News in numbers | Five companies get Sebi nod for IPO
46.7% male tobacco users in 13 states in India in 2015, according to the NFHS-4 report
46.7%
What is it? Percentage of male tobacco users in 13 states in India in 2015, according to the recently released National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) report.
Why is it important? This is a decline from 50.1% in 2005-06. Similarly, tobacco use among women have also come down from 5.2% in 2005-06 to 4.4% in 2015. Though it has come down in terms of prevalence, it has increased in absolute terms. Smoking kills over a million people per year and is the fourth leading cause of non-communicable diseases such as cancer and heart diseases, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO). The economic burden due to tobacco use is over ₹ 1 lakh crore, as per the healthy ministry of India. In the first quarter of 2015-15, ITC’s cigarette volumes were down 17% year-on-year due to four years of successive tax increases, the highest decline in at least the last 15 years.
Tell me more: Alcohol consumption has also fallen from 2005-06 to 2015. Among men, its consumption is down from 38.2% to 34.2% while among women, the decline is from 3.2% to 1.6%.
5
What is it? Number of companies that have received the market regulator’s approval to launch their initial public offerings (IPOs) this month. These companies, which include, GVR Infra Projects, GNA Axles and Maini Products, are likely to raise a combined amount of at least R2,500 crore.
Why is it important? This comes at a time when BSE Sensex, India’s benchmark stock index, neared the bear market territory (a fall of 20% from a recent peak) last week. Some of these companies might not follow through. In 2015, for example, two companies let their IPO approvals from the market regulator, lapse. Concerns over China’s faltering economic growth, declining commodity prices, foreign investors pulling out money from Indian markets and domestic factors including falling exports, delay in revival of investment demand and economic reforms have pulled the stocks down to the levels when the present government got elected a year ago.
Tell me more: In 2015, there were 20 main-board IPOs and together, the companies raised around $2.1 billion ( ₹ 15,000 crore), a seven-fold increase from the previous year’s proceeds. A Reuters report quoting investment bankers says in 2016, India would see IPO proceeds doubling to over $5 billion.
1.9 million
What is it? Number of subscribers who have enrolled for Atal Pension Yojana, a government-backed guaranteed pension scheme for all those who are not part of any social security programme.
Why is it important? This is just around 10% of the 20-million target set for 31 December 2015. It only shows that the scheme has not picked-up momentum even though the government had offered to contribute 50% of the subscriber’s contribution if they enrolled before December. This deadline has been extended to 31 March, 2016. New changes are being considered to attract more people to the scheme. These include allowing the widow of the subscriber to continue with the scheme, extend the offer of government’s contribution to next financial year as well and changes regarding withdrawal and contributions.
Tell me more: This pension scheme is mainly focused on unorganized workers and subscribers would get pension amounts varying from R1,000-5,000 per month.
₹ 96.7 crore
What is it? Operating revenue of online restaurant discovery firm Zomato in 2014-15.
Why is it important? The company plans to double its revenue in the fiscal ending 31 March 2015 and expects to break-even at the operational level by mid-2016, according to Pankaj Chaddah, co-founder of Zomato. Zomato’s loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation in 2014-15 stood at R136 crore. If it breaks even, then the firm will likely be the first among unicorns (start-ups that are valued at over $1 billion) to do so. Other unicorns in India include Flipkart, Snapdeal, Ola and Quikr. This comes at a time when Indian food tech companies have been facing problems including layoffs and funding trouble.
Tell me more: The company raised $60 million in its latest round of funding last September, taking the total funds raised to $225 million. Though Zomato hopes to overtake FoodPanda and Swiggy, its core ads business would continue to be the main contributor of revenue, accounting for 80-85%.
7
What is it? Number of vessels (of a total of 17) containing combustible chemicals at the Government Opium and Alkaloid Works, Asia’s biggest opium alkaloid processing plant in Madhya Pradesh, that are in a dilapidated state and leaking. This is according to a report dated 15 January 2015, by a government-approved chartered engineer, who inspected this factory.
Why is it important? The plant hasn’t stopped operations per latest available information. The vessels, which operate at very high temperatures, could explode and the leaking fumes from the vessels contain harmful chemicals including acetic acid, sulphuric acid, toluene and alcohol. The effects of these chemicals, which range from affecting a human being’s central nervous system to birth defects to respiratory problems to skin burns and eye damage, could affect over 1 lakh residents of Neemuch district where the factory is located. The general manager of the processing plant said that “an accident is waiting to happen" though all precautions are being taken and that he has alerted officials in Delhi.
Tell me more: The last inspection of this factory was carried out in 2010 and according to Indian rules, such checks are supposed to be done once in every four years. However, the latest inspection has been done after a delay of two years.
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