Telecommunication Consumers Education and Protection Fund (TCEPF)

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has informed that telecom service providers will need to deposit all unclaimed money of consumers, including excess charges and security deposit, in the Telecommunication Consumers Education and Protection Fund (TCEPF). Telecommunication Consumers Education and Protection Fund (TCEPF) The TCEPF Regulations, 2007 have been amended to provide the basic… Continue reading

Yada Yada Virus

A new virus detected in Australian mosquitoes has been provisionally named the Yada Yada virus (YYV). Yada Yada It is an alphavirus, a group of viruses that the researchers described as small, single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses. It includes species important to human and animal health, such as Chikungunya virus and Eastern equine encephalitis virus. They… Continue reading

[op-ed of the day] Preventing mob lynching

Context The spate of incidents of lynching over the past few years has led to a heightened sense of insecurity among the marginalised communities. The Centre should specify penal action against officials and doctors accused of dereliction of duty. 2018 Supreme Court Judgement In 2018, the Supreme Court described lynching as a “horrendous act of mobocracy”.… Continue reading

[op-ed snap] Maoist rebellion: policy fade-out, policy fade-in

Context When much is made of peace talks with rebels in Northeast India, avoidance of peace talks with Maoist rebels is strange. States left to deal with the Maoists Scale and extent of the problem: Officially in 2019, there are 11 states and 90 affected districts. State subject: This is because policing and maintaining law… Continue reading

Agreement to end the Bru-Reang Refugee Crisis

The Ministry of Home Affairs has presided over the signing of an agreement between Union Government, Governments of Tripura and Mizoram and Bru-Reang representatives to end the 23-year old Bru-Reang refugee crisis. Who are the Brus? Reangs or Brus are the second largest ethnic group in Mizoram. Their exodus in 1997 was spurred by violent… Continue reading

Suspension of the Internet: What the Rules say, what the SC underlined

Women Business and the Law (WBL) Index 2020

The Women Business and the Law (WBL) 2020 index to measure the economic empowerment of women was recently published. WBL Index The WBL report released by the World Bank. It is based on the countries’ formal laws and regulations that have a bearing on women’s economic participation, covering eight areas (eg, parenthood, equality of pay).… Continue reading

[pib] Assam Inland Water Transport Project

India and the World Bank signed a loan agreement of $88 million for Assam Inland Water Transport Project. Assam Inland Water Transport Project A majority of Assam’s more than 361 ferry routes cross the Brahmaputra or serve its islands, providing a crucial means of transport to thousands of commuters in both the urban and rural… Continue reading

[op-ed of the day] Let’s not muddle along on how we share natural endowments

Context Governments regulations and restrictions in the markets, believing that policies could artificially restrict either supply or demand, or both, often results in unrealistic or unworkable prices. Adoption of the auctioning process to allocate resources Design of process makes the difference: While auctions may be the cleanest way to allot scarce natural resources to private… Continue reading

[op-ed snap] Reset and reform

Context With the Indian economy caught in the middle of a socio-economic upheaval, the government needs to make its focus on the economy clear and pronounced. India in the middle of a socio-economic upheaval Weakening economy: The economy has been weakening for a couple of years now. Social upheaval: The social upheaval is new but… Continue reading

Explained: What is the NIA Act, and why is Chhattisgarh challenging it?

The Chhattisgarh state govt. moved the Supreme Court against the 2008 National Investigative Agency (NIA) Act, stating it is violative of the Constitution. In its civil suit, the government told the apex court the NIA should have no power over state policing matters. What is the NIA Act, 2008? The NIA Act, 2008 governs the… Continue reading

Indian Origin Tamils and Sri Lanka’s Citizenship Law

Recently an MHA spokesperson wrote on Twitter that about 4.61 lakh Tamils of Indian origin were given Indian citizenship during 1964-2008. The reference was to the Indian Origin Tamils (IOTs) of Sri Lanka, and the Lal Bahadur Shastri-Sirimavo Bandaranaike Pact of 1964. The Indian Origin Tamils Different from Sri Lankan Tamils who live predominantly in… Continue reading

Exercise ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’

Exercise ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’ Indian and Japanese coast guards participated in a joint exercise ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’ on January 16. The aim behind ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’ is to strengthen the bond between the two countries. One ship of the Japanese Coast Guard and four ships and an aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard participated in the joint exercise. The drill is… Continue reading

[op-ed of the day] GST may not have been revenue-neutral

Context In theory, the shift to GST made eminent sense, yet in practice, some of these expectations have been belied. Why have GST collections not measured up to expectations? This could be due to a combination of three factors: First: The tax rates under GST are lower than in the earlier regime-GST was not revenue… Continue reading

[op-ed snap] A rough patch

Context High inflation has reduced the fiscal space available for a rate cut. RBI target of 6% breached. CPI at 7.35 %: Retail inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), has surged to 7.35 per cent in December 2019. Latest inflation data seems to corroborate fears articulated by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)… Continue reading

[op-ed snap] Not ready for school

Context The draft NEP (National Education Policy) document points out that close to five crore children currently in elementary school do not have foundational literacy and numeracy skills. Severe learning crisis: The document cites several possible reasons for this crisis. First reason: Many children enter school before age six. Lack of options: This is partly… Continue reading

Explained: Article 131, on which Kerala has based its challenge to the CAA

The Kerala government moved the Supreme Court against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act becoming the first state to challenge the law. It filed a petition under Article 131 of the Constitution and asked for the law to be declared unconstitutional and in violation of Articles 14 (equality before law), 21 (protection of life and personal liberty)… Continue reading

National Policy for the treatment of 450 ‘Rare Diseases’

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has published a national policy for the treatment of 450 ‘rare diseases’. About the Policy The Centre first prepared such a policy in 2017 and appointed a committee in 2018 to review it. It was created on the direction of the Delhi High Court to the Ministry… Continue reading

Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2019

The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2019 (rural) was recently released by NGO Pratham. Highlights of the report Only 16% of children in Class 1 in 26 surveyed rural districts can read text at the prescribed level, while almost 40% cannot even recognise letters. Only 41% of these children could recognise two digit numbers.… Continue reading

Classical languages in India

Recently in a Marathi literary festival, a resolution was passed demanding its declaration as a ‘Classical’ language. ‘Classical’ languages in India Currently, six languages enjoy the ‘Classical’ status: Tamil (declared in 2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014). How are they classified? According to information provided by the Ministry of… Continue reading

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