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Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
India among top 10 global tourism economies in 2024–25: What UPSC aspirants must know
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your UPSC current affairs knowledge nugget for today on WTTC's 2024 Economic Impact Trends Report and Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024. (Relevance: UPSC frequently asks questions on reports and indices. The key takeaways from these reports are also essential fodder for your Mains examination for intricate points. In 2012, a question was asked in relation to the Multidimensional Poverty Index; in 2019, the question appeared on the Global Competitiveness Report. Therefore, it becomes important to know about the indices and reports that are in the news.) Amid a strong post-pandemic recovery and despite various challenges, the global travel and tourism sector contributed US$10.9 trillion to the world economy in 2023, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The WTTC's 2024 Economic Impact Trends Report shows the industry on an upward trajectory, with the World Economic Forum (WEF) forecasting the sector to hit $16 trillion by 2034, representing over 11 per cent of global GDP. In this context, let's know where India stands globally in terms of tourism economy and highlights of the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024. 1. As per the WTTC, the United States remains the world's largest tourism economy in 2024, contributing an unprecedented $2.36 trillion, nearly double that of its closest competitor. China ranks second with $1.3 trillion, and is projected to become the global leader within the next decade. 2. While established players like Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain continue to hold strong positions in the top 10, Asian economies such as Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia, and the Philippines are fast emerging as regional tourism powerhouses. Japan, notably, climbs to fourth place with a $297 billion contribution. Source: WTTC Economic Impact Research (EIR) 3. India has also made notable progress, now ranking as the eighth-largest tourism economy worldwide with a contribution of $231.6 billion, up from its previous position of tenth. This advancement highlights the country's increasing significance in the sector, with the WTTC forecasting a rise to fourth position within the next decade. 4. Several countries have also seen significant jumps in international tourism spending compared to pre-pandemic levels. These include Saudi Arabia (+91.3 per cent), Türkiye (+38.2 per cent), Kenya (+33.3 per cent), Colombia (+29.1 per cent), and Egypt (+22.9 per cent). Having known the key highlights of WTTC's 2024 Economic Impact Trends Report, let's now learn the key takeaways of a significant global travel and tourism index. 1. The Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024, released by the WEF, is the second edition of an index that evolved from the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) series, a flagship index of the WEF that has been in production since 2007. 2. According to WEF's official site, 'The TTDI is part of the Forum's broader work with industry and government stakeholders to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future for economies and local communities.' 3. The TTDI is a biennial index. It measures the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of the T&T sector, which in turn contributes to the development of a country. 4. In TTDI 2024, among the 119 countries, the US topped the list. After the US, Spain, Japan, France and Australia figure among the top five in the 2024 list. High-income economies in Europe and Asia-Pacific continued to lead the index. Source: World Economic Forum, compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. 5. Notably, in Southeast Asia, India ranks 39th as the TTDI's top lower-middle-income economy. It was ranked 54th in the previously published index in 2021. 6. The index, prepared in collaboration with the University of Surrey, showed India is highly price-competitive (18th) and boasts competitive Air Transport (26th) and Ground and Port (25th) infrastructure. 7. In particular, India's strong Natural (6th), Cultural (9th) and Non-Leisure (9th) Resources help drive travel, and the country is only one of three to score in the top 10 for all the resource pillars, the WEF said. 1. The Swadesh Darshan Scheme was launched by the Centre in 2014-15 for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits. Under the scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to states and Union territories for the development of tourism infrastructure. 2. Prominent circuits launched under the scheme included Buddhist Circuit, North-East Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit etc. However, the scheme could not take off in a way it was expected to, mainly because resources had to be distributed and spread across several states, with too many stakeholders being involved. 3. Therefore, Swadesh Darshan 2.0, focussing on one destination at a time, to attract domestic tourists, was conceptualised. 4. According to the official site of Swadesh Darshan 2.0, 'With the mantra of 'vocal for local', the revamped scheme, namely Swadesh Darshan 2.0, seeks to attain 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' by realising India's full potential as a tourism destination. Swadesh Darshan 2.0 is a generational shift to evolve the Swadesh Darshan Scheme as a holistic mission to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations covering tourism and allied infrastructure, tourism services, human capital development, destination management and promotion backed by policy and institutional reforms.' The Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024 is released by: (a) Economist Intelligence Unit (b) United Nations Development Programme (c) World Economic Forum (d) World Bank (Sources: World's top 10 biggest tourism economies in 2024–25: India breaks into top 10 at this rank, India's global travel and tourism index rank up at 39th: WEF index,Swadesh Darshan 2.0, Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at
India Today
4 days ago
- Health
- India Today
Some progress, gaps galore: Bihar's development remains a challenge
