people in their population compared to the national average. This difference is likely to grow further by 2036.
On the other hand, in states with higher fertility rates and slower demographic transition, like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, even though there will be an increase in the share of the elderly population by 2036, it will still be less than the national average. At the same time, in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the share of the elderly population is estimated to cross 20% by 2036.
A larger proportion of the elderly population is composed of women
The recent report has highlighted the three aspects of ageing that create significant challenges. One is the higher life expectancy for women which results in women living longer than men (feminization) resulting in higher levels of widowhood and associated socio-cultural and economic deprivations and dependencies. The trend in the sex ratio (females per 1000 males) of the general population and of the elderly population over the years and the projections for the next two decades are given in the following graph. It is clearly visible that since 1991, the sex ratio among the elderly has been rising steadily, while the sex ratio of the general population remains the same. This difference is going to be significant by 2031.
The second challenge raised by the report is ruralisation or the increasing proportion of the rural population among the elderly. Data from Census 2011 indicates that on average, 71% of older persons live in rural areas. There is significant interregional variation as well. The challenge is that many rural areas in India still have limited access to good roads and transportation. This means that older people living in rural areas are faced with income insecurity, poor access to healthcare, and isolation as compared to their urban counterparts.
The third challenge raised is the ageing of aged people. During 2000–2022, the total population of India grew by 34%, while the population of elderly persons aged 60+ years grew by 103% (more than doubled). The population of older persons aged 80+ years grew by 128%. Projections show that between 2022 and 2050, India’s overall population will grow by 18%, while the elderly population will grow by 134%. The population of persons aged 80+ years is expected to increase by 279% with a notable presence of widowed and highly dependent elderly women.
Moreover, as the youth migrate to other states and countries, about one-fifth of the elderly either live alone or only with a spouse.
Government has rolled out various measures for social and financial security of senior citizens
Chronic health conditions and the physical and cognitive limitations that come with age are major challenges for the elderly population. Social isolation and loneliness can take a toll on their mental well-being, exacerbated by the loss of friends and family. Financial insecurity and the rising costs of healthcare and daily living expenses create stress for those on fixed incomes. Housing and mobility can also become hurdles, among other problems they face. Addressing these challenges and providing support is vital to ensuring the dignity and well-being of the elderly.
Various schemes and policies have been rolled out by Ministries of the Central Government that extend financial benefits and security to the elderly. These include Annapurna Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development), Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana, and Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme (SCSS) (Ministry of Finance). The elderly are also extended concessions and rebates including a microfinancing scheme providing concessional loans to small businesses.
Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens Act, 2007 was brought in to ensure need-based maintenance for parents and senior citizens and their welfare. The Act defines maintenance as including provision for food, clothing, residence, medical attendance, and treatment. An explainer of this Act by Factly can be read here.  CSR funds are also being used for the welfare of senior citizens.
However, the awareness about the schemes and provisions is low. Only a small share of them is aware of the schemes as depicted below.
Noting that numerous government schemes and policies are in place to address the health, financial empowerment, and capacity-building needs of the elderly population, the report calls for increasing awareness about the same among the elderly population. It also called for enhancing geriatric care, and that community-based organizations (CBOs) and other stakeholders be involved in extending various services. The report also noted that there was a lack of credible data on various issues related to the elderly and suggested that relevant questions be included in data collection exercises such as the National Sample Survey, the National Family Health Survey, and the Census of India.

created: October 13, 2023


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Data: India holds more than 85% share of Global ‘Basmati Rice’ exports
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 3, 2020
Recently, the European Commission published India’s GI application for ‘Basmati’ rice in the European Union. Pakistan, the only other country that exports Basmati has announced that it will challenge India’s application. As per available data, India holds more than 85% share of the global ‘Basmati’ exports.
The Agreement on Trade- Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is an international legal agreement among the members of WTO which covers the areas of intellectual property rights such as copyright and related rights, trademarks, geographical indications (GI), patents, and more. The agreement defines geographical indications as ‘an indication which identifies a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a regional locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.’
