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The Hindu
21 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Analysing Internet access and digital skills in India
One important target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education. Within this broad goal, there are two important targets pertaining to Internet and digital skills. Target 4.4.1 talks about the share of youth and adult population who have some Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skill. Target 4.4.2 pertains to a degree of proficiency in digital skills. Therefore, to attain the SDG4 target of education, providing ICT infrastructure and assessing digital skills is important. The data to assess these skills were rather sparse until the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) conducted the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) between July 2022 and June 2023. This is arguably the first sample survey which asks a set of questions about people's access to, and use of, digital technology. The survey was conducted across India in 3.02 lakh households and with 12.99 lakh people. At the all-India level, 76.3% of households have broadband Internet facilities. In rural areas, 71.2% of households have the facility, while in urban areas, 86.5% do. This data shows the deep penetration of the Internet in India. But there are variations across States, castes, gender, and class. In some States, more than 90% of the households have a broadband connection. These include Delhi, Goa, Mizoram, Manipur, Sikkim, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. But in some other States, fewer than 70% have a broadband connection. These include West Bengal (69.3%), Andhra Pradesh (66.5%), Odisha (65.3%), and Arunachal Pradesh (60.2%). There are also significant variation within caste groups on the issue of broadband connectivity at home. In households in the general category, 84.1% have broadband connection, while the numbers for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are 77.5%, 69.1%, and 64.8% respectively. While it is significant that within all social groups, the majority of the households have broadband connectivity, OBC, SC, and ST communities are still significantly behind households in the general category in this aspect. The most striking difference predictably exists in terms of income. Generally, the monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) is used as a proxy for income, since income data at the household level is not available. From the unit-level data of CAMS, we have arranged the population from the bottom 10% to the top 10% in terms of MPCE (Chart 1). Chart 1 | The chart shows the broadband connectivity of households according to the decile classes of Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (in %) While in the lowest decile class, 71.6% households don't have broadband connectivity, the number for the highest decile class is only 1.9%. However, even for those who belong to the second lowest decile class, the majority (56.2%) have broadband connection at home. In other words, while the poorest are still on the wrong side of the digital divide, broadband connectivity improves with every decile class. Economic status is a significant determinant of broadband connectivity. The government has said that provision of high-speed Internet is a fundamental utility akin to water or electricity (Digital India website). To facilitate coverage of the poorest sections of the society, the government can think of subsidising broadband connections so that there is universal coverage. According to the CAMS report, 94.2% of rural households and 97.1% of urban households have mobile or telephone connections in their households. When we look at people aged 15 years and above, 92.4% in urban areas and 83.9% in rural areas can use mobile phones. However, a deeper look at the data shows that the use of mobile phones is not as universal as the headline numbers suggest. Table 2 shows the share of the population who use a mobile phone with an active SIM card exclusively, for making calls or accessing the Internet. The data shows that women and socially deprived sections are at a disadvantage. For example, within the general category, only 25.3% of women use mobile phones exclusively in rural areas, while the number for urban areas is 51.2%. For SCs, STs, and OBCs, the numbers are far below the general category for both men and women. While there is a lot of discussion about 5G connectivity in India, data show that just more than half the population in rural areas uses 4G, while more than 70% in urban areas use the same. A significant share of the population (40.4%) still uses mobile technology which is more primitive than 4G. The share of people with 5G connectivity is negligible in the country. To gauge digital skills, we focused on some basic tasks such as using the Internet, sending emails, copy-pasting from documents, using arithmetic operations in spreadsheets, and performing online banking transactions (Chart 3). Chart 3 | Select digital skills of the rural and urban populations of India (15 years and above) (in %) Around 53.6% of the population (15 years and above) can use the Internet in rural areas and 74% in urban areas. The proportion who can send/receive emails is even lower (20% for rural, 40% for urban). Only around 40% of the rural population can perform the copy-paste function, while 60% of the urban population can. The share of people who can perform arithmetic operations in spreadsheets is extremely low. Only 37.8% of India's population aged 15 years and above can perform online banking transactions. Subhanil Chowdhury is an Associate Professor of Economics at St. Xavier's University, Kolkata, and Samiran Sengupta is a data analyst
Irish Times
12-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Dáil spending watchdog to examine civil service and ministerial pension errors
The Dáil's public spending watchdog is to examine errors in pension payments for civil servants and ministers. It has agreed to issue an invitation to the national office at the centre of the controversy to be quizzed by TDs. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) wants representatives of the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) to face questions on the matter as early as next month. On Tuesday, it was revealed that a pool of 13,000 retired civil servants who were on work-sharing arrangements are to have their pension deductions checked for underpayments. Current Government ministers may also either owe or be owed money running into the thousands as a result of incorrect pension deductions, while former ministers are believed to be impacted as well. READ MORE There is also an issue in relation to the pensions of 30 retired senior civil servants. One of them could owe as much as €280,000 as a result of NSSO errors. Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has announced an external audit of NSSO systems and processes and a broad external review of its capacity and structures. Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly, a member of the PAC, said there is 'really significant worry' over the issues that have arisen. At a committee meeting on Thursday, he proposed that representatives of the NSSO be brought in alongside the Department of Public Expenditure (DPER), which already is due to appear at the PAC on July 10th. Mr Farrelly told The Irish Times the committee has questions about how far back the issues go and which civil service grades are affected. PAC chairman, Sinn Féin TD John Brady, said the invitation is to be issued to the NSSO 'given the emergence of serious issues' there. Separately, the PAC also agreed to invite the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) as well as the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to appear before them next month to be asked about oversight of private nursing homes. This follows on from an RTÉ Investigates programme last week that showed undercover footage at two private nursing homes . Distressing scenes included older people allegedly being manhandled as well as residents being ignored when they pled for help to go to the toilet. Mr Brady said the PAC 'has serious concerns' in the wake of the programme. The PAC agreed to invite Hiqa – which inspects nursing homes – to appear before it following requests for this to happen from Labour Party TD Eoghan Kenny and Fine Gael's James Geoghegan.
