India has 55.48 cr mobile owners, 14.32 cr Internet users

New Delhi: There are 55.48 crore actual mobile users in the country and 14.32 crore internet users, according to a study by research firm Juxt.

"India has 55.48 crore mobile users as per our India Mobile Landscape (IML) 2013 study. More than 29.8 crore, about 54 percent, of these device owners are in rural areas as compared to 25.6 crore in cities and towns," Juxt co-founder Mrutyunjay told PTI.

There are total 77.39 crore functional SIMs with validity but only 64.34 SIMs are being used by 55.48 crore mobile devices owners, the study report said.

IML study finds that there are 14.32 crore internet users in the country.

"The number of unique Internet users in India, who access Internet from their desktop or laptop, smart TV or mobile data connections together stand at around 94.7 million. But when one adds the number of users who also access Internet through operators portals such as Airtel Live and Reliance R World, the number goes up to 143.2 million," Mrutyunjay said.

The study found 2.38 crore individuals access Internet from their mobile phones using a data connection such as GPRS or 3G. Out of this, 93 lakh access Internet only through mobile phones and around 77 percent of these users are in rural areas.

Talking about size of survey, he said that the field survey was conducted between May and mid-July 2013 covering 109 urban centres and 196 villages in all the 28 states and 3 union territories in India.

"It (survey) covered 80 of the 88 regions as classified by the National Sample Survey Organisation under the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation. The study sample represents 94.8 percent of the Indian population and 96.1 percent of the total Indian households," he said.

Meanwhile, as per the data revealed by sectoral regulator Trai, there are total 87.33 crore mobile subscribers in the country. Of this, 73.14 crore customers were found to be active on a particular date in June.

The cumulative revenue of telecom service providers was Rs 54,284 crore in the January-March quarter as per TRAI data.

Gold buyers rush to order as import rules clarified

Gold buyers lined up to restart imports on Wednesday as the customs department clarified new rules, putting the world's biggest bullion buyer back in the market after a six-week gap and threatening government efforts to underpin the rupee.
About a quarter of a tonne of gold waiting at Mumbai airport should head to India's biggest gold market, Zaveri Bazaar, where sales are nearly $10 million a day, and jewellers said they would place fresh import orders as early as Thursday.
"Around 250 kg of gold, which is stuck at the airport, will get released after the order. New shipments could start within the next 2-3 days," said Bachhraj Bamalwa, director at the All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in a bid to help the government stem the tide of gold imports which had pushed the current account deficit to a record high, told importers on July 22 that a fifth of their purchases would have to be turned around for export.
But the rule's sketchy details caused buyers to hold off and instead use stocks that had piled up in April and May when record imports of 304 tonnes provoked the government into hiking duty to an all-time high of 10 percent.
On Wednesday, the Indian customs department issued its guidelines on how the central bank's call for gold imports to be split 80 percent for domestic use and 20 percent for export would be monitored.
ORDERING TOMORROW
The move aims to boost exports but could also rein in imports to around 30 tonnes a month - about half average volume - and keep India on track to meet the government's target of 845 tonnes in the 2012/13 fiscal year.
But domestic buying could surge later this year as a better than expected monsoon is expected to increase disposable incomes of farmers in rural areas, who make up about 60 percent of Indian gold demand.
"My export orders are pending since last month, I'll request my bank to place an order for 20 kg tomorrow morning," said Kumar Jain, proprietor of Umed Exports, which ships jewellery to the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
In a more than 40-clause document, the customs department laid out details on authorised importers, bonds to be given by importers over duty payments and "surprise audit or checks" by custom officers to ensure compliance.
And in a clause that may cause problems it said importers would not be able to make a third order until they had evidence of payment to exporters in the form of an inward remittance certificate, which can take nine months.
"This will make our life difficult at the time of the third import," said Pankaj Kumar Parekh, vice-chairman of the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
Imports by special economic zones, which export about 20-30 tonnes a year, will not be included in the import restrictions. Domestic jewellery exports outside these areas are about 60-70 tonnes a year.

Moody's says India inflation and fiscal metrics remain weaker than peers

India's inflation and fiscal metrics remain weaker than peers, Moody's Investors Service said in a presentation on Wednesday.
A higher subsidy burden and lower growth will weaken the country's fiscal metrics, analyst Atsi Sheth said in the presentation.
Economists have been worried that the annual $20 billion food subsidy programme passed by lawmakers may widen the fiscal deficit.
The agency, however, said the country's current reserves can finance the current account and external debt payment needs.
Moody's has an investment grade rating on India with a stable outlook