Feb 28, 2015
Feb 27, 2015
Oriental Insurance Recruitment 2015
Recruitment of Administrative Officers (Scale-I)-2015 in Oriental Insurance
Last Date - 20 March 2015
News Bits - 27 feb 2015
- Investigations into document thefts from ministries widened with the arrest of two more persons from the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the UPSC. Jitender Nagpal, PS to Joint Secretary in the Forest and Environment Ministry, and Vipan Kumar, PA to a UPSC member, were arrested on Thursday morning.
- Ukraine’s military said on Thursday it was starting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the frontline with pro-Russian rebels, a key step in a stuttering peace plan.
- NSE to set up international exchange in Gujarat
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), on Thursday, penalised the real estate major, DLF, and other connected entities by levying a penalty of Rs.86 crore for violating capital market regulations by engaging in fraudulent and unfair trade practices.
- To mark the occasion of 100 years of the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa, the Indian Railways will promote the Gandhi circuit.
Feb 26, 2015
News Bits - 26 Feb 2015
- Article 370 to stay, Centre tells Rajya Sabha.
- Delhi power tariff cut by 50 per cent; 20,000 litres of free water to every household.
- Efforts have been redoubled by the Forest Department of Haryana government to bring the mythical Saraswati river to the surface by creating a stream at its point of origin at Saraswati Udgam Sthal in the Adi Badri area of Yamunanagar district.
- Nearly 47% out of Maharashtra’s total employed population, which is
[Ed] Strategic patience on nuclear liability
The breakthrough in the nuclear liability issue is not a solution but a declaration of intent to resolve difficult issues. The final settlement may come at a different time under different leaderships. For the present, it is important to keep the dialogue going for the greater good of India and the U.S., and it may have value which goes beyond nuclear trade
A month after the “breakthrough understanding” on the nuclear liability issue was announced by U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, its practical value
A month after the “breakthrough understanding” on the nuclear liability issue was announced by U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, its practical value
[Ed] Empowering the States
The broad contours of a cooperative federal polity where the Centre and States engage as equal partners in development is now emerging after the government on Tuesday accepted the recommendations of the Fourteenth Finance Commission. The FFC, headed by former RBI Governor Y.V. Reddy, has broken new ground by recommending a move away from scheme and grants-based support to States to a greater devolution of funds from the Centre’s divisible pool of
The Hindu New - 26 Feb 2015
Eric S. Lander, one of the principal leaders of the Human Genome Project that mapped the entire human genetic code in 2003, said on Wednesday that the “real genome project” is about studying huge samples of genomic data to identify disease genes.
While phenomenal technological advances had helped reduce the cost of genome sequencing by a million-fold over the last decade, allowing
Feb 25, 2015
CAPF 2014 Final Result
UPSC Declared Final Result of CAPF (AC) 2014
Total Number of Selection = 105
Click Here to See the result
Total Number of Selection = 105
Click Here to See the result
News Bits - 25 Feb 2015
- Land and Coal Bills introduced in Lok Sabha.
- Corals in the Great Barrier Reef are eating small plastic debris in the ocean, Australian researchers said on Tuesday raising fears about the impact the indigestible fragments have on their health and other marine life.
- A gold-painted Chinese statue of a Buddha in sitting position hides the mummified remains of a high-status monk who lived nearly 1,000 years ago, scientists have found.
- Not for the first time, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has asked the Coal Ministry to not auction the
[Ed] Getting the Railways back on track
Eight suggestions to reform the current rail structure in tune with the needs of the 21st century
Indian Railways is more than 150 years old and has played a vital role in the socio-economic development of the country. Today, the Railways is one of the largest rail networks in the world, transporting around 23 million passengers every day and employing 1.4 million people.
The Railway Board single-handedly manages the railway network consisting of 17 zones and 68 divisions. Since Independence, the growth of the railway system has been
[Ed] Food insecurity and statistical fog
The implementation of the National Food Security Act is mired in apathy and confusion. A grave injustice is being done to millions of people who live on the margin of subsistence. It is not too late to remove the roadblocks, but this requires a sense of urgency
An odd silence has surrounded the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the last few months — as if food insecurity were a thing of the past. It may be recalled that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), far from opposing the Act, vociferously demanded a more comprehensive law when the NFSA was being discussed in Parliament in 2013. In some States, notably Chhattisgