Rising capital intensity
Financial Express Lucknow|December 30, 2024
NAS DATA ON INFORMAL SECTOR DOESN'T REFLECT POLICY FALLOUT BETWEEN 2015-16 & 2019-20
R GOPALAN MC SINGHI

The informal sector in India dominates agriculture and allied services, the non-agricultural sector, and micro, small, and medium enterprises, except in finance, public administration, and defence, and the transport sector, excluding road transport.

Currently, data on the sector is available from both the National Account Statistics (NAS) and the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) for 2015-16 and 2022-23. The intervening period had demonetisation, introduction of a nationwide goods and services tax, and the Covid-19 pandemic, which make the two points perfectly comparable.

The all-India survey of unincorporated enterprises excluding agriculture for 2015-16 estimated the total number of enterprises at 63.4 million in manufacturing, trade, and other services, employing a total of 111.3 million people. The fixed assets per establishment were estimated at ₹2.3 lakh and value added per enterprise at ₹1.8 lakh.

In the survey for 2022-23, the number of establishments increased to 65 million (at an average annual rate of 0.4%) but employment declined to 109.6 million (at an average rate of 0.2%). Manufacturing enterprises faced the brunt of this decline. The value added per enterprise, value added per person employed, and fixed assets per enterprise show a moderate annual increase of 3.9%, 5.2%, and 4.6% respectively, lower than the rate of inflation during this period.

Increase in the number of enterprises could be due to a lack of alternative job opportunities and a fallback position.

This story is from the December 30, 2024 edition of Financial Express Lucknow.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 30, 2024 edition of Financial Express Lucknow.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM FINANCIAL EXPRESS LUCKNOWView All
Financial Express Lucknow

Chinese Dam on Table for Sullivan's India Visit

AI, civilian nuclear cooperation, space may also be taken up

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Lucknow

Mike Johnson Re-elected US House Speaker

Republican Congressman Mike Johnson on Friday was re-elected as Speaker of the US House of Representatives with a narrow victory margin of three votes.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Lucknow

S Korea investigators ask acting prez to clear way for Yoon's arrest

SOUTH KOREAN INVESTIGATORS again asked the country's acting president on Saturday to order the presidential security service to comply with an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Lucknow

Microsoft to spend $80 billion on AI data centers this year

MICROSOFT CORP PLANS to spend $80 billion this fiscal year building out data centers, underscoring the intense capital requirements of artificial intelligence.

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Lucknow

No jail time for Trump, suggests judge in US hush money case

Will keep fighting, says communications director Cheung

time-read
1 min  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Lucknow

Rohit clears the air: Not going anywhere

Says those on outside can't influence when he stops playing

time-read
2 mins  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Lucknow

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: As Bumrah leaves, 'captain' Kohli calls the shots

Kohli took charge after Bumrah left bowling due to spasm

time-read
3 mins  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Lucknow

Big rockets, a telescope & big changes in space await in 2025

Some key events to look forward to in space & astronomy

time-read
4 mins  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Lucknow

Worrying signs from the Arctic

Scientists say fires in the region could have major consequences

time-read
2 mins  |
January 05, 2025
Financial Express Lucknow

Dr Manmohan Singh, RIP

emissary he had deployed. Although sceptical, I bounded off to North Block and was ushered in. It was my first official meeting with the FM. I conveyed the request, not a direction, of the prime minister.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 05, 2025