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<ul><li>Inflation has been eating into the purchasing power of lower and middle income groups with many essentials’ sales falling.</li><li>Majority of the upper and upper middle class respondents saw their household incomes go up more than inflation.</li><li>There is a dichotomy seen in online festive sales too as premium products are bought with discounts and purchase options say experts. </li></ul>There are two Indias within the great sub-continent. One where the day-breaking drink of tea has become dearer for many this year and the other half is doubling down on wine purchases. Neither of them are affected by the base effect of last year. <keyword id="2653343" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tea-sales" source="Orion">Tea sales</keyword> were down last year too, and <keyword id="806378" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wine-sales" source="Orion">wine sales</keyword> were up — darkening the ‘K’ line on economic recovery charts. Madan Sabnavis, the chief economist of Bank of Baroda calls it a schizophrenic pattern of consumption. “Sales are doing better in categories where price does not matter,” he tells Business Insider India. <div type="image" title="grocery demand" msid="104810160" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Source: Pixabay &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> It’s discretion not price The categories of goods where price matters are seeing low growth in output – a reflection of demand. Some of the casualties are detergent powders, groundnut oils, shampoos and hair dyes. Their output fell between April to August 2023, compared to the year before, as per BoB economics research. Inflation has a more indirect effect on these purchases. For example, tea and shampoo saw moderate inflation but their demand fell. Inflation was high in coffee, toothpaste and soaps but their demand grew. “The generalized inflation factor has been at work where real income has come down thus leading to lower purchasing power,” said BoB. In a survey conducted by UBS, about 46% of respondents said that they’re buying less personal care and packaged food compared to last year. For purchase of home care products, the respondents were largely neutral versus last year, it added. India’s largest FMCG player Hindustan Unilever with a large presence across rural and urban India has seen a direct impact of it in the quarter that ended in September 2023. Its overall urban volumes grew 3% and rural volumes fell 1%. “Rural recovery is likely to remain gradual,” the company said in its investor presentation indicating that the situation might not see any dramatic recovery in the coming months. Rural India saw reverse migration during the pandemic, but not all of them have gone back, opines Sabnavis. A chunk of downtrading is also being seen in urban areas amongst income groups that are facing the heat of inflation, experts add. At the other end This is, however, only one half of the story. At the other end, many Indians are not blinking while making discretionary purchases. A majority of the upper and middle class respondents – 65% – surveyed by UBS, saw their household incomes go up more than inflation. “The top 20% of the population account for the bulk of discretionary consumption. The survey results support our view that affluent consumers‘ income levels are holding up, as reflected in corporate wage growth that continues at double digits,” said UBS. Lalit Jhawar, co-founder and CEO, LandCraft Retail says that high-end gourmet products in urban areas have been steadily increasing over the last few years. He owns a luxury gourmet retails store- Food Square in Mumbai, which sells cheeses, truffles, caviar, artisanal breads and all the other international food items. “Affluence in urban areas has grown, resulting in a larger number of consumers with higher discretionary income,” Jhawar tells Business Insider India. Online sales: A story of dichotomy Another sign of higher spending is seen in the e-commerce festival sales. The first week of the many festival discount sales saw ₹47,000 crore worth of goods being sold, which is 19% higher than last year, says Redseer Consulting. Online sales, which now sees a good measure of metro and demand from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, is showing a dichotomy as well, say experts. “Two Indias have come into play where one India is saving up and waiting for prices to come down to clinch a good deal on premium products. On the other hand, there are low-value product sales i.e value-for-money purchases that are being bought more frequently,” said Abhishek Tandon, engagement manager at Redseer Strategy Consultants. The sale season, which is manna for bargain hunters, is also enthused by the number of Buy Now Pay Later and EMI options. “When it comes to big ticket purchases, premiumization is bolstered by financing options and discounts that make it affordable,” adds Tandon. In the pre-festive period between April and August,however, most consumer durable sales were in a negative zone, due to the high-base effect of last year, says Bank of Baroda’s report. Refrigerators, mobiles, readymade garments all showed a negative output – also indicating that discounts play a large role in discretionary purchases. Indian consumers have always been complicated and price has always played a big role in purchase decisions, choice of brands and more. But it’s no longer a linear story. One end of the market, driven by affluence, is veering towards premium purchases. The other end is looking for ways to survive with less in hand as inflation is eating into their purchasing power. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/mamaearth-this-fmcg-scion-is-all-set-to-gain-a-windfall-from-honasa-ipo/articleshow/104721052.cms">This FMCG scion is all set to gain a windfall from Honasa Consumer IPO</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/genzs-millennials-wants-to-be-back-to-offices-even-as-costs-pinch/articleshow/104700780.cms">GenZs, millennials want to be back to offices even as costs pinch</a>

