data point – Bhartiyanews24x7

23May

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Opinion

A day in the life of a data journalist

At 10 a.m., I begin scanning the papers for the day’s news. Exactly 12 hours later, a colleague from the data team and I will need to deliver a 600-word piece with supporting graphs for the ‘Data Point’ section on the oped page. Like a cyclone far out at sea, the deadline feels distant and harmless at this time of the morning, but the rumblings of the storm can be heard.Having long abandoned the practice of presenting our data stories as mere collections of facts, we now seek news pieces that allow for a narrative arc. The numbers must come together as a symphony. Every story needs a peg and a purpose. It must be built around a central argument, supported by evidence that reinforces the core takeaway.And so we hunt for stories that can branch into compelling data narratives. We find that d...

The enormity of the Indian electorate and its State-wise variances | Data

25Feb

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The enormity of the Indian electorate and its State-wise variances | Data

An official checks EVM and VVPAT machines prior to dispatch at an election centre in Ahmedabad. File photo With 97 crore voters eligible to register their mandate in the general elections later this year, India will yet again go through a process confirming its status as the world’s largest electoral democracy. The electorate will register a 6% rise this year in comparison to the number of eligible voters in 2019. India’s 28 States and eight Union Territories are home to a large number of voters comparable to some of the world’s biggest nation-states. Map 1 | The map shows the countries whose electorate numbers come close to those of the States in India, with the name of the country printed over the respective State.Charts appear incomplete? C...

Panchayats in India earn only 1% of their revenue through taxes | Data

8Feb

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Panchayats in India earn only 1% of their revenue through taxes | Data

Panchayat leaders protesting excessive interference from State and Central governments in Chennai | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam Only 1% of the revenue of panchayats was earned by them, with the rest being raised as grants from the State and the Centre, show data. Specifically, 80% of the revenue was from Central government grants; only 15% was from State government grants. Consequently, the revenue raised by panchayats formed a minuscule share of the States’ own revenue.Panchayats act on three levels — gram sabhas, panchayat samithis, and zila parishads. They are responsible for a variety of tasks including agriculture, rural housing, water management, rural electrification, healthcare, and sanitation. I...

Madhya Pradesh in the bottom half of all State-level rankings | Data

18Nov

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Madhya Pradesh in the bottom half of all State-level rankings | Data

Jabalpur: Voters wait in queues at a polling station to cast their votes for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, in Jabalpur, Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. | Photo Credit: PTI The Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections took place on November 17. A comparison of the economic, social, and environmental indicators of the State with the indicators of other States shows that Madhya Pradesh features at the bottom half. Also, its relative ranking among the States remained stagnant in most of the indicators between 2015-16 and 2019-21.Also read | Madhya Pradesh election updatesTable 1 | The table lists Madhya Pradesh’s rank in social indicators and its actual score in an indicator in 2019-21, 2015-16, and 2005-06. It also show...

Data | The risk of small States’ heavy reliance on the Union government

19Jul

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Data | The risk of small States’ heavy reliance on the Union government

Small States must prioritise raising their own revenue to reduce their dependency on the Union government The fiscal situation of India’s States has garnered significant attention in recent times. Despite ample data on State finances, most of the analysis is centred around larger States. There needs to be more discussion on the fiscal position of small States (i.e. States with a population of less than 1 crore). Most of these small States have distinctive characteristics that limit revenue mobilisation. Recognising these disabilities, the Constitution has provided mechanisms to address them. But these States continue to rely heavily on the Union government for revenue. This dependence creates vulnerabilities for the States as well as the Union.The tot...