RTI amendment Bill CONTEXT The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 that amends the Right to Information Act, 2005 has been introduced in Lok Sabha. What does the RTI Act do? Under the RTI Act, 2005, Public Authorities are required to make disclosures on various aspects of their structure and functioning. This includes: (i) disclosure… Continue reading [Burning Issue] RTI amendment Bill

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 Stringent punishments under POCSO Act In a historic decision to protect the children from Sexual offences, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi has approved the Amendments in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. It will make punishment more stringent for… Continue reading [Burning Issue] The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Application of Behavioural Economics in India The Economic Survey 2019 has drawn on Nobel Laureate Richard Thaler’s Behavioural Economics Theory to lay out what it describes as an “ambitious agenda” for behaviour change that will bring in social change, which in turn, will help India transit to a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25. Programmes such… Continue reading [Burning Issue] Application of Behavioural Economics in India

Triple Talaq Summary: The Supreme Court is all set to begin hearing arguments in Shayara Bano v. Union of India, which has popularly come to be known as the “triple talaq case”. This case, in which the constitutional validity of certain practices of Muslim personal law such as triple talaq, polygamy, and nikah halala has… Continue reading [Burning Issue] Triple Talaq

CONTEXT In early June, at a NITI Aayog meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a clear and bold economic target — to grow India into a $5 trillion economy by 2024. It is now for ‘Team India’, as the meeting was bannered, to translate this target into a plan and policies and programmes. What does… Continue reading [Burning Issue] 5 trillion Economy

News India has begun pre legislative consultations on a “Space Activities Bill” that is designed to encourage domestic private rocket and satellite companies to offer services for Indian and global customers. About the Space Activities Bill, 2017 The Bill will address the liability issues arising from their space activities, in a suitable/ rational manner, in… Continue reading [Burning Issue] Space Activities Bill

News The IT Ministry’s Bill on data protection is scheduled to be introduced in Parliament during the current session. Worldwide, the data flow debate is playing out at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and G20. Background RBI had in April last year asked payments firms to adhere to data localization norms, suggesting these companies had… Continue reading [Burning Issue ] Data localization

Bt Brinjal In News A month ago, Bt brinjal to resist the brinjal fruit and shoot borer (an insect), was found growing illegally in Haryana. This was a different Bt brinjal from the one developed by the Indian company, Mahyco, in which Monsanto has a 26% stake. What are Genetically Modified (GM) crops? GM is… Continue reading [Burning Issue] Bt Brinjal

India and SCO News PK Modi departed for the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the then security and economic architecture in the Eurasian region dissolved and new structures had to come up. The original… Continue reading [Burning Issue] India And Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) An epidemic of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has broken out in five north Bihar districts, with more than 50 children having died in the last nine days. Locally known as Chamki Bukhar, at least 400 children have died in the last one decade due to AES in these districts. What is… Continue reading [Burning Issue] Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)