Wine vs Tea: India’s consumption trends show a sharp divergence

<keyword id="19934680" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amul" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amul" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Amul">Amul</keyword>, India's iconic <keyword id="23447066" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dairy-cooperative" source="keywords">dairy cooperative</keyword>, is looking forward to enter the <keyword id="20845418" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="European-market" source="keywords">European market</keyword> after the successful launch of its milk in the US, according to <keyword id="20457579" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jayen-Mehta" source="keywords">Jayen Mehta</keyword>, Managing Director of Amul and the <keyword id="22666811" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gujarat-Co-operative-Milk-Marketing-Federation" source="keywords">Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation</keyword> Ltd (GCMMF). As per a PTI report, Mehta made the announcement while delivering the 11th <keyword id="23447068" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dr-Verghese-Kurien" source="keywords">Dr. Verghese Kurien</keyword> Memorial Oration at XLRI, Jamshedpur, saying that this move would mark a historic milestone for the brand. Mehta framed dairy as more than a business, describing it as "a lifeline for rural India," a statement that reflects the deep cultural and economic significance of milk in the country. He credited Amul’s success to its focus on offering protein-rich, organic, and chemical-free products that consumers trust, while continually expanding its production capacity and infrastructure. Amul’s journey is rooted in the cooperative model pioneered by Dr. Verghese Kurien, often referred to as the "Milkman of India," whose vision turned India from a milk-deficient country into the world’s largest <keyword id="23447069" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="milk-producer" source="keywords">milk producer</keyword>. Mehta added, "If India could offer a gift to the world, it would be the cooperative working system-a gift Dr Kurien gave us. His belief in cooperation has sparked a new revolution in India." Amul’s daily collection of 310 lakh litres of milk, processed across 107 dairy plants in India, has turned it into a global powerhouse, with over 50 products and an annual sale of 22 billion packs. With a turnover of ₹80,000 crore, the brand is now ranked as the strongest dairy and food brand globally, owned by 3.6 million farmers. Amul’s entry into the European market would solidify India’s growing influence in the <keyword id="23447067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-dairy-sector" source="keywords">global dairy sector</keyword>, as well as honour the cooperative system that has powered Amul’s success. Nirmala Kurien, daughter of Dr. Verghese Kurien, echoed these sentiments, highlighting her father’s vision that transformed India from a milk-deficient nation to a self-sufficient one. India’s deep connection to Amul goes beyond mere consumption. The cooperative’s rise is tied to the country’s rural development and empowerment of farmers, making it a symbol of economic self-reliance. As Amul prepares to conquer new markets, it carries with it the legacy of Dr. Kurien, whose commitment to making a difference continues to inspire millions. (With PTI inputs)

Amul thinking to enter European market after US success, MD Jayen Mehta calls it the lifeline for rural India