GI is territorial
In simpler terms, GI can be understood as a tag on products which have a specific geographical origin and possess certain qualities and reputation because of that origin. Some examples of popular geographical indications are Roquefort cheese from France, Swiss Watches, and Washington State Apples. (A detailed story on what GIs are and its significance was previously written by Factly). GIs are territorial, implying that GI should be applied for, in different countries or regions as there is not any international right or registry.
India’s application for GI over Basmati has been published by EU
Recently, the European Commission published India’s Protected Geographical Indication application  in the European Union for ‘Basmati’, the rice which is popularly used for making Biriyanis and Pulao. Basmati has been described as, ‘a special long grain aromatic rice grown and produced in a particular geographical region of the Indian sub-continent. In India, this region is a part of northern India, below the foothills of the Himalayas forming part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP)’, in the application. Geographic area where the rice grain is produced has been mentioned as all districts in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, as well as in specific districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
Pakistan is opposing India’s claim
Pakistan, which is the only other country in the world to produce Basmati rice besides India, has opposed India’s claim and has planned to challenge the application. Getting the GI tag can help India boost its export of Basmati rice, which may hit Pakistan’s exports of the same. According to the EU’s regulations, countries can file opposition to GI claims within a period of 3 months from the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It has to be noted that the Pakistan Government enacted the GI (Registration and Protection) Act only in March 2020. In India, GI Act has been in force since 1999.
India holds more than 85% share of global Basmati Rice exports
India already accounts for a lion’s share of Basmati rice exports. More than 85% of the global Basmati exports (by quantity and by value) are from India. In India, the quantity of Basmati exported is about 37% of the total rice exports by quantity and 60% by value in 2018-19. During the same period, in Pakistan, Basmati exports comprised of 13% of rice exports by quantity and almost 29% by value.
India’s export of Basmati has gone up by 19% while Pakistan’s dropped by 26% in 5 years
In the five years between 2014-15 and 2018-19, according to parliament responses, India’s Basmati exports have increased. From about 36.99 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) in 2014-15, the export of Basmati has increased to 44.15 LMT in 2018-19, an increase of over 19%. In 2019-20, India has exported 44.55 LMT of Basmati worth USD 4.25 Billion. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s export of Basmati has dropped from 6.77 LMT in 2014-15 to 5.37 LMT in 2018-19, a decrease of around 26%. Nonetheless, the quantity of export of Basmati in both the countries has  been witnessing an increasing trend since 2016-17.
In terms of value, India’s Basmati export dropped by 29% from USD 4.5 Billion in 2014-15 to USD 3.2 Billion in 2016-17. However, the exports have gradually increased to USD 4.7 Billion in 2018-19, which is a 47% increase compared to the value in 2016-17. In the five years between 2014-15 & 2018-19, India’s Basmati exports has grown by 4% in terms of value.  Concomitantly, Pakistan, which has also witnessed a similar trend has recorded an overall drop in Basmati export by nearly 15% in terms of value.
Export to EU has gone down
Major importers of Basmati from India are the Middle Eastern countries. In 2018-19, around 76% of the Basmati exports from India were to Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen, and UAE. According to the data released by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), between 2017-18 and 2019-20, the quantity of Basmati exported by India to countries like Saudi Arabia, Yemen, USA, Canada, Australia, Israel, Nepal, Russia, Ireland, and Japan has been increasing in terms of quantity. Meanwhile, the export to countries like UAE, Qatar, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Croatia, France, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland has decreased consistently. The exports to most of the countries in European Union (EU) have reduced. The European Union issued new standards in the pesticides residue content in Basmati in 2017 to deem it fit for import. The new norms have resulted in the drop in exports of Basmati to the European Union. Presence of chemicals in Basmati being imported from India and Pakistan was discussed in the EU earlier this year.
