Widening data divide between state and citizens

Context While this year’s Economic Survey focuses on improving the quality and quantity of data for better and quicker assessment of the state of the economy, it pays little attention to access to the data by citizens, ignoring the criticality of data for a healthy and informed public discourse on issues of policy relevance. Strengthening… Continue reading

Hate speech

Context Hate speech is at the root of many forms of violence that are being perpetrated and has become one of the biggest challenges to the rule of law and to our democratic conscience. Consequences of hate speech Electoral mobilisation along the communal line: One of the most visible consequences of hate speech is increased… Continue reading

Inter-State collaboration to deal with air pollution

Context With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governing both Delhi and Punjab, collaboration for clean air should be the mantra for both State governments. Impact of air pollution on Delhi and Punjab Punjab is home to nine of the 132 most polluted cities in the country identified by the Central Pollution Control Board. In 2019,… Continue reading

Russia warns against NATO enlargement

One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies warned NATO that if Sweden and Finland joined the US-led military alliance then Russia would have to bolster its defences in the region, including by deploying nuclear weapons. Why in news? Finland, which shares a 1,300-km border with Russia, and Sweden are considering joining the NATO alliance.… Continue reading

What is the ‘Long Period Average’, IMD’s benchmark for monsoon prediction?

India is likely to receive a normal monsoon for the fourth consecutive year, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its first Long Range Forecast (LRF) for this year. What is Long Period Average (LPA)? The IMD predicts a “normal”, “below normal”, or “above normal” monsoon in relation to a benchmark “long period average” (LPA).… Continue reading

[pib] SVANidhi se Samriddhi Program

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ program in additional 126 cities across 14 States/ UTs. About PM SVANidhi Scheme The Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s Atmanirbhar Nidhi Scheme is aimed at benefiting over 50 lakh vendors who had their businesses operational on or before March 24 2020. It is… Continue reading

[Sansad TV] Perspective: The Sri Lankan Default

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context After weeks of economic turmoil, Sri Lanka announced that it would be defaulting on all of its external debt worth $51 billion. After running out of foreign exchange for imports, Colombo called the move a last resort. The island nation is… Continue reading

Time Banking as a Crucial Tool to Empower Women

This newscard is an excerpt of an article originally published in the Down To Earth. Defining Work ‘Work’ was defined by Spanish economist Lourdes Beneria in 1999 as a paid economic activity linked to the market. Both paid and unpaid work, however, are constituents of our economic life. This leads to an ecosystem where unpaid… Continue reading

Nod to extend Gram Swaraj Scheme

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a proposal to continue the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), a scheme for improving the governance capabilities of Panchayati Raj institutions, till 2025-26. What is RGSA? The RGSA, a centrally sponsored scheme, was first approved by the Union Cabinet in 2018 for implementation from 2018-19 to 2021-22.… Continue reading

Festivals in news: Madhavpur Mela

The Madhavpur Mela was recently inaugurated by the President of India. In the entire country, there is no other fair which the President and host of Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of a number of states visit. What is the Madhavpur Mela? The Mela is a religio-cultural fair taking place every year in Madhavpur, a… Continue reading

[Yojana Archive] Strengthening Federalism

Context Cooperation and competition are the two sides of the same coin— ‘Federalism’. Both are essential to take the ‘New India’ march forward economically and socially. While on the one hand the States need to be assisted with resources and sound policy advice, on the other they need to be encouraged to improve their performance.… Continue reading

The impact of the CUET is likely to be harsher on disadvantaged sections

Context The introduction of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) can be seen as a step in the direction of aligning India with international standards. About CUET The UGC’s rationale for introducing the test is to address the disparity in the allocation of marks by different examination boards, and provide a “level playing field” to… Continue reading

IRMS

Context A recent Gazette notification regarding the creation of the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) marks a paradigm shift in the management of one of the world’s largest rail networks. About the merger and IRMS A nearly 8,000 strong cadre of the erstwhile eight services is now merged into one. Eight out of 10 Group-A… Continue reading

Addressing Duty Anomalies in Trade Deals

India has long suffered the anomaly of imported raw material being taxed more than the finished product. Economists call it the inverted duty structure. A spate of free trade agreements (FTAs) in the past have not helped. Are the new ones any better? What is the inverted duty structure? An inverted duty structure comes up… Continue reading

Understanding Software Copyright and Licences

This newscard is an excerpt from the original article published in The Hindu. Does software have copyright? Even more specifically, is the Internet free inspite of software copyright? Are software programming languages free of cost? How does copyright apply to software? Software licensing A copyright gives a creator the legal right to own, distribute and… Continue reading

SC to look into easing Adoption Methodology

The Supreme Court has decided to examine a plea to simplify the legal process for the adoption of children in the country. Why in news? The petition filed said that there were only 4,000 child adoptions annually though there were 3 crore orphan children in the country. The Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance (CARING)… Continue reading

NITI Aayog publishes Energy and Climate Index List

Gujarat has topped the list for larger States in the NITI Aayog’s State Energy and Climate Index–Round 1 that has ranked States and Union Territories (UTs) on certain parameters. State Energy and Climate Index The States have been categorized based on size and geographical differences as larger and smaller States and UTs. The index is… Continue reading

How ancient megalithic jars connect Assam with Laos and Indonesia

The discovery of a number of megalithic stone jars in Assam’s Dima Hasao district has brought to focus possible links between India’s Northeast and Southeast Asia, dating back to the second millennium BC. What is the news? According to a study in Asian Archaeology, the jars are a “unique archaeological phenomenon”. It calls for more… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] India-Nepal Relations

UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here) Context The Prime Minister of Nepal made his first bilateral visit abroad to India since taking his oath in July 2021. The visit was a success in terms of launching connectivity projects and signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). Bilateral dialogues, strengthened economic connections and… Continue reading

Care economy

Context The importance of care work is now widely acknowledged and covered in various international commitments such as the SDGs. However, the investment in the care economy has not matched the pace. Significance of care work Care work encompasses direct activities such as feeding a baby or nursing an ill partner, and indirect care activities… Continue reading

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