<ul><li>Consumption gaps between urban and rural markets narrowed down in the December quarter, for the first time in 2023.</li><li>Modern trade saw double-digit growth in consumption, but growth in <keyword id="20479724" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="traditional-trade" source="keywords">traditional trade</keyword> slipped sequentially.</li><li>Non-food category volumes grew sequentially but that of food slowed down, led by staples and impulse categories. </li></ul>Even as FMCG sales growth has been moderating on a sequential basis, sales of noodles and biscuits saw an uptick in the rural markets in the December quarter, says a NielsenIQ report. Rural markets too saw a sequential-quarterly decline, but consumption gaps between urban and rural markets narrowed down for the first time in 2023, in the December quarter. The North and West regions contributed to this phenomenon, the report says. “Despite a sequential-quarter decline, the rural recovery narrative continued to evolve throughout the year. In Q4 2023, we observe an uptick in consumption, primarily driven by habit-forming categories (such as biscuits and noodles) in food and essential home products. These categories have thrived despite flat to negative price growth, indicating resilience and sustained demand,” said <keyword id="20476060" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="roosevelt-dsouza" source="keywords">Roosevelt Dsouza</keyword>, Head of Customer Success – India, <keyword id="20475890" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="niq" source="keywords">NIQ</keyword>. The rural areas are also seeing a growing preference for larger packs, while urban markets see a persistent preference for larger packs, the report said. It says that the FMCG industry experienced a 6% growth in value, attributed to a 6.4% increase in volume. However, on a sequential basis, there is a moderation in consumption growth, it adds. The pricing growth in the overall fell to 2.7% in Q3, due to the price cuts taken across categories by FMCG majors to fight off competition. In the December quarter of last year, it was 10%, as per Nielsen data. FMCG major <keyword id="19948892" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hul" source="keywords">HUL</keyword> said that in Q3, its volumes grew 2% in Q3, but its value growth fell marginally by 0.3%. Marico’s domestic volumes grew 2% during the quarter, with a flat value growth. <keyword id="20021294" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kirana" source="keywords">Kirana</keyword> continue to suffer Modern trade which consists of supermarkets, hypermarkets and such has seen a double-digit growth in consumption at 16.8%. Traditional Trade which consists of kiranas or mom-and-pop stores saw a 5.3% growth in consumption, falling from 7.5% in the Q2 of FY24. “Despite certain challenges, the positive momentum in modern trade adds a promising dimension to the overall market scenario,” Nielsen says. Non-food categories grow faster The volume growth in general is also much faster for non-food categories. Though more units were purchased in food categories compared to the same period last year, non-foods saw more large packs being purchased. The volume growth in the food sector was at 5.3% YoY, but it was at 8.7% in Q2 of FY23. This slowdown in growth is primarily due to staples (such as refined and non-refined edible oils, etc.) and impulse categories such as confectionery. In non-food categories, volumes grew at 9.6% in Q3 FY24 — higher than the 8.7% recorded in Q2. This improvement can be attributed to an increase in rural consumption growth, with a growth rate of 9.8% (vs. 6.7% in Q2), Nielsen says. “Volume growth is attributed to home care products like detergent cakes and bars, washing powder; and personal care like toilet soaps categories in rural areas,” the report said. In urban areas, the non-food sector is witnessing slower consumption growth, with a growth rate of 9.4% in Q3, slightly down from 10.4% in Q2.

