News / Author / Abhishek Jha

Abhishek Jha

Abhishek Jha is a data journalist. He analyses public data for finding news, with a focus on the environment, Indian politics and economy, and Covid-19.

Articles by Abhishek Jha

2021 in numbers: Rural wages

Wages can decline if the number of jobs of a particular kind decrease and job-seekers remain the same. Here’s what happened to wages in 2021

Wage data for all kinds of workers – which is published with the annual PLFS statistics – is available only up to June 2020 (ANI)

analysis

Updated on Dec 19, 2021 08:05 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

2021 in numbers: Jobs in India

How has the labour market fared in 2021? Official employment statistics for both rural and urban areas are available only up to June 2020

The unemployment rate for women was far better than in 2019, thus moderating the effect of the male unemployment rate on the overall unemployment rate(Reuters )

analysis

Updated on Dec 17, 2021 03:02 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

2021 in numbers: Inflation facing producers

How did Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation fare in 2021? The following two charts will explain this.

The cost of producing goods is an important factor that determines prices for consumers (File Photo)

analysis

Updated on Dec 16, 2021 04:38 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

2021 in numbers: Inflation in India

The World Inequality Report released this month showed that inequality has worsened after Covid. How did inflation affect Indian households in 2021? Here are three charts that explain this.

Core inflation – for commodities excluding the food group and the fuel and light (kerosene, electricity, petrol, diesel and even firewood) group – was 4.96% for January-November last year, although it was increasing almost every month (Bloomberg via Getty Images)

analysis

Updated on Dec 15, 2021 04:50 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

2021 in numbers: Sectors of the economy

How are different parts of the economy doing in this financial year? Here are three charts that explain this.

GVA comparisons show that agriculture, which had grown by 4.6% in the first three quarters of the 2020 calendar year too, has grown 4% in the same interval this year (AFP)

analysis

Updated on Dec 13, 2021 05:21 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

Explaining the decline in women’s role in workforce

Women’s participation in India’s labour force is low and has been declining this century, official employment surveys have shown

Women working at a construction site under MGNREGS.(Reuters/Image for representation)

india news

Updated on Dec 13, 2021 07:41 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

2021 in numbers: The size of the economy

With vaccinations now in progress in most parts of the world, how much has the economy recovered in 2021? Here are three charts that explain this

In sum, in the January-September period, the size of India’s economy was <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>108.5 lakh crore in 2019, <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>98.3 lakh crore in 2020, and is <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>107.1 lakh crore in 2021 (Vipin Kumar /HT PHOTO)

analysis

Updated on Dec 11, 2021 02:12 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

2021 in numbers: Mobility

Today’s modern world depends on the ease of mobility, something that came to a grinding halt last year due to the Covid-19. Here are two charts that explain what changed on this front in 2021

Other than residences, groceries, and pharmacies – the three places people were bound to stay or visit even during the pandemic – mobility to all other places had decreased significantly in 2020 (Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

analysis

Updated on Dec 10, 2021 04:52 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

2021 in numbers: Covid-19 vaccinations

Richer countries have vaccinated a disproportionately large share of their population compared to poorer ones. Here are two charts that explain how Covid-19 vaccinations have progressed in 2021

This inequality in access to vaccines is also an issue that has plagued India, which is a lower middle-income country (Ravi Kumar/Hindustan Times)

analysis

Updated on Dec 09, 2021 02:22 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

2021 in numbers: Covid-19 infections

2021 saw more confirmed Covid-19 infections and resulting deaths — globally and in almost all countries

India, partly because of its large population, has accounted for one of the highest contributions to Covid-19 infections and deaths in the world in 2021 too (Shilpa Thakur)

analysis

Updated on Dec 09, 2021 02:09 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

India’s top 10% reach highest wealth level

The World Inequality Report 2022 shows that the richest in India increased their share of wealth in 2021 by a historic degree.