GI tag helps maintain quality
Getting the GI tag enables those holding the right to prevent a third-party from using the tag if their product does not match up to the pertinent standards. This does not mean that the holder of the tag can stop anyone else who is producing using the same techniques as per the set standards. For instance, those producing & selling tea in the jurisdictions where the Darjeeling GI is protected, have to  adhere to the standards set in the GI code of practice. Else, they will not be allowed to use the Darjeeling tag. Darjeeling is the GI tag associated with tea that has been registered by EU. Another application filed by India was for the Kangra Tea in 2008.
Claim to Basmati in dispute even among states
Basmati is a registered GI in India. However, as per the registry, the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir are the producers of Basmati. Madhya Pradesh also claimed to market rice under Basmati tag and hence APEDA was asked by the GI registry to include Madhya Pradesh among those states that grow Basmati, in December 2013. Later, APEDA challenged this before the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) in 2014. The Madhya Pradesh government later challenged the same before the Madras High Court and the HC dismissed the claim. The matter reportedly has been taken up at the apex court.
Featured Image: Basmati Rice exports

created: December 3, 2020


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India is 6th on the list of countries with most sites on World Heritage List
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 29, 2021
Two more sites from India (Ramappa Temple from Telangana & Dholavira city from Gujarat) are inscribed on the ‘World Heritage List’ during the 44th session of the UNESCO’s world heritage committee. India now has 40 sites on the list and is sixth on the list of countries with the most sites.
Recently, UNESCO conferred the World Heritage inscription to Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple at Palampet, Telangana and the Harappan-era metropolis, Dholavira, Gujarat, in the extended 44th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee being held virtually between 16 to 31 July 2021 in cooperation with the host country, China. The session was supposed to be held in 2020 but got postponed because of the pandemic. The nominations for 2019 and 2020 are being discussed in the ongoing session. With the latest additions, there are a total of 40 World Heritage Sites in UNESCO’s list from India which includes 32 cultural, 7 natural and one mixed property. While Ramappa temple was India’s nomination for 2019, Dholavira City was India’s nomination for 2020.
What is a World Heritage Site?
Those places on the Earth which have an outstanding universal value such as cultural or physical significance to humanity are designated as World Heritage and are prescribed on the World Heritage List prepared by UNESCO. Such places can be natural or man-made. Ancient ruins or historical structures, buildings, islands, mountains, gardens, monuments, deserts, wilderness areas, or anything which has some uniqueness, international importance, or historical value and deserves special protection are designated by the World Heritage Convention as World Heritage Sites.
A few famous World Heritage Sites are the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Taj Mahal in India, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and Venice and its lagoon in Italy. The accolade brings with it a set of responsibilities to maintain and safeguard the sites as they will be under international scrutiny.
When was the World Heritage Convention created?
World Heritage Convention was created in 1972 to identify and protect the world’s natural and cultural heritage considered to be of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ in the lines that some places are so important that their protection is not only the responsibility of a single nation, but is also the duty of the international community as a whole; and not only for this generation, but for all those to come. The Convention is governed by the World Heritage Committee supported by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the secretariat for the Convention, and three technical advisory bodies to the Committee: IUCN, ICOMOS, ICCROM. The implementation of the World Heritage Convention is as per the Operational Guidelines which clearly stipulates the procedures for inscribing sites into the list, protection of sites, danger-listings, and providing international assistance under the World Heritage Fund.
What is the procedure for inscribing a site in the list?
There are 194 ‘State Parties’ or countries that have ratified the World Heritage Convention, as of 23 October 2020. India ratified the convention on 14 November 1977. Only these countries, that have signed the World Heritage Convention, pledging to protect their natural and cultural heritage, can submit nomination proposals for properties on their territory to be considered for inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. It takes years for a property to be inscribed on the list. Representatives from 21 State Parties meet once a year to decide which nominated sites will be inscribed on the World Heritage List.
The procedure for a property to be inscribed as a World Heritage Site is as follows:
Eligibility criteria- There are 10 selection criteria that are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The nominated site should satisfy at least one of the 10 criteria. Until 2004, the selection was based on six cultural and four natural criteria which have been revised into one set of ten criteria. The criteria are updated regularly to reflect the very concept of World Heritage. The latest Operational Guidelines was modified in 2019 during the previous session of the World Heritage Committee.
