New Delhi, Feb. 1 -- Mental health issues and poor lifestyle choices are costing India billions in lost productivity, with some workers missing up to 15 workdays monthly, according to the government's annual Economic Survey released on Friday, which proposed a "health tax" to combat one of these aspects - the surging consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

In the economic survey 2024-25 tabled in parliament on Friday, the government cited a 2023 World Health Organisation report to highlight how India's consumption of ultra-processed foods has skyrocketed from USD 900 million in 2006 to USD 37.9 billion in 2019, marking a staggering annual growth rate exceeding 33 per cent, according to.

"A higher tax rate for UPFs may also be consi...