World Inequality Report: In 2021, the concentration of private wealth in the hands of therich became more pronounced. The share of the bottom 50% decreased to its lowest levels since 1995 to 5.9%.(HT Photo/Sanjeev Kumar)

india news

Updated on Dec 08, 2021 05:32 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Farm fires gone, weather now polluting Delhi’s air?

The recent spike in Delhi's air pollution comes despite a fall in the contribution of pollutants from stubble burning and underlines the importance of climatic conditions in pollution levels, not just in Delhi but entire north India.

Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has been in the “severe” category in four out of the last seven days ending December 2,(HT Photo/Sanchit Khanna)

india news

Updated on Dec 04, 2021 07:14 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

Share of salaried jobs saw worst fall in March qtr since June 2018

The headline unemployment rate in the March 2021 quarter was 9.4%. This is the lowest since the quarter ending June 2020, which coincided with the 68-day long nation-wide lockdown which was imposed on March 25, 2020.

The latest PLFS numbers also suggest that the pandemic’s pain has begun to show in the service sector.

business

Updated on Dec 01, 2021 12:39 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

Siwan, Sitapur have a bigger air pollution problem than Delhi

Europeans for a long time believed the earth was flat and were scared of undertaking long voyages on sea, lest they fell off the planet

Every year, as pollution levels spike in October and November, both governments and the courts scramble to control the menace in Delhi and its adjoining districts in the national capital region (NCR).(HT Photo)

india news

Updated on Nov 29, 2021 04:44 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

The key demographic transitions captured by the 5th round of NFHS

NFHS-5, the most comprehensive survey on socio-economic and health indicators in the country, shows some surprising demographic transitions.

NFHS-5 data shows that there were 1,020 women for 1000 men in the country in 2019-2021, the highest sex ratio for any NFHS survey(HT File Photo/Pratik Chorge)

india news

Updated on Nov 25, 2021 04:45 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

Guaranteed MSP? Both farmers and govt need to look at three key points

The latest data from the National Sample Survey shows that farmers with larger landholdings are more likely to enjoy the gains of MSP-based procurement.

Farmers celebrate at Delhi’s Singhu border protest site after PM Narendra Modi announced that the three contentious farm laws will be repealed.(HT Photo/Sanchit Khanna)

india news

Updated on Nov 23, 2021 11:36 PM IST

ByRoshan Kishore and Abhishek Jha, New Delhi, Hindustan Times

Pockets of rising infections emerge even as Covid-19 wave ebbs across India

Currently, at the national level, Covid-19 cases continue to decrease, a trend that has largely sustained since the peak of the second wave on May 9, when the daily cases averaged 391,819.

Although over 80% of adults in India have now received at least one dose of the vaccine, 44% of the country’s districts were below this threshold on November 17.(HT_PRINT)

india news

Updated on Nov 19, 2021 07:28 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Pandemic did not put a lot of children out of school, but education suffered

How did the pandemic affect education in India? The latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) offers the first comprehensive answer to this question.

While economic activities have normalised with easing of restrictions, educational institutions have seen the slowest return to normalcy.(Representational image)(Getty Images)

india news

Updated on Jan 19, 2022 11:06 AM IST

ByRoshan Kishore, Abhishek Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Air quality fluctuations solely depend on wind for now

Delhi air pollution: None of the steps and mechanisms put in place over the last 5 years have made any difference in what determines how bad the pollution will be -- the only determinants are weather and the farm fires in neighbouring states.

A combination of lower farm fires and higher wind speed is responsible for a marginal improvement in the air quality(HT file photo/Sanjeev Verma)

india news

Updated on Nov 16, 2021 09:59 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha, New Delhi

Punjab cannot handle its paddy, but it can’t change without help

The toxic air in Delhi and adjoining areas is a by-product of multiple factors. Smoke from stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is an important contributor.

Punjab is responsible for the largest number of farm fires in the northern region, over six times the number of fires in the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.(PTI)

india news

Updated on Nov 16, 2021 09:17 PM IST

ByAbhishek Jha and Roshan Kishore, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Spikes in delhi’s pollution have direct link to rise in farm fires

Stubble burning just serves to push the AQI into the very poor (300-400) or severe (400-500 ) category.