As with any Indian election, development is an oft-repeated word in Bihar right now. But poll promises or not, data shows that the state continues to struggle with basic human development literacy, high dropoutThe literacy rate in the state was 61.8 per cent as of the 2011 census, significantly lower than the national average of 73 per cent, according to the NITI Aayog report, Macro and Fiscal Landscapeof the State of At the school level, enrolment in higher secondary education (Classes XI–XII) was just 35.6 per cent in 2015–16, and the pass percentage for Class X board exams also reflects this. In 2016–17, only 55.4 per cent of students in Bihar passed, compared to 86.1 per cent at the national level. And the dropout rate in Class X was 73.3 per cent in Bihar, more than double the national figure of 35.2 per childrenNutrition is also a major issue in Bihar. According to NFHS-5 data from 2019 to 2021, 42.9 per cent of children under the age of five in the state are stunted, meaning they are too short for their age due to chronic undernutrition. This is higher than the national rate of 35.5 per cent. Similarly, 41 per cent of children are is a major issue in the state, affecting nearly 70 per cent of children in Bihar, slightly above the national average of 67.1 per cent. However, Bihar's total fertility rate stands at three children per woman, compared to the national average of state's infant mortality rate, at 27 deaths per 1,000 live births, is slightly better than the national rate. Bihar's life expectancy is 69.5 years, almost the same as India's, which means many children in the state are growing up without adequate food, healthcare, or early life utilities improving, sanitation still poorBihar has improved utilities, but basic sanitation is missing. As of NFHS-5 (2019–21), 99.1 per cent of Bihar households had access to improved drinking water and electricity access has also expanded. Both indicators had higher percentages in comparison to the national access to sanitation remains low. Only 47.3 per cent of households in Bihar had access to any kind of sanitation facility, compared to 69.3 per cent nationally. This means that more than half of Bihar's population either uses shared, unsafe facilities or practices open terms of broader well-being, Bihar's Multidimensional Poverty Index is twice the national score. The state's Sustainable Development Goals Index score for 2023–24 is 57, while India's overall score is 71. This reflects poor performance across multiple areas, including education, gender equality, sanitation, and health. Bihar remains among the bottom-performing states in the national SDG lagadvertisementBihar's developmental challenges are further reflected in its fiscal and economic structure. The state's nominal per capita GSDP stands at Rs 52,379, which is less than a third of the national average of Rs 171,498 in FY 2021– economy also leans heavily on agriculture, which contributes 24.3 per cent to its GSDP, far more than the national average of 16.9 per cent, while the industrial sector contributes just 17.2 per cent, much lower than India's 27.1 per cent. This points to a weak industrial base and limited income-generating data shows that while Bihar has made progress in some areas, serious challenges remain in education, child health, sanitation, and the industrial sector. And in the upcoming elections, these issues must be highlighted for a better future of the state.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Pakistan faces 44.7% poverty while neighbours progress, reveals World Bank
Neighbouring countries like China, Bangladesh, and Nepal have managed to make meaningful progress in poverty alleviation through targeted strategies, industrial growth, and social reforms ANI Asia Pakistan's poverty crisis continues to spiral out of control, with the World Bank's 2025 assessment revealing a shocking 44.7 per cent of the population living below the $4.20/day poverty line, according to Geo News. This alarming figure exposes the failure of successive Pakistani governments to effectively address the rampant poverty afflicting nearly half of the nation's citizens. The report further highlights that extreme poverty, defined by the World Bank's $3.00/day threshold, has surged to 16.5 per cent from a previously reported 4.9 per cent, demonstrating that millions more Pakistanis are sinking deeper into destitution. Meanwhile, the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) indicates that over 30 per cent of Pakistan's population suffers from severe deprivation in health, education, and living standards. In stark contrast, neighbouring countries like China, Bangladesh, and Nepal have managed to make meaningful progress in poverty alleviation through targeted strategies, industrial growth, and social reforms. China has slashed its extreme poverty rate below 1 per cent, and Bangladesh's microfinance and garment sectors have propelled millions out of poverty despite recent setbacks. Even Nepal boasts a poverty rate below 2.2 per cent. Pakistan's struggle is compounded by bloated social welfare programs like the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), which, despite increased funding, remain patchwork solutions unable to break the cycle of poverty. Overreliance on these handouts without integrating effective poverty graduation methods leaves millions trapped in dependency, as Geo News reports. While the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) has made some strides, empowering women entrepreneurs and disbursing millions in interest-free loans, its achievements remain isolated successes amid a vast sea of deprivation. The lack of a comprehensive, updated poverty database cripples targeted policymaking, leaving millions invisible to the state's welfare mechanisms. Experts argue that without political will and institutional reform, Pakistan will continue to lag behind regional neighbours. Fragmented data systems, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and limited coordination among aid agencies undermine any meaningful progress. Geo News further reported that to reverse these devastating trends, Pakistan must adopt data-driven policies inspired by global best practices, strengthen public-private partnerships, and scale up community-driven poverty graduation models. Without bold reforms, the nation risks remaining a poverty hotspot in South Asia, perpetually failing its most vulnerable citizens. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: Why is Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 relevant for UPSC Exam?