What are the benefits of being inscribed?
Having sites inscribed on the World Heritage List helps raise awareness among citizens and governments for heritage preservation. Furthermore, the country may also receive financial assistance and expert advice from the World Heritage Committee to support activities for the preservation of its sites.
How many properties are on the Heritage List?
As of 27 July 2021, there are a total of 1136 properties from 167 countries across the globe in the World Heritage List, according to UNESCO’s dashboard. The number might increase by the end of the ongoing 44 session. The list includes 880 cultural sites, 217 natural sites, and 39 mixed sites. According to regions on the UNESCO dashboard, the distribution of sites is given in the following chart. Most of the sites (more than 500), are in Europe and North America.
Which are the sites from India on the World Heritage List?
Italy (57) has the greatest number of World Heritage Sites followed by China (56) as per UNESCO’s dashboard as of 27 July 2021. India continues to be ranked sixth in the world in terms of the number of heritage sites. Spain, Germany, and France have more than 40 sites each. India had 40 sites inscribed, with the addition of Dholavira city, Gujarat. 10 of these were added after 2014, according to the Ministry of Culture. There are 15 countries with 20 or more sites inscribed from that country.
The list of World Heritage Sites in India and the year in which it was inscribed is given below.
What happens if the sites are not taken care of?
With inscription comes the responsibility to look after the property. If the countries do not adhere to UNESCO’s protocols, then the countries are sent a warning letter. If the country continues to be non-compliant, then UNESCO adds the property to the UNESCO’s ‘List of World Heritage in Danger’, also referred to as the ‘Danger List’, prior to getting delisted. Arabian Oryx Sanctuary (Oman), Dresden Elbe Valley (Germany), Maritime Mercantile City in Liverpool are the three sites that have been delisted so far.


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India Post receives about 24 lakh complaints a year for lapses in services
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 26, 2021
Even in this age of instant communication, the Indian postal department provides a lifeline for physical transmission of various items for most Indians. Data indicates that the postal department receives an average of 24 lakh complaints a year for non-delivery, delay and other such lapses. Most of these complaints are resolved. Here is a review.
India’s postal department has the largest postal network in the world. There are nearly 1.57 lakh post offices which are located across the country with 90% of them in rural areas and remaining 10% located in the urban areas. Though the origin of postal network in India can be traced back to 1727, it is the Indian Post Office Act of 1854 which laid the foundation for the modern-day postal system of India. Postal service is among the cheapest modes of communication. Besides the delivery of postal articles, the department also extends financial and insurance services and contributes to the socio- economic development in India.
Letters, Postcards, Inland Letter Cards, Packets, Ordinary, Registered, Insured, Value Payable articles and Speed Posts are some of the categories of postal articles. One has the option to insure their articles up to a stipulated amount to cover all risks in course of transmission by post. There are 26 such categories of mail services in total, including both domestic and international services. Because of such a large network & load, delays & non-delivery of items are some of the common grievances by users of the network.
Delay in delivery, non-delivery of articles, delivery to wrong address or unauthorized persons are some of the grounds for launching complaints
Just like in the case of other services, postal services too involve lapses in services such as late delivery, non-delivery, or wrong deliveries, or damage of items in the package. The consumers have the right to bring such lapses to the notice of the postal department. Some of the grounds for complaints which are common across the different categories of mail services are-
Multiple platforms available for complaint registration
The department has multiple platforms available for complaint registration with respect to postal services including mail, e-commerce, financial, and insurance services. The complaint has to be lodged within 60 days of transaction/ availing service.
A person can register their complaint in the concerned Post Office and receive an acknowledgement of the same. This can be done by hand or by post. If the issue does not get resolved within a reasonable time period, they can approach the higher authorities such as the Chief Postmaster General of the respective Circle, and then the Officers in the Postal Directorate in New Delhi. All Postal Circles have nominated Public Grievance Nodal Officers to monitor the grievances. Time allocated for redressal of complaints is 60 days which extends to 90 days if investigation is required.
Online portal for complaint registration is also available
One can also lodge complaint online on the ‘India Post’ website by filling the relevant form with all the details. An acknowledgement will be received instantly for online registration.
One can also raise issues in the social media handles of India Post
Furthermore, Centralized Public Grievance Redress And Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), India Post Call Centre (IPCC), and Social Media (Twitter & Facebook) platform are also available for citizens to report grievances. Toll free number to connect to IPCC is 1800 266 6868. The postal department also runs special grievance redress drives to resolve pending grievances. Dak Adalats are held at Divisional, Regional and Circle levels for resolving the grievances of the citizens including those in remote areas.
About 24 lakh complaints regarding postal services are filed every year
For the last four years, an average of 24 lakh complaints pertaining to postal services were registered with the postal department. As on 21 November 2019, all the cases from the past three years and 95% of the cases from 2019-20 were resolved.
21.69 lakh complaints of delay in delivery and non-delivery of registered posts, speed posts, and articles registered in the last 3 years
Data regarding the number of complaints received separately for non-delivery and late delivery of registered letters, parcels, and articles, received from different post offices in the country during each of the last three years was shared in the parliament recently. Altogether, a total of 21.69 lakh complaints were registered across these six categories in three years. 96% of these complaints were about delayed services. About 55% of the complaints were pertaining to the delivery of articles. The overall trend shows that the number of complaints regarding delayed delivery went up from around 5.6 lakh cases in 2017-18 to more than 10.3 lakh cases in 2018-19 which dropped to 4.85 lakh cases in 2019-20. During the same period, complaints about non-delivery had dropped from nearly 36,000 to about 13,000. As per the government data, all these complaints received during each of the last three years have been resolved.
Majority of the complaints are from Maharashtra
State-wise data of complaints reveals that Maharashtra accounts for more than 13% of all the complaints registered (2.9 lakh cases) with respect to delivery of mail services in the last three years from 2017-18 to 2019-20. Haryana accounts for nearly 12% of the complaints (2.5 lakh) followed by West Bengal (1.8 lakh complaints) and UP (1.7 lakh complaints). West Bengal & UP accounted for 8% of the complaints each.
The number of complaints received with respect to non-delivery of mail has dropped significantly in the last three years in the major states of Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttarakhand. Madhya Pradesh has reported an increase in complaints of non-delivery of mail by more than three times during the same period. Similarly, with respect to delayed delivery, the larger states of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Punjab have reported a reduction in the number of complaints while the rest have reported more complaints in 2019-20 as compared to 2017-18.
‘No unquestionable immunity’ available to the Postal Department for lapses in service
The functioning of post offices is governed by the Indian Post Office Act, 1898 and Indian Post Office Rules, 1933. Under the Indian Post Office Act, 1898, the Central Government or its postal officers are exempted from any liability for loss, delay, or damage to any postal article in course of transmission by post, unless and until it has been caused fraudulently by the officer concerned or by his wilful act or by default. However, in cases where there has not been any fraudulent act or negligence, the postal department must prove the same. In other words, it must provide the reasons behind the mis-delivery or delay.
In a recent January 2020 order in Manimajra Vs Ripan Kumar (RP NO 2508 of 2016) , the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held that Section 6 does not provide unquestionable immunity to the postal department and that the onus of establishing that the protection of Section 6 can be taken in a particular case was on the postal department.
CAG report highlights efficiency and reliability on India Posts’ speed post services
According to a CAG report released in 2015, which studied the speed post service in 8 postal circles- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, UP, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh, the private couriers delivered only 90% of letters compared to 99%  by Speed Post. Furthermore, in major cities, the performance of speed post was found to be faster and more reliable. The postal service delivered 99% of letters through speed post within the stipulated time as compared to 92% by private courier services. It was concluded that the speed post service of the department of posts was better than the services being provided by the private courier agencies. The data on the complaints & their redressal also shows that that reliability of Indian Postal service has improved.
Featured Image: Complaints on India Post