Amidst slowdown, noodle and biscuit sales see an uptick in rural areas

<keyword id="6354387" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jewellery" source="Orion">Jewellery</keyword> consumption, in terms of value, is expected to grow by 10-12 per cent in this financial year, mainly on account of increase in <keyword id="46002" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="Orion">gold prices</keyword>, a report said on Friday. Rating agency <keyword id="6354972" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="icra" source="Orion">Icra</keyword> has revised upward its forecast for the year-on-year (YoY) <keyword id="19910440" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="domestic-jewellery-consumption" source="Orion">domestic jewellery consumption</keyword> growth (in value terms) in FY24 to 10-12 per cent from the earlier estimates of 8-10 per cent, primarily driven by the rise in gold prices. Jewellery consumption is estimated to have risen by more than 15 per cent YoY in the first half of FY24, aided by stable demand during 'Akshaya Tritiya', a festival considered auspicious for buying precious metals, and higher gold prices. However, Icra projects the growth rate to moderate to 6-8 per cent in the second half of this financial year due to sustained tepid rural demand amid persistent <keyword id="22195" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inflation" source="Orion">inflation</keyword>. After remaining volatile between December 2022 and April 2023, gold prices were relatively stable in the first half of FY24, although up 14 per cent compared to the average prices during the year-ago period, noted the report. The elevated price levels supported revenue expansion of most jewellery retailers in the face of muted volume growth, it said. The ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the evolving global macro-economic environment could keep gold prices elevated in the near term. The spike in gold prices since early October 2023 and persistent inflationary headwinds remain key risks to demand, it stated. "Jewellers of the organised market is projected to record a healthy revenue expansion of 15-18 per cent YoY in FY24 on the back of their planned retail expansions and a gradual shift in consumer preferences towards branded jewellers. The organised jewellery retailers are expected to outperform the industry over the medium term supported by tailwinds from accelerated formalisation of the industry," Icra Vice President and Sector Head Sujoy Saha said. Icra has projected some moderation in FY24 in the operating margins of organised players owing to the front-loaded operating costs for planned store additions and increased advertising expenditure in the face of rising competition. Nevertheless, the benefits of economies of scale are likely to support the operating margins, which are estimated to hover in the range of 7.5-8 per cent in the near to medium term. Despite the projected increase in debt levels to fund the inventory for new stores, the debt protection metrics for the players are estimated to remain comfortable. "The organised jewellers had recommenced their retail expansion in FY23, after a brief hiatus in FY21 and FY22, with the store count estimated to have risen by more than 20 per cent during the year. The momentum is likely to continue over the near to medium term with an estimated increase in store count by 18-20 per cent YoY in FY24, supporting their revenue growth," Saha added.

Jewellery consumption to grow by 10-12 pc value-wise in FY24 amid rise in gold prices: Report

<ul><li>Demand in the first quarter has shrunk because of high prices in April and May, said <keyword id="236770" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="adani-wilmar" source="Orion">Adani Wilmar</keyword> CEO on <keyword id="57322" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="edible-oil" source="Orion">edible oil</keyword> sales.</li><li>The demand in rural areas will continue to be slow in the second quarter too, the company says</li><li>Consumers are downgrading to smaller packs and cheaper brands, the company says.</li><li>Adani’s own King’s brand that’s cheaper than Fortune, has performed better in some rural pockets.</li></ul>Adani Wilmar witnessed subdued demand from rural India in its first quarter, in spite of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/adani-wilmar-cuts-fortune-oils-for-the-second-time-by-20/articleshow/92952328.cms">slashing </a>its edible oil prices in late June. “Demand in the first quarter has not grown. It has actually shrunk because of the very high prices in April and May, partially coming down in June and then July,” Angshu Mallick, CEO, Adani Wilmar told Business Insider India. Its refined oil sales, under the <keyword id="1385434" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fortune-oil" source="Orion">Fortune Oil</keyword> brand, was lower by 5.6% as compared to last year. Adani Wilmar had even <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/adani-wilmar-cuts-fortune-oils-for-the-second-time-by-20/articleshow/92952328.cms">announced a second reduction</a> in its sticker price in July by up to ₹20, but <keyword id="884977" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rural-demand" source="Orion">rural demand</keyword> hasn’t picked up. It probably won’t in the second quarter either. This, however, has more to do with rural India’s spending power than the prices. “The demand in rural areas will continue to be slow in the second quarter also because they would look forward to a better crop, which they will harvest only from October onwards. So from the money point of view, farmers will not have any great money. I don't think rural demand will be any robust,” Mallick told Business Insider India. Smaller packs, cheaper brands Since oil is a household essential, consumers, the company says, are downgrading to smaller packs and cheaper brands. Adani Wilmar’s own edible oil brands at the lower rung like King’s and Aadhar, have performed better in some rural pockets. “In every FMCG category, we have seen that consumers have shifted to masstige brands or popular brands rather than premium. From premium, they have downgraded and we have seen that in edible oil also,” said Mallick. Masstige brands are mass-market brands which are priced lower than premium but still retain a ‘brand’ value. Apart from masstige brands, Adani also saw more demand for mustard oil from rural India. “When it comes to mustard oil, we have seen that Fortune mustard oil has much stronger equity than the masstige brands because consumers are afraid of any adulteration. So, here our Fortune has done much better,” said Mallick. However, the trend of smaller packs has pushed up its volumes as consumers are now buying four to five times a month. “If a single payment is ₹150 a litre, consumers have to pay out almost ₹2,500 for a 15 litre pack. So, paying ₹2500 altogether by a rural or a small-town consumer is definitely tight and tough. Against that, they can always pay ₹100 and buy a half litre bottle or ₹200 for one litre,” Mallick said. Also, after two price slashes in two months, they do not want to buy large quantities as they hold on to hope of another price cut.