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today on Performance Grading Index 2.0. (Relevance: UPSC frequently asks questions on reports and indices. The key takeaways from these reports are also essential fodder for the Mains examination, and quoting data from these reports can significantly enrich answers. Additionally, indices are important for prelims, as in 2012, a question was asked on the Multidimensional Poverty Index; in 2019, the question was on the Global Competitiveness Report.) The Ministry of Education recently released latest assessment of school education indicators, the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 report for 2023-24. 1. The PGI was introduced in 2017, and the ministry revamped it as PGI 2.0 in 2021. It is an assessment of school education based on 73 indicators, which are grouped under 2 categories, viz., outcomes and governance and management. These categories are further divided into 6 domains: (i) Learning outcome and quality, (ii) Access, (iii) Infrastructure and facilities, (iv) Equity, (v) Governance processes, (vi) Teacher education, and training. 2. The latest report, covering the years 2022-23 and 2023-24, draws data from the National Achievement Survey 2021, the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), and information on the mid-day meal programme (PM-POSHAN). 3. States/UTs are scored out of 1,000 points. In PGI 2.0, the nomenclature for PGI scores is classified into various grades. The highest achievable grade is called Daksh, which is for state/UT scoring more than 90% of the grade range. The details of grades and grade ranges so obtained are: 4. Notably, no state/UT has scored in the higher ranges of 761 and above. Chandigarh scored 703 points, achieving Prachesta-1 — the highest grade achieved in the latest PGI. Chandigarh scored 703 points, as opposed to 687.8 in 2022-2023, to emerge as the only state or UT in the Prachesta-1 grade that has the score range of 701 to 760. 5. Chandigarh is followed by Punjab at 631.1, and Delhi at 623.7. Kerala, Gujarat, Odisha, Haryana, Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan also scored in the 581-640 range. 6. The state that scored the lowest was Meghalaya (417.9). Just above it were Arunachal Pradesh (461.4), Mizoram (464.2), Nagaland (468.6), and Bihar (471.9). 7. In the middle range of 521-580 (Akanshi-1 grade) were Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. 8. Referring to the inter-state disparity, the report said, 'The maximum and minimum scores obtained by the States/UTs in 2023-24 are 719 and 417 respectively.' 9. The scores are meant to help states/UTs identify areas where they need to make interventions. Of the 36 states/UTs, 25 saw an improvement in their scores in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23. 1. Mizoram, Goa and Tripura have attained the 'full literacy' tag under Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) – Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram. 2. ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram or New India Literacy Programme (NILP) is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented from 2022-2027. It aims to equip 5 crore 'non-literate individuals' over the age of 15 across the country with foundational literacy and numeracy skills, which means basic reading and writing and simple arithmetic learnt in primary classes. 3. ULLAS is based on the spirit of Kartvya Bodh and is being implemented on volunteerism. It consists of five components: (i) Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, (ii) Critical Life Skills, (iii) Basic Education, (iv) Vocational Skills, and (v) Continuing Education. 1. It is an initiative run by the Union Ministry of School Education and Literacy. It intends to improve 14,500 schools to 'showcase' the NEP, 2020, and be 'exemplars' for other schools in their region. 2. The scheme is for existing elementary, secondary, and senior secondary schools run by the central government and state and local governments around the country. (1) Consider the following: 1. Learning outcome and quality 2. Governance processes 3. Access, 4. Infrastructure and facilities, How many are the domains used for assessment of school education Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 report? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) All four (2) Which of the following provisions of the Constitution does India have a bearing on Education? (UPSC CSE 2012) 1. Directive Principles of State Policy 2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies 3. Fifth Schedule 4. Sixth Schedule 5. Seventh Schedule Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3, 4 and 5 only (c) 1, 2 and 5 only (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Sources: Chandigarh, Punjab, Delhi toppers in Centre's PGI school education report; Meghalaya at bottom, PGI State 2021-22) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: World Bank ranked India among ‘most equal countries': How is it relevant for UPSC Exam
