Highlights

Tech addiction flagged as public health risk

The Economic Survey 2025-26 has highlighted digital addiction as a growing public health concern affecting youth and adults, impacting mental health, academic performance, and workplace productivity. The report, tabled in Parliament on Thursday, noted compulsive social media use, binge-watching, and online gaming as key contributors to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, sleep disruption, and cyberbullying stress. It cited global examples, including Australia, China, and South Korea, of regulatory, therapeutic, and educational interventions to curb excessive screen use. The Survey called for comprehensive national data on usage patterns, health outcomes, and online risks to guide targeted interventions.

Concert economy highlighted

The Economic Survey 2025-26 flagged inadequate live event venues and restrictions on foreign payments as key hurdles to the growth of India’s concert economy, which crossed `10,000 crore in 2024. Tabled in Parliament, the Survey said concerts act as short-term demand boosters for airlines, hotels, restaurants and transport. It suggested opening heritage monuments for events and easing visa and forex norms for foreign artists. Calling the sector nascent but scaling, it highlighted global examples and said streamlined permissions, urban readiness and a proposed single-window clearance system could help make live entertainment a significant growth driver.

Health warning for a fast-food nation

The Economic Survey 2025-26 raised alarms over India’s rising consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) high in fat, sugar, and salt, calling for a ban on their advertisements from 6 am to 11 pm across all media. The pre-Budget document also suggested restricting marketing of infant and toddler milk and beverages amid growing childhood obesity, which has risen from 2.1 per cent to 3.4 per cent among under-fives. The survey recommended front-of-pack warning labels, tighter regulation of UPF production, and coordinated food-system policies to promote healthier diets. Citing global examples it highlighted regulatory gaps in misleading claims and warned that unchecked UPF marketing fuels chronic diseases and widening health inequalities.

Low secondary school enrolment Raised

The Economic Survey 2025-26 highlighted the need to retain students beyond Class 8, as India’s secondary age-specific net enrolment rate remains low at 52.2 per cent. Tabled in Parliament, it pointed out that 54 per cent of rural schools offer only foundational education, limiting access to secondary classes and contributing to dropouts. Urban areas show higher secondary school availability and enrolment. The Survey called for expanding composite schools, upgrading schools to Class 7, strengthening open schooling, and enhancing teacher capacity through DIETs and SCERTs. Leveraging schemes like Samagra Shiksha and digital platforms with community engagement, can improve retention and learning outcomes.