Website review: http://www.indiastat.com

http://www.indiastat.com

West Bengal produces India's highest number of freshwater fish. That's just one of the savoury facts that can be found on this website, a virtual knowledge bank of India-specific socio-economic facts and figures, managed by Datanet India Private Limited. From the minutest details of India's administrative set-up to statistics on villages, this A - Z compendium is a treasure house for academics, researchers, policy makers and analysts. The data is collected from various reports, publications and policies by government, financial and trade bodies.This site is also the gateway to a host of associate sites, also managed by Datanet, dealing with more specific information on topics such as agriculture, tourism, health, women etc.

All this information, of course, comes at a price. This site can only be accessed by registered members. Annual membership fees are Rs 7,000 per year for bona fide researchers and Rs 9,500 for other individuals. As for freebies, there is a rather ominous population-watch ticker.

Still not convinced? Then read the testimonials by various members. This is a well-recommended site, although the fact that it has a price tag attached seems to be drawing some bad blood. Be that as it may, spend an hour on this site, and you'll know India better. As the site promises, it will reveal India...statistically.