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today on Gini Index 2025. (Relevance: UPSC frequently asks questions on reports and indices. The key takeaways from these reports are also essential fodder for your Mains examination for intricate points. In 2012, a question was asked on the Multidimensional Poverty Index; in 2019, the question was on the Global Competitiveness Report. Therefore, it becomes important to know about the indices and reports that are in the news.) India has emerged not only as the world's fourth-largest economy, but also as one of the 'most equal countries' globally, according to a new World Bank report that places the country just behind the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and Belarus. In this context, let's know about the Gini Index and key highlights of World bank's report. 1. The Gini Index has placed India in the fourth position with a score of 25.5, much lower than countries like China (35.7), the USA (41.8), and the United Kingdom (34.4). It is also more equal than every G7 and G20 country, many of which are considered advanced economies. 2. Out of the 167 countries for which the World Bank has released data, the Slovak Republic with a score of 24.1 is ranked in first position among the most equal countries. 3. According to the report, India falls into the 'moderately low' inequality category and is just a fraction away from joining the 'low inequality' group, which includes countries like the Slovak Republic (24.1), Slovenia (24.3), and Belarus (24.4). 4. Notably, a recent World Bank report — 'The Spring 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief' — also highlighted that India has successfully lifted 171 million people out of extreme poverty. 5. The Gini Index measures the extent to which the distribution of income or consumption among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. In simpler terms, it provides a clear picture of how evenly income is distributed within a country. 6. The index ranges from 0 to 100 — a Gini Index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality. The higher the Gini Index the more unequal the country. 7. The data for the Index is based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. The Gini index, or Gini coefficient, was developed in 1912 by Italian statistician Corrado Gini. The index is based on the difference between the Lorenz curve (the observed cumulative income distribution) and the notion of a perfectly equal income distribution. After understanding the Gini Index and the World Bank's latest report, let's also know the recently revised global poverty line by the World Bank — a topic that has sparked much discussion lately. 8. The World Bank recently revised its threshold poverty line to $3 a day (daily consumption of less than $3) from the earlier $2.15 a day. With the revised poverty line, the extreme poverty rate for India declines sharply to 5.3 per cent in 2022-23 from 27.1 per cent in 2011-12. In absolute terms, people living in extreme poverty fell from 344.47 million to just 75.24 million, latest data from the World Bank shows. 9. Poverty line is the level of income used as a cut-off point for deciding who is poor in any economy. It represents the minimum income level necessary to meet basic needs, and varies across countries depending on their overall economic conditions. It is important to note here that the context (both time period and location) is critical to arriving at a meaningful poverty line. 10. Despite the World Bank revising its extreme poverty line to adjust for global inflation in 2021 prices, India seems to have fared well, with the poverty numbers holding good. At $3 a day threshold, India's extreme poverty rate for 2022-23 rises from 2.3 per cent (at a poverty line of $2.15 a day) to 5.3 per cent, the World Bank estimates. 1. Recently, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released its latest Human Development Report (HDR) titled 'A matter of choice: People and possibilities in the age of AI.' The report shows how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could reignite development. 2. The report noted the widening gap in inequality between countries with low Human Development Index (HDI) scores and those with very high HDI scores for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting a stark reversal of a historical trend where such inequalities were decreasing. 3. HDI is composite index that measures average achievement in human development taking into account four indicators: life expectancy at birth (Sustainable Development Goal 3); expected years of schooling (SDG 4.3); mean years of schooling (SDG 4.4); and gross national income (GNI) per capita (2017 PPP$) (SDG 8.5). 4. In HDI 2025, Iceland is ranked first with an HDI of 0.972, while South Sudan is ranked last with an HDI of 0.388. 5. India shows steady upward movement in the HDI rankings, ranking 130 in the 2025 UNDP report. The country's HDI value rose from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023, placing India in the medium human development category and bringing it closer to the high human development threshold (HDI ≥ 0.700). Source: UNDP's HDR 2025 6. The report noted that India's HDI value has increased by over 53% since 1990, showing a growth faster than both the global and South Asian averages. The targeted social protection and welfare programmes, and economic growth are cited as reasons for the progress. 7. According to the report, India has been placed in a unique position globally as a rising AI powerhouse with the highest self-reported AI skills penetration. The report pointed out that 20 per cent of Indian AI researchers are now choosing to stay in the country – up from almost none in 2019. (1) Consider the following statements: 1. A Gini Index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality. 2. The higher the Gini Index the more unequal the country. 3. The index is based on the difference between the Lorenz curve and the notion of a perfectly equal income distribution. How many of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None (2) Consider the following statements with reference to the Human Development Report: 1. The Human Development Report is published by World Bank. 2. India is in the medium human development category with an HDI value of 0.685. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (Sources: Top 10 most equal countries in the world and India's rank in it, UNDP's HDR 2025) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
