Labour & Economy
PLFS Monthly Bulletin β April 2025
The National Statistics Office (NSO) under MoSPI released the first-ever monthly PLFS bulletin. Key metrics (ages 15+, CWS): Unemployment Rate 5.1%, LFPR 55.6%, WPR 52.8%. Previously, PLFS data was released only quarterly/annually.
GI Tags & Heritage
Sangri Bean β Rajasthan’s New GI Tag
Sangri, a desert bean from Rajasthan, received a GI tag from the GI Registry, Chennai. It grows on Khejri (Prosopis cineraria), Rajasthan’s state tree, called the ‘Wonder of the Thar Desert’. Uttar Pradesh leads all states with 77 GI-tagged products as of May 2025.
Technology
India’s First 3nm Chip Design Facilities
Renesas Electronics India inaugurated 3nm semiconductor chip design facilities in Noida and Bengaluru under Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Supported by the Chips to Startup (C2S) and Design Linked Incentive (DLI) schemes. India had previously designed at 7nm and 5nm nodes.
Health & Culture
Ayurveda Day β Fixed to September 23
The Government fixed Ayurveda Day on September 23, which coincides with the autumnal equinox β when day and night are equal β reflecting Ayurveda’s philosophy of balance. Previously observed on the variable Dhanteras date (OctβNov). The change ensures a consistent global calendar date.
Energy & Economy
India’s Global Oil Consumption Rank
As per OPEC’s May 2025 Monthly Oil Market Report, India ranks 3rd globally in oil consumption at 5.74 million bpd. The USA leads (20.5 million bpd), followed by China. India’s demand is projected to reach 5.99 million bpd in 2026, outpacing China’s growth rate.
Fintech & Banking
PayU’s RBI Payment Aggregator Approval
PayU received the RBI Certificate of Authorization as a Payment Aggregator (PA) β the 8th entity to receive final approval. PayU is second-largest PA by transaction volume after BillDesk. PayU is backed by Prosus, an Amsterdam-based technology investment firm.
Awards & Culture
58th Jnanpith Award β 2025
Jagadguru Ramabhadracharya received the 58th Jnanpith Award for Sanskrit; Gulzar (Urdu) was the other awardee but could not attend. President Draupadi Murmu conferred the award at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on May 16, 2025. The Jnanpith Award has been given by Bharatiya Jnanpith since 1965.
Capital Markets
MSCI Global Standard Index β May 2025 Review
Coromandel International (agrochemicals) and FSN E-Commerce Ventures (Nykaa) were added to the MSCI Global Standard Index effective May 30, 2025. Both were also added to the MSCI India Domestic Index. No Indian companies were removed from the index in this review cycle.
Gender & Digital
World Telecommunication & Information Society Day 2025
WTISD 2025 theme: “Gender Equality in Digital Transformation”, observed on May 17 β the 160th anniversary of ITU. ITU was founded on May 17, 1865, when the First International Telegraph Convention was signed in Paris. The ITU is a UN specialised agency for ICTs.
Business & Governance
IAMAI New Chairperson β M N Srinivasu
M N Srinivasu, co-founder of BillDesk (IndiaIdeas.com), was elected Chairperson of IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India) for 2025β2027, succeeding Harsh Jain of Dream Sports. BillDesk is India’s largest Payment Aggregator by transaction volume.