No festival cheer ahead for Fortune Oil’s rural sales, says Adani Wilmar CEO

New Delhi, Along with the sharp decline in poverty in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword>, there has also been a marked reduction in the rural-urban income divide in the country, according to an SBI Research analysis of a Consumer Expenditure Survey released on Tuesday. Rural Poverty has staged a significant 440-basis point decline since 2018-19 and <keyword id="20742154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="urban-poverty" source="keywords">Urban Poverty</keyword> a 170-basis point decline post-pandemic, which shows that the government initiatives for promoting the welfare of the bottom of the pyramid are having a significant beneficial impact on rural livelihood, the report states. Rural Poverty is now at 7.2 per cent (25.7 per cent in 2011-12 while <keyword id="19945793" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="urban" source="keywords">Urban</keyword> Poverty is at 4.6 per cent (13.7 per cent in 2011-12), official data show. The report further states that India is becoming more aspirational as indicated by the increasing share of discretionary consumption (like spending on beverages, intoxicants, entertainment, durable goods, etc.) in rural and urban areas. The speed of aspiration is swifter in rural areas as compared to urban areas The SBI report states that the difference between rural and urban monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) is now at 71.2 per cent, a rapid decline from 88.2 per cent in 2009-10. Around 30 per cent of the Rural MPCE is explained mainly due to steps taken by the government in terms of DBT transfers, investments in building of rural infrastructures, augmenting farmer's income, all together improving the rural livelihood significantly. Enhanced physical infrastructure is enabling two-way rural-urban mobility, which is the prime reason for the incrementally shrinking horizontal income gap between the rural and urban landscape and the vertical income gap within rural Income classes, according to the SBI report. The states once considered laggards are showing the maximum improvement in rural and urban gap. States like Bihar, <keyword id="19894922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uttar-pradesh" source="keywords">Uttar Pradesh</keyword>, Madhya Pradesh are showing increasingly the impact of these factors, the report adds. The bottom half of the rural pyramid are now having consumption patterns mostly converging to urban counterparts. The report also states that revised MPCE weights in CPI computation could help India real GDP growth for FY24 to top 7.5 per cent. Other highlights: *Rural and Urban consumption are growing, on an average, at nearly the same growth rate (2.66 per cent for rural, 2.59 per cent for Urban) across classes. Using the statistical equivalent of <keyword id="20744250" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gini-coefficient" source="keywords">Gini Coefficient</keyword>, Horizontal Consumption Inequality between Rural and Urban across fractiles has declined from 0.560 to 0.475 *Urban Rural gap as a percentage of rural consumption is on a declining trend. It has declined from 90.8 per cent in 2004-05 to 71.2 per cent in 2022-23 and we believe, is projected to further decrease to 65.1 per cent in 2029-30 *In the lowest segment, urban consumption is only 46 per cent more dissimilar than the rural counterpart. Across fractile classes, urban consumption is only 68 per cent more dissimilar than rural counterpart, a number much less than the all India average. This indicates the bottom half of the rural pyramid are now having MPCE patterns mostly converging to Urban counterparts.

