IndiaSpend

05/06/2026

India’s National Mission on Edible Oils aims to increase production by 79% from a 14% increase in acreage, which presumes a huge jump in productivity. This needs urgent support in the form of outreach and irrigation support, seeds resistant to climatic changes and pests, and an overhaul of the procurement and value addition chains, experts say. Our story:

From rain-fed fields to absent procurement centres, India's oilseed farmers lack the systems needed to meet the country's ambitious production targets, and cut imports

05/06/2026

India meets only 44% of its domestic demand for edible oil and spends more than $20 billion a year on imports.

In 2024, the government launched a mission to increase oilseed production by nearly 80% by the end of this decade.

Experts say achieving this target will require farmer outreach, climate-resilient seeds, and stronger procurement and value-addition systems.

About 70% of India’s oilseed cultivation area is rain-fed, making production vulnerable to weather variability.

Experts also point to low adoption of high-yielding varieties, inadequate seed replacement rates and limited access to inputs continue to affect productivity.

Read Charu Bahri's report on what India must do to support oilseed farmers: https://www.indiaspend.com/agriculture/how-india-must-support-oilseed-farmers-986622

05/06/2026

India farms 15-20% of the world's acreage but produces just 6-7% of its vegetable oil. As a result, it meets only 44% of its domestic demand for internally. With the War-related supply disruptions and foreign exchange strains, that means a rising import bill for the country and higher prices for consumers. What it will take to improve India’s oilseeds production and more importantly, productivity: https://www.indiaspend.com/agriculture/how-india-must-support-oilseed-farmers-986622

04/06/2026

At least 21 people died in a fire at a south Delhi B&B that reportedly had no fire safety clearance, no fire-fighting equipment and only one operational exit.

In January 2023, we reported on safety violations and enforcement gaps following the Mundka factory fire in Delhi.

Our reporting found multiple safety violations, including the absence of permission from the fire department.

Experts said safety violations and gaps in enforcement continue to put workers at risk.

As fatal fires continue to occur, questions remain over safety compliance, inspections and accountability.

Read our report on workplace safety and enforcement gaps in India: https://www.indiaspend.com/special-reports/3-workers-die-every-day-in-indian-factories-govt-data-show-850083

04/06/2026

: Cases pending before courts rose three-fold over the decade, reaching over 644,000 in 2024. For kidnapping and abduction, of 18,457 cases chargesheeted and sent to trial in 2024, just 104 led to convictions that year. The rest were at various stages of trial, or ended in acquittal, quashing, or other outcomes. Our analysis in six charts: https://www.indiaspend.com/data-viz/dataviz-india-registered-512-crimes-against-children-every-day-in-2024-986538

03/06/2026

Each year over the last decade, police filed chargesheets in roughly half the cases of crime against children. In 2024, the chargesheeting rate was 61.4%, the lowest in 10 years. For kidnapping and abduction, which accounted for the largest share of cases, the rate was just 25%. A quarter of disposed cases were marked false; around 40% were classified as a mistake in law, fact, or civil dispute; and 9% were closed for insufficient evidence. Our analysis in 6 charts: https://www.indiaspend.com/data-viz/dataviz-india-registered-512-crimes-against-children-every-day-in-2024-986538

03/06/2026

: Kidnapping and abduction accounted for 40% of all registered cases in 2024. More than a third fell under the POCSO Act. Among POCSO cases involving penetrative sexual assault, 97% involved an alleged perpetrator known to the child. About half the survivors were between 16 and 18 years old. Our analysis in six charts: https://www.indiaspend.com/data-viz/dataviz-india-registered-512-crimes-against-children-every-day-in-2024-986538

03/06/2026

India registered 187,702 crimes against children in 2024, or 512 every day, according to NCRB data.

The number of cases has nearly doubled since 2015 and was the highest recorded in the last decade.

Kidnapping and abduction accounted for 40% of all registered cases, while offences under the POCSO Act accounted for more than a third.

In 97% of POCSO cases under Sections 4 and 6 of the Act, the alleged offender was known to the child.

Police filed chargesheets in 61% of cases during 2024, while 91% of cases before courts remained pending at the end of the year.

Read Vijay Jadhav analysis of trends in crimes against children over the last decade: https://www.indiaspend.com/data-viz/dataviz-india-registered-512-crimes-against-children-every-day-in-2024-986538

03/06/2026

India registered 187,702 crimes against children in 2024, nearly double the cases recorded in 2015. The increase reflects multiple factors, including greater awareness, more reporting, and easier registration, and does not necessarily mean a simple increase in . Bihar saw a six-fold rise over the decade, followed by Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Odisha, where cases nearly tripled. Among major cities, Delhi recorded 36% of all crimes against across 19 metros, followed by Mumbai at 16% and Bengaluru at 8%. Our analysis in 6 charts: https://www.indiaspend.com/data-viz/dataviz-india-registered-512-crimes-against-children-every-day-in-2024-986538

02/06/2026

In its June 2 bulletin, the IMD forecast hot and humid conditions in parts of eastern and northeastern India over the next few days.

In May 2025, we reported on how humidity is making heat more dangerous.

High humidity makes it harder for sweat to evaporate, reducing the body's ability to cool itself.

Research found that temperatures above 32°C combined with humidity above 60% can be hazardous, especially for outdoor workers.

The study found that at temperatures above 32°C, each 10% increase in relative humidity resulted in a 22% increase in physiological strain.

Read our report on how humidity affects the body's ability to cope with heat: https://www.indiaspend.com/earthcheckindia/how-humidity-is-breaking-your-bodys-thermostat-951666