Stubble burning in adjoining states of Delhi remains a major issue. (HT FILE)

india news

Published on Nov 16, 2021 02:33 AM IST

ByRoshan Kishore, Abhishek Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

What is the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s pollution?

A scientific study cited by the government in the Supreme Court indicates that the contribution of agricultural burning to PM 2.5 and PM10 is just 4% and 7% each in winter and summer, respectively. An HT analysis of pollution data and scientific research shows that these numbers don’t tell the real story.

A Metro passes amid thick smog at Shakurbasti in New Delhi. Pollution and toxic air is a routine winter fixture in the Capital. ()(Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

india news

Updated on Nov 16, 2021 03:20 AM IST

ByRoshan Kishore, Abhishek Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Stubble fires at record high as a ‘river of smoke’ flows over Delhi

Data from heat-sensing satellites accessed by HT show that since November 8, there have been 24,694 fire events, higher than the 16,931 in the same period in 2016 which was previously the highest.

Dense haze on the Meerut Expressway on Friday, when Delhi recorded an average AQI of 471. (Raj K Raj/HT)

cities

Published on Nov 13, 2021 06:46 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha, Soumya Pillai, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Farm fires at a record high; FIRs by 2 NCR states: Nil

At least 50,000 instances of farm fires have been recorded since October 1 in two NCR states, but not a single police case has been registered over any of them in Punjab – where most of the incidents have been recorded – and Uttar Pradesh.

Punjab farm fires spike has resulted due to the delay in paddy harvest, with 10,000 cases in two days; the Malwa belt has been worst-hit. (HT FILE )

india news

Updated on Nov 11, 2021 02:01 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Abhishek Jha, Chandan Kumar, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Globalisation and its discontents, in Haryana

From January 15, 2022, a law giving 75% reservation for local residents in private sector jobs will come into effect in Haryana

The skyline view of Cyber City, Cyber Hub and Gateway tower building, in Gurgaon, India.(Parveen Kumar/HT File Photo)

india news

Updated on Nov 11, 2021 07:05 AM IST

ByRoshan Kishore, Abhishek Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

AQI ‘severe’ again as farm fires hit record

The AQI on Tuesday, according to the 4pm health bulletin, was 404, worse than the 390 on Monday.

The overall air quality in the Delhi remained in the ‘severe’ category. (ANI Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 10, 2021 12:56 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha, Jasjeev Gandhiok, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Bypoll results underline the established dependency theories in Bihar’s politics

The results of the two assembly bypolls in Bihar would have had no impact on the stability of the Nitish Kumar government.

cities

Updated on Jan 19, 2022 10:59 AM IST

ByRoshan Kishore, Abhishek Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

An hour-by-hour account of how Delhi’s air quality tanked on Diwali

Delhi air was cleaner on Diwali eve in 2021 than it was in 2019 and 2020. Things went downhill rapidly.

A heavy layer of smog engulfed Kirti Nagar, as people burst firecrackers on Diwali night.(Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

india news

Updated on Nov 06, 2021 04:09 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha, New Delhi

PM Modi unveils door-to-door drive to cover those yet to get the jab

Prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the month-long Har Ghar Dastak (knock on every door) campaign aimed to conduct a special house-to-house Covid-19 vaccination drive, with special focus on those whose second dose is overdue, to accelerate complete vaccination

Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds the review meeting with districts having low vaccination coverage, through video conferencing, in New Delhi.

india news

Updated on Nov 04, 2021 05:36 AM IST

ByRhythma Kaul & Abhishek Jha

Happy Diwali, but do not lower your guard against Covid-19

Covid-19 cases in India have been falling, more than a billion doses of vaccines have been administered, most studies show the high prevalence of Covid antibodies among people, and high frequency indices on the economy and mobility are looking up

People queue outside a shop to buy goods and decorative ornaments on the eve of Diwali. (AFP Photo)

india news

Updated on Nov 04, 2021 04:58 AM IST

ByAbhishek Jha

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Abhishek Jha

Abhishek Jha is a data journalist. He analyses public data for finding news, with a focus on the environment, Indian politics and economy, and Covid-19.