India's rural-urban income gap declines sharply amid fall in poverty level: SBI Report

<ul><li>With growing affluence and technology, the pace of consumerism in India’s small towns is growing fast, say experts.</li><li>Their love for premium products, products that exhibit self-love and care is driving them to shop online.</li><li>A confluence of technology, growing income levels, education and more has caused a cultural shift in small towns. </li></ul>India’s small towns have been running behind big cities for a long time — but that’s no longer true. Thanks to the juxtaposition of technology, rising income levels and policies – small towners are not what they once were. The biggest generational change is that — few dream of living in a big city. While most of them do not want to migrate, rising job opportunities, availability of first-grade educational institutions are ensuring they do not have to. “The pandemic has also ensured reverse migration where they can generate more income and enjoy a livelihood thanks to the digital revolution,” said Suraja Kishore, CEO of BBDO, an advertising agency, speaking at a webinar organized by Market Research Society of India (MRSI). Moreso, they are not unhappy with where they’re from either. “If you see, many of them introduce themselves with their district name and village name,” said Kishore, emphasizing on how strong their sense of identity has become. The Western sanskaris It’s not just attitudes that are changing – their income levels are rising almost on-par with their urban counterparts too. While the all-India urban average monthly household income has been growing at 8.4% for the last five years, it has been growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8% in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, says Kantar. The number of graduates and postgraduates have also been growing at the exact same rate of 5.6% CAGR in urban areas as well as T2 and T3 cities, it adds. All this has been bringing a cultural shift in small towns, says Aditya Kaul, group account director at Kantar. “They enjoy the comfort of online shopping, and are also embracing Westernization at a faster rate, with the world at their fingertips,” adds Kaul. Kishore also agrees that the trend of trends ‘percolating’ from the West to big cities of India, and then to towns is gone. Love, thy self Now, liberated, small towners are also becoming consumers of premium products. “They are expressing affluence with an increasing focus on comfort and self-love. They are high on individualism, outspoken and more ambitious,” Kaul says. Kaul concurs, “There is a higher pace of growing consumerism in small towns along with growing individualism, outspokenness and more ambition.” It’s very much evident from their spending and buying habits. E-tailing or electronic retailing has been growing at 37% CAGR in T2 and T3 cities as compared to 20% in urban areas – between 2019 and 2022. While a large part of this change is credited to mobile telephony and technology, there are other factors at play too. “A lot of factors came together like government policy and economic growth. If technology had come when there was no money, or even policies were not aligned, it would have been different,” explains Aashish Shukla, consumer and market insights lead at ITC. Raw, not refined According to Kantar, as many as half the ‘urban consumers’ between 15-55 years, at around 139 million of them, reside in T2 and T3 towns. And their number is growing in small cities and towns beyond that too. The new-age consumers are growing in affluence and becoming more demanding, but are they easy to market to? The answer is not so easy, say branding and marketing experts. “In small towns, products have to be customized to their reality. For example, if they buy a mobile phone, they cannot courier in case of a defect to a service center in a bigger town and it takes a few months etc,” says Shukla. For a long time, small towns and villages have been bringing in volumes for FMCG giants due to their consumption of smaller sized packs, and most of them did away with smaller stock keeping units that served this purpose. That might no longer work, especially after many local brands – some offline and some completely online – have been creeping into the market and making a dent. Not only are these brands — across food, beauty and personal care — challenging large FMCG giants, they’re also winning hearts with their earthy flavour and feel. “They are sharper with their marketing and are heavily expanding. If you talk to many of them, they do not have local ambitions, they all want to expand nationally and internationally,” says Kishore. The urban and non-urban areas were divided on the basis of spending power, preferences and urbanization levels. But those theories are being unwound by the new consumer cohort that’s westernizing without urbanizing, buys premium products online without visiting malls – and racing ahead to a new reality.