Irish Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Q&A: What is the pension payment error all about and can the money be recouped?
Unions and representatives of retired civil servants say they are awaiting detail of the errors made in relation to the pensions of their current or former members . However, there is concern that some of the issues could require legislation and that senior politicians could be impacted by any changes to the law. What has happened? On Tuesday the Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said 'serious and systemic operational issues' had been identified at the National Shared Services Office (NSSO), which employs about 850 people and handles payroll administration for all government departments. The belief is these errors have resulted in some retired civil servants being underpaid in their pensions; incorrect pension contributions having been deducted from current and previous ministers; and the wrong amount of tax being deducted from the lump sums paid to about 30 senior civil servants upon retirement. With a review of 13,000 retirees' positions under way, however, and an external audit of the NSSO to be undertaken, it is uncertain how the situation will develop. READ MORE What will happen in respect of people who owe or are owed money? Mr Chambers said he was committed to ensuring 'all monies owed to the State are fully recouped and monies owed to individuals are refunded'. The former is likely to create issues, however, especially in relation to the larger amounts, with one retiree said to owe €280,000. With Mr Chambers suggesting some ministers may be asked to repay more than €30,000, the tax issue could be considerable. Details of the time frame have not been clarified, but Ciaran Rohan of the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants says recouping overpayments stretching back more than four years could leave retirees, or potentially some politicians, substantially out of pocket. This is because current legislation would only allow the reclaiming of the extra tax paid as a result of receiving the extra money for the past four years, even if the overpayments stretched further back. Could that be changed? Only by legislation, says employment lawyer Barry Kenny, who says the issue means 'the original error has financial implications beyond a simple repayment issue'. It also has the potential to make it a political one. How could the money be recouped? A government circular in 2018 sets out the various ways in which overpayments can be reclaimed but there is no provision for anything like a liability of €280,000. The intention should be to recoup all the money and ideally within a year, it suggests, usually by deductions from pay or pensions of up to 8 per cent of the gross amount the person is receiving. But these people can afford to repay, no? The largest figures relate to people who had pension funds on retirement worth more than €2 million. That would certainly suggest they are well off but coming up with the funds to repay a six-figure sum is likely to be regarded as an issue. Cloda Ryan of the Retired Civil and Public Servants Association (RCPSA), which has some 7,000 members, says the vast majority of amounts involved are likely to be far smaller but still have the potential to cause problems for the pensioners concerned. 'Contrary to public perception, the majority of Civil Service pensioners have moderate pensions, in many cases lower than they would receive under the social welfare State pension for which, in general, civil servants recruited before April 6th, 1995 do not qualify.' The organisation is seeking assurances 'that no recovery of pension overpayments would take place without consultation and agreement with each pensioner affected'. And if an agreement can't be reached? 'Any civil servant faced with a request to refund money, large or small, should take legal advice to clarify the legal basis for the demand to repay and whether the figures are accurate,' says Mr Kenny. He says where the validity is established, 'reasonable' deductions or instalments would need to be agreed.