Wages can decline if the number of jobs of a particular kind decrease and job-seekers remain the same. Here’s what happened to wages in 2021

How has the labour market fared in 2021? Official employment statistics for both rural and urban areas are available only up to June 2020

How did Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation fare in 2021? The following two charts will explain this.

The World Inequality Report released this month showed that inequality has worsened after Covid. How did inflation affect Indian households in 2021? Here are three charts that explain this.

How are different parts of the economy doing in this financial year? Here are three charts that explain this.

Women’s participation in India’s labour force is low and has been declining this century, official employment surveys have shown

With vaccinations now in progress in most parts of the world, how much has the economy recovered in 2021? Here are three charts that explain this

Today’s modern world depends on the ease of mobility, something that came to a grinding halt last year due to the Covid-19. Here are two charts that explain what changed on this front in 2021

Richer countries have vaccinated a disproportionately large share of their population compared to poorer ones. Here are two charts that explain how Covid-19 vaccinations have progressed in 2021

2021 saw more confirmed Covid-19 infections and resulting deaths — globally and in almost all countries

The World Inequality Report 2022 shows that the richest in India increased their share of wealth in 2021 by a historic degree.

The recent spike in Delhi's air pollution comes despite a fall in the contribution of pollutants from stubble burning and underlines the importance of climatic conditions in pollution levels, not just in Delhi but entire north India.

The headline unemployment rate in the March 2021 quarter was 9.4%. This is the lowest since the quarter ending June 2020, which coincided with the 68-day long nation-wide lockdown which was imposed on March 25, 2020.

Europeans for a long time believed the earth was flat and were scared of undertaking long voyages on sea, lest they fell off the planet

NFHS-5, the most comprehensive survey on socio-economic and health indicators in the country, shows some surprising demographic transitions.

The latest data from the National Sample Survey shows that farmers with larger landholdings are more likely to enjoy the gains of MSP-based procurement.

Currently, at the national level, Covid-19 cases continue to decrease, a trend that has largely sustained since the peak of the second wave on May 9, when the daily cases averaged 391,819.

How did the pandemic affect education in India? The latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) offers the first comprehensive answer to this question.

Delhi air pollution: None of the steps and mechanisms put in place over the last 5 years have made any difference in what determines how bad the pollution will be -- the only determinants are weather and the farm fires in neighbouring states.

The toxic air in Delhi and adjoining areas is a by-product of multiple factors. Smoke from stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is an important contributor.

Stubble burning just serves to push the AQI into the very poor (300-400) or severe (400-500 ) category.

Data from heat-sensing satellites accessed by HT show that since November 8, there have been 24,694 fire events, higher than the 16,931 in the same period in 2016 which was previously the highest.

At least 50,000 instances of farm fires have been recorded since October 1 in two NCR states, but not a single police case has been registered over any of them in Punjab – where most of the incidents have been recorded – and Uttar Pradesh.

From January 15, 2022, a law giving 75% reservation for local residents in private sector jobs will come into effect in Haryana

The AQI on Tuesday, according to the 4pm health bulletin, was 404, worse than the 390 on Monday.

The results of the two assembly bypolls in Bihar would have had no impact on the stability of the Nitish Kumar government.

Delhi air was cleaner on Diwali eve in 2021 than it was in 2019 and 2020. Things went downhill rapidly.

Prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the month-long Har Ghar Dastak (knock on every door) campaign aimed to conduct a special house-to-house Covid-19 vaccination drive, with special focus on those whose second dose is overdue, to accelerate complete vaccination

Covid-19 cases in India have been falling, more than a billion doses of vaccines have been administered, most studies show the high prevalence of Covid antibodies among people, and high frequency indices on the economy and mobility are looking up

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