The rising affluence of small town consumers driving demand for premium products

A parliamentary committee has recommended setting up population-based cancer registries in rural areas to help data-driven and evidence-based policy formulation. It has also suggested raising taxes on tobacco products citing that increasing their market price would make them less affordable. This will result in lower consumption and decrease the risk of tobacco-related diseases, including cancer, the panel said. The <keyword id="46535" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="health-ministry" source="Orion">health ministry</keyword> must pursue with the Department of Revenue to expedite the decision on raising taxes on tobacco products, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare said in its 147th report. It was presented in <keyword id="48510" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rajya-sabha" source="Orion">Rajya Sabha</keyword> on Friday. It said for better policy formulation on cancer treatment and uniform distribution of cancer care, there is an urgent need to have realistic information about the incidence and type of cancers across the country. The committee said that the health ministry should take appropriate steps to persuade state governments to participate in the formulation of the cancer atlas so that the entire Indian population is covered under Population Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs). This will help in data-driven and evidence-based policy formulation, it said. It suggested that PBCRs can be linked to the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission to record data of cancer patients to get real-time information on cancer-related illnesses. "The committee has taken note that currently PBCRs cover 16 per cent of the Indian population only. Therefore, it is quite necessary that the National Cancer Registry Programme cover the population of India extensively, in order to have a unified national database for scientific understanding of epidemiology of cancer," the report said. Stressing a robust screening mechanism for cancer, the committee suggested that one day in a month can be fixed for cancer screening. While appreciating the government's impetus on an institutional framework for cancer care and management and financial support for combating cancer, the committee said cancer must be dealt with separately instead of being a part of other lifestyle and non-communicable diseases. It recommended the demerger of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) from the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) to have a better focus on screening, early diagnosis and management of cancer. In its report, the committee said that in all the leftover districts Non-Communicable Diseases (<keyword id="131571" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ncd" source="Orion">NCD</keyword>) clinics should be set up at the earliest and more healthcare professionals be trained for screening of common cancer. The panel highlighted that adequate human resource in cancer centres is crucial for their complete operationalisation and recommended setting up subsidised or free accommodation for patients and their relatives near cancer hospitals. The National Health Authority (<keyword id="672062" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="nha" source="Orion">NHA</keyword>) should consider including all types of cancer diagnostic tests under the Ayushman Bharat <keyword id="6524177" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pradhan-mantri" source="Orion">Pradhan Mantri</keyword> Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), it said. It appreciated that in compliance with the committee's recommendations, the NHA has approved the inclusion of diagnostic tests under the AB-PMJAY with respect to breast, cervical and oral cancer. The committee noted that the health ministry has set up the e-Sanjivini Ayushman Bharat-Health Wellness Centre (AB-HWC), where doctor-to-doctor telemedicine services can be delivered through the hub and spoke model. It recommended that this model should be strengthened so that the opinions of experts can be provided to cancer patients in isolated and backward areas. The ministry should instruct National Cancer Grid (<keyword id="1502308" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ncg" source="Orion">NCG</keyword>) officials to explore group negotiation of commonly used high-value cancer drugs with pharmaceutical companies through a transparent central tendering platform to have substantial discounts on cancer drugs. Since the mandate of the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority is to ensure the availability of drugs at affordable prices, the committee reiterated that the pricing of cancer drugs should not be guided by profit as in the case of the other businesses. If it is not possible to reduce the profit margin of such drugs, the government may subsidise it, it said in its report. "The committee feels that the submission made by the Secretary, Department of Pharmaceutical, before the committee that over a period of about eight years or so the actual price increase in the drugs had been only between two to four per cent, does not mean that each manufacturer keeps the price of the drug below 10 per cent, as the mechanism permits them to make the hike up to 10 per cent," the report said. The committee said the government should rationalise the annual price hike limit of cancer drugs from 10 to five per cent in order to rescue poor cancer patients. It also suggested the ministry look at subsidising the healthcare cost for cancer patients and declare radiotherapy service as an essential commodity. The ministry should take the matter on board immediately and declare radiotherapy service as an essential commodity so that patients can get some relief from bearing the high cost of the service, it said. 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