Rural poverty in India has notably dropped to 4.86% in 2023-24, down from 25.7% in 2011-12, driven by government support. Urban poverty also declined to 4.09%. Increased consumption and infrastructure developments have contributed to narrowing the rural-urban income gap, with significant improvements in rural livelihoods.
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Chief economic adviser V Anantha Nageswaran highlights the need for India’s private sector to focus on strategic issues such as supply chain resilience and alternative sourcing. He also underscores the importance of reviewing hiring practices, workplace safety, and investment in R&D for long-term growth.
India's eight core infrastructure sectors showed a slowed growth of 4.3% in November 2024, down from 7.9% in the previous year. However, monthly production hit a four-month high. Cement production surged 13%, while other sectors saw moderated growth. Core sector growth for April-November was 4.2%.
IDBI Bank reported a 31% year-on-year increase in net profit to ₹1,908 crore for Q3 FY25 due to reduced provisioning and higher interest income. The gross NPA ratio improved to 3.57%, and net NPA ratio fell to 0.18%. Total income rose to ₹8,565 crore.
Rebel Foods, supported by Temasek and KKR, is entering the quick food delivery sector with its 15-minute service branded as QuickiES. Utilizing its existing cloud kitchens and customer data from its EatSure app, Rebel Foods aims to offer fresh and quality snacks swiftly, intensifying competition in this evolving market.
Two new members have joined the Governing Council of NIIF Trustee Ltd. SBI Chairman C S Setty replaces Dinesh Khara, and Uday Kotak takes over from T V Mohandas Pai. They join under the approval of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Established in 2015, NIIF aims to boost infrastructure financing with a Rs 40,000-crore fund for various projects.
Hindenburg Research, known as a corporate muckraker, is shutting down after completing its investigations. Major cases include the Adani Group and Nikola Corporation.
Telangana government signed an agreement with ITServe Alliance. The goal is to create 30,000 IT jobs in smaller towns. This will boost the state's IT sector. The government will provide infrastructure. ITServe Alliance will bring in its member companies. This partnership aims to develop local talent and reduce migration to Hyderabad.
India maintains fiscal discipline despite challenges, with 2024-25 fiscal deficit target at 4.8% of GDP and a plan to reduce it to below 4.5% by 2025-26. The government aims to achieve a debt-to-GDP ratio of 50% by 2031 with focus on balancing development with fiscal prudence, resilient policies, and necessary fiscal buffers.
Indian companies raised a record Rs 3.8 lakh crore in FY25 through IPOs and QIPs, apart from debt. Including rights offers, total funds raised approached Rs 3.9 lakh crore. Major IPOs included Hyundai Motor, Swiggy, and NTPC Green Energy. Debt instruments raised Rs 11.1 lakh crore. Strong listing gains and institutional support boosted fund-raising.
In March, GST collections increased by 9.9% to Rs 1,96,141 crore, with a significant rise in import-related revenue. Despite a resilient economy and strong consumer spending, the slower growth in domestic collections may lead to increased government monitoring and scrutiny to address potential tax leakages.