Irish Independent
11-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Nearly all government ministers owe money to the State due to pension error, with funds to be ‘fully recouped'
Almost all government ministers and junior ministers owe money to the State due to errors in pension payments. They will be informed in the coming days of the sums to be repaid, ranging from as low as €100 up to €30,000. Although the ministers and other civil servants involved were not at fault in relation to the errors identified in the National Shared Services Office (NSSO), Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers said he will ensure 'all monies owed to the State are fully recouped'. In some cases, ministers may be owed money due to the administrative errors. The full scale of the issues, relating to payroll and pensions, and the number impacted is still being assessed. The Cabinet was briefed on the administrative errors in the state HR agency yesterday. One issue relates to a retired senior civil servant who owes €280,000 to the State because their pension was undertaxed, it has been revealed. The retiree is among up to 13,000 retired civil servants and government ministers currently being assessed. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said there are 'serious questions' over the oversight of the agency 'responsible for putting taxpayers' money into the pockets of very highly paid, with golden pensions, senior civil servants – money they were never entitled to in the first place.' It is understood the NSSO will undertake an 'engagement process' to reach an arrangement with the individual in order to recoup the payment. There are three cohorts impacted by these errors: current and former ministers and office holders; civil service retirees with work-sharing patterns; and retired senior civil servants. Mr Chambers said the errors span different time periods and have been detected in various ways. ADVERTISEMENT One issue relates to the incorrect application of pension deductions for most members of the current Government, ministers of state, some members of previous governments and recent office holders. The amounts involved range from hundreds of euro to the low €30,000s in terms of monies to be recouped. In addition, a number of ministers are due refunds ranging from hundreds of euro to the low €20,000s. Some are unaffected. Another issue relates to 30 cases involving the administration of Chargeable Excess Tax, a tax on pension funds, and Withholding Tax, which is deducted from retirement lump sums, in relation to senior grade civil service pensioners. 'The liabilities for this cohort range from a few hundred euro to €280,000,' Mr Chambers said. Another issue relates to the miscalculation and under-payment of pensions for some work-sharing civil service retirees. These individuals were in receipt of allowances before they retired in the last 20 years or so. 'The issues that have been brought to my attention by the NSSO are completely unacceptable,' Mr Chambers said. 'The NSSO has responsibility for the essential function of the provision of pay and pensions to public and civil servants and it has failed in this fundamental duty. I have instructed the CEO of the NSSO that the multiple errors must be corrected by the NSSO as a matter of urgency.' The NSSO provides human resources, payroll, pension and finance management services to public service bodies, including government departments. Mr Chambers said he is committed to fully and comprehensively addressing the matter to ensure all money owed to the State is fully recouped and money owed to individuals is refunded, and to restore trust in the NSSO. He said a pool of 13,000 retirees will be checked. 'To be clear, this does not imply that all 13,000 will have anomalies, but all 13,000 will be checked,' he said. Mr Chambers said issues arose due to administrative errors in the NSSO and are not the fault of any of the individuals impacted.
Irish Independent
11-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Money owed by civil servants to State after pensions error to be ‘fully recouped'
Almost all government ministers and junior ministers owe money to the State due to errors in pension payments. They will be informed in the coming days of the sums to be repaid, ranging from as low as €100 up to €30,000. Although the ministers and other civil servants involved were not at fault in relation to the errors identified in the National Shared Services Office (NSSO), Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers said he will ensure 'all monies owed to the State are fully recouped'. In some cases, ministers may be owed money due to the administrative errors. The full scale of the issues, relating to payroll and pensions, and the number impacted is still being assessed. The Cabinet was briefed on the administrative errors in the state HR agency yesterday. One issue relates to a retired senior civil servant who owes €280,000 to the State because their pension was undertaxed, it has been revealed. The retiree is among up to 13,000 retired civil servants and government ministers currently being assessed. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said there are 'serious questions' over the oversight of the agency 'responsible for putting taxpayers' money into the pockets of very highly paid, with golden pensions, senior civil servants – money they were never entitled to in the first place.' It is understood the NSSO will undertake an 'engagement process' to reach an arrangement with the individual in order to recoup the payment. There are three cohorts impacted by these errors: current and former ministers and office holders; civil service retirees with work-sharing patterns; and retired senior civil servants. Mr Chambers said the errors span different time periods and have been detected in various ways. One issue relates to the incorrect application of pension deductions for most members of the current Government, ministers of state, some members of previous governments and recent office holders. The amounts involved range from hundreds of euro to the low €30,000s in terms of monies to be recouped. In addition, a number of ministers are due refunds ranging from hundreds of euro to the low €20,000s. Some are unaffected. Another issue relates to 30 cases involving the administration of Chargeable Excess Tax, a tax on pension funds, and Withholding Tax, which is deducted from retirement lump sums, in relation to senior grade civil service pensioners. 'The liabilities for this cohort range from a few hundred euro to €280,000,' Mr Chambers said. Another issue relates to the miscalculation and under-payment of pensions for some work-sharing civil service retirees. These individuals were in receipt of allowances before they retired in the last 20 years or so. 'The issues that have been brought to my attention by the NSSO are completely unacceptable,' Mr Chambers said. 'The NSSO has responsibility for the essential function of the provision of pay and pensions to public and civil servants and it has failed in this fundamental duty. I have instructed the CEO of the NSSO that the multiple errors must be corrected by the NSSO as a matter of urgency.' The NSSO provides human resources, payroll, pension and finance management services to public service bodies, including government departments. Mr Chambers said he is committed to fully and comprehensively addressing the matter to ensure all money owed to the State is fully recouped and money owed to individuals is refunded, and to restore trust in the NSSO. He said a pool of 13,000 retirees will be checked. 'To be clear, this does not imply that all 13,000 will have anomalies, but all 13,000 will be checked,' he said. Mr Chambers said issues arose due to administrative errors in the NSSO and are not the fault of any of the individuals impacted.
