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90% of population--have no money to spend on non-essential items

100 crore Indians--90% of population--have no money to spend on non-essential items; 10% are consuming class: Report https://www.livemint.com/news/india/100-crore-indians-have-no-money-to-spend-on-non-essential-items-report-11740593010860.html a study by venture capital firm Blume Ventures..describes aspirant consumers as "heavy consumers and reluctant payers". It highlights that industries like OTT/media, gaming, edtech, and lending are particularly relevant to this segment. The introduction of UPI and AutoPay has facilitated small-ticket transactions, encouraging greater participation from this group in the economy... wealth is becoming more concentrated. Companies are increasingly focusing on premiumisation, a strategy that emphasises high-end, expensive products tailored for wealthier consumers. This trend is evident in the booming sales of luxury homes and premium smartphones, even as budget-friendly options struggle...The report concludes that India’s GDP remains heavily dependent on consumer spending. However, unless income distribution improves, businesses may increasingly cater only to high-income groups, further marginalising a significant portion of the population.

full report: https://docsend.com/view/pyxuqunkm9ejw38q#

Reduced to a Non-Functional Entity': Press Council

Reduced to a Non-Functional Entity': Mumbai Press Club on Delay in Constitution of New Council of PCI f
The Wire Staff  https://thewire.in/media/reduced-to-a-non-functional-entity-mumbai-press-club-on-delay-in-constitution-of-new-council-of-pci the Mumbai Press Club (MPC) and the Editors Guild of India (EGI). "are well known and are active in upholding the rights of the Fourth Estate. It is also significant that it was these two organisations that had taken the lead in the previous Press Council on issues such as the wrongful detention of journalists, the suppression of press persons in Jammu and Kashmir and the mass retrenchments of media personnel during the Covid-19 pandemic. Perhaps this was not appreciated in certain quarters,” said the MPC statement.

Zakia Jafri Amar Rahe

Zakia Jafri Leaves Behind a Legacy of Resilience and Quiet Dignity https://thewire.in/rights/zakia-jafri-leaves-behind-a-legacy-of-resilience-and-quiet-dignity Teesta Setalvad Eighty-six years, the day before yesterday, when she left us, Zakia appa was 63 in 2002, no age to hear the cries she did, no age to witness what her eyes could not turn away from. .. 

Though there had been nothing peaceful about Jafri’spassing. The utterly stoic and adamant refusal of the Jafris to let go of their belief in the India that Ahsan sahab lived and died for, is special and rare.

Zakia appa and the Jafris turned their back on any bitterness born out of the realisation that even their neighbours had joined the mob on February 28. This is what made Zakia appa stand out with her children, as the stellar human rights defender she was...  in tribute to Zakia appa, the day before yesterday, “You graced the courts, our homes and hearts. You did so with unwavering fortitude. Theirs is the loss who could not recognise the scale and magnitude of the loss for just what it was.”