Explained: India’s Afghan investment

As the Taliban push ahead with military offensives across Afghanistan, preparing to take over after the exit of US and NATO forces, India faces a situation in which it may lose all its stakes. India-Afghan ties After a break between 1996 and 2001, when India joined the world in shunning the previous Taliban regime (only… Continue reading

Sedition Law and its discontents

The CJI is now convinced that sedition law (IPC 124A) is being misused by the authorities to trample upon citizens’ fundamental rights of free speech and liberty. What does Section 124A of the IPC say? The section deals with the offence of sedition, a term that covers speech or writing, or any form of visible… Continue reading

Why the Amazon forests are no longer acting as a carbon sink

The Amazon forests in South America, which are the largest tropical forests in the world, have started emitting carbon dioxide (CO2) instead of absorbing carbon emissions. Note the countries bordered by the Amazon forests. Amazon forests The Amazon rainforest is a moist broadleaf tropical rainforest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon… Continue reading

What are Doppler Radars?

The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Doppler Radar in Mumbai, which surveys weather patterns and forecasts, stopped working after heavy rainfalls. How does a Doppler radar work? In radars, a beam of energy– called radio waves– is emitted from an antenna. When this beam strikes an object in the atmosphere, the energy scatters in all directions,… Continue reading

Issues with coercive Population Policy

Context Recently, the government of Uttar Pradesh released a “Population Policy” in which it stated its intention to bring the gross fertility rate in the State down from the existing 2.7 to 2.1 by 2026. Provisions in the Bill This draft law, titled the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilisation and Welfare) Bill, 2021, seeks to… Continue reading

The proposed e-commerce rules shield vested interests

Context The proposed Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, have been drafted ostensibly in the name of the consumer. The rules are driven more by the desire to shield the traditional brick-and-mortar stores, and handicap e-commerce firms, especially the foreign ones. Issues with the provisions of draft Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 1) Fall-back liability clause… Continue reading

Amnesty Scheme for violators of Environment Norms

The union environment ministry has put together an amnesty scheme for infrastructure and industrial projects that have violated environmental clearance (EC) norms for Environment Impact Assessment. What is the Scheme? The new amnesty scheme empowers regulatory institutions at both central and state levels: (1) To identify and report cases of violation It refers to identify,… Continue reading

Dismissal of govt employees: What the Constitution says

Lt Governor has dismissed 11 Jammu and Kashmir government employees for alleged terror links under provisions of Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution. What is Article 311? Article 311 of the Constitution deals with ‘Dismissal, removal or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State’. Under Article 311(2), no… Continue reading

[pib] Commission for Sub-categorization within OBCs gets another extension

The Union Cabinet has approved of the term of the Commission constituted under Article 340 of the Constitution to examine the issue of Sub-categorization within Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the Central List. What is the Sub-categorization of OBCs? OBCs are granted 27% reservation in jobs and education under the central government. In September 20202,… Continue reading

Growth matters but income levels matter more

Context But the quest for sustained higher growth has been elusive for India for the last five years. The pandemic seems to make it more elusive. The magnitude of contraction in the economy There is nothing encouraging in the provisional estimates of annual national income (2020-21), released by the National Statistical Office. The agriculture sector… Continue reading

SEBI needs to adopt dual approval system for independent directors

Context While the regulators have taken giant strides to enhance board independence in India, one significant conundrum persists about appoint and removal process of the independent directors. How appointment and removal process affects the independence of independent directors? Independent directors are appointed just like other directors through shareholder voting by a simple majority. This confers… Continue reading

Bhutan becomes first neighbor to use BHIM UPI

Bhutan becomes the first country, in India’s immediate neighbourhood, to use the BHIM app for mobile-based payments and “to adopt UPI standards for its QR deployment”. Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) BHIM is an Indian mobile payment App developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), based on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). Named… Continue reading

What is UV-C technology?

The Union Ministry for Science and Technology has informed that Ultraviolet-C or UV-C Disinfection Technology will soon be installed in Parliament for the mitigation of airborne transmission of SARS-COV-2. UV-C air duct disinfection system The UV-C air duct disinfection system was developed by CSIR-CSIO (Central Scientific Instruments Organisation). The system is designed to fit into… Continue reading

What is lightning, and how does it strike?

With the monsoon making a slow revival over several parts of India, except the northwest region, there is a rise in lightning-linked deaths. What is lightning? Lightning is a very rapid — and massive — discharge of electricity in the atmosphere, some of which is directed towards the Earth’s surface. These discharges are generated in… Continue reading

Case for an anti-discrimination law

Context “Silent segregation” on the grounds of marital status, gender, sexual orientation or eating preferences are followed in several housing societies and residents’ associations. Legal remedies are needed for its victims. Issue of the prevalence of discrimination on various grounds The recent Pew Research Center Report has confirmed that a substantial number of Indians prefer not to… Continue reading

Arbitration in India: Issues

Context Plagued by delays and rising costs, arbitration in India needs urgent attention. The pandemic has only worsened the situation. Issues with arbitrations process in India Arbitrations in India suffers from rising costs and sluggish proceedings. Arbitration proceedings are often dragged on by lawyers on either side filing misconceived applications at various stages of the… Continue reading

New Ministry of Cooperation should enable people to leverage community networks

Context India now has a Ministry of Cooperation that aims to strengthen the country’s cooperative movement. This is an opportune moment to look at the movement’s history, examine the potential of cooperatives and analyse the challenges they face. Development of Farmer Producer Companies in India India’s significant tryst with dairy cooperatives began in the 1950s… Continue reading

Uttar Pradesh Population Policy 2021-2030

On World Population Day, Uttar Pradesh CM has released the state’s new population policy, which aims to reduce its growth rate to 2.1 per cent over the next 10 years. Why UP needs such policy? Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has a population of around 220 million. In Uttar Pradesh, there are limited ecological… Continue reading

How China eliminated malaria and the road ahead for India

Recently, El Salvador and China were declared malaria-free by the WHO. What is Malaria? Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite called plasmodium vivax, p. filarium. The parasite is spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. People who have malaria usually feel very sick with a high fever and shaking chills. While… Continue reading

EAM hands over relics of 17th century Georgian Queen St. Ketevan to Georgia

After a long-standing request of Georgia, External Affairs Minister handed over the holy relics of 17th century Georgian Queen St. Ketevan nearly 16 years after they were found in Goa. Who was St. Ketevan? Queen Ketevan was a 17th century Georgian Queen. From Kakheti, a kingdom in eastern Georgia, she was tortured and killed in… Continue reading

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