What is the Sovereign Right to Taxation?

Scrapping the retrospective levy is believed to provide clarity to investors by removing a major source of ambiguity on taxation laws, the government has stressed the need to establish its “sovereign right to taxation”. Defining a Tax A document on the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation website quotes the definition of tax as a… Continue reading

Exercise Al–Mohed Al–Hindi

The maiden bilateral naval exercise between India and Saudi Arabia named ‘AL–Mohed AL–Hindi’ has got underway. Must read: [Prelims Spotlight] Various Defence Exercises in News Ex Al-Mohed AI-Hindi 2021 This is the first edition of a bilateral naval exercise between India and Saudi Arabia. It comprises several shore and sea-based drills between the two navies.… Continue reading

Bringing Minority Schools under RTE

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has recommended that Minority Schools be brought under Right to Education and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. What is the report? The report is titled “Impact of Exemption under Article 15 (5) with regards to Article 21A of the Constitution of India on Education of Children in Minority… Continue reading

Quality of Life for Elderly Index

Quality of Life for Elderly Index was released by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM). Quality of Life for Elderly Index The Index has been created by the Institute for Competitiveness at the request of EAC-PM and it sheds light on an issue often not mentioned- problems faced by the elderly. The… Continue reading

[pib] Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA)

The Election Commission of India has handed over the Chair of FEMBoSA to the Election Commission of Bhutan for 2021-22. What is FEMBoSA? Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) was established at the 3rd Conference of Heads of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of SAARC Countries in 2012. The forum aims to… Continue reading

Issues related to Judicial appointment in India

Context Recommendations of some judges for appointment by the collegium raises the issue of changes in the collegium system. Background of the collegium system During the 1970s, the political leaning of a candidate had become a major consideration in the matter of appointment of judges. Therefore, it was felt that the role of the state… Continue reading

Unpacking the resiliency of global trade

Context Past experiences suggest there is hope for global trade recovery in the post-COVID-19 world. Impact of pandemic on the global and Indian economy In the last year, the devastating impact of COVID-19 pandemic has shrunk the world economy by 4.4% and global trade by 5.3%. Job losses in the world have been estimated to… Continue reading

What is India Plastics Pact?

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has long been at the forefront of having an India Plastic Pact. What are Plastics Pacts? The Plastics Pacts are business-led initiatives and transform the plastics packaging value chain for all formats and products. The Pacts bring together everyone from across the plastics value chain to implement practical solutions.… Continue reading

Ujjwala 2.0 Scheme

Prime Minister has launched the second phase of the Ujjwala gas connection scheme for the poor and said it would provide the biggest relief to lakhs of migrant worker families in the country. Ujjwala 2.0 Under Ujjwala 2.0 migrant workers would no longer have to struggle to get address proof documents to get the gas… Continue reading

Issues related to people with disabilities

Context Twenty years ago on August 6 in Erwadi in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram, a fire broke out in a thatched shelter, engulfing 43 chained people who had psychosocial disabilities. Legal provision for the persons with disabilities India ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2007. The Rights of Persons with… Continue reading

A circular economy for plastic

Context The India Plastics Pact, the first in Asia, will be launched in September at the CII Annual Sustainability Summit. Issue of plastic waste A 2019 report by the Center for International Environmental Law suggests that by 2050, greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatonnes, 10-13% of the remaining carbon budget. Connection… Continue reading

Five-point Framework for Maritime Security

A week into India’s United Nations Security Council (UNSC) presidency, PM Modi has outlined a five-point framework for maritime security debate at UNSC. Maritime Security Maritime security is one of the latest buzzwords of international relations. Major actors in maritime policy, ocean governance and international security have in the past decade started to include… Continue reading

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

According to the IPCC’s Report (AR6), the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), is losing its stability. What is AMOC? The AMOC is a large system of ocean currents. It is the Atlantic branch of the ocean conveyor belt or Thermohaline circulation (THC), and distributes heat and nutrients throughout the world’s ocean basins. AMOC carries warm… Continue reading

Government e-Marketplace (GeM) System

The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) system has resulted in a 10% savings in public procurement costs in five years. Government e-Marketplace GeM is an online platform for public procurement in India by various Government Departments / Organizations / PSUs. The initiative was launched on August 9, 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry with the… Continue reading

[pib] PM-DAKSH Scheme

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the ‘PM-DAKSH’ Portal and ‘PM-DAKSH’ Mobile App. About PM-DAKSH Scheme The PM-DAKSH stands for Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana. It is being implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from the year 2020-21. Under this scheme, eligible target group are… Continue reading

[pib] Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana

The Ministry of Rural Development has taken several measures for the successful implementation of the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) Gram Panchayats. Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) SAGY is a village development project launched in October 2014, under which each Member of Parliament will take the responsibility of developing physical and institutional infrastructure in three… Continue reading

[pib] Definition of Minority

The Ministry of Minority Affairs has provided some useful information about various initiatives for minorities. A very interesting fact found in the article is that Minorities are identified by the States and not the Centre! Defining a minority community The Central has notified minority communities at the national level in consultation with various stakeholders under… Continue reading

India’s technical education: Issues and Suggestions

Context This year, AICTE approved the closure of 63 engineering colleges across the country. Deterioration of quality Tweaking with curriculum: Private entrepreneurs took the lead to meet the growing demand of the country in technical education in the mid-Eighties, but with little idea of the subject. Subjects like materials, applied physics and thermodynamics which forms… Continue reading

The sovereign right to tax is not absolute

Context A bill introduced in Parliament last week aims to nullify the 2012 amendment in the Income Tax Act which made the income tax law retroactively applicable on indirect transfer of Indian assets. Issue of taxation as a sovereign right of the state Several Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) tribunals have recognised the fundamental principle that… Continue reading

IPCC’s Climate Assessment Report

The Geneva-based Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release the first part of its Sixth Assessment Report, the periodic status check that has now become the most widely accepted scientific view of the state of the Earth’s climate. What is IPCC? The IPCC, an intergovernmental body was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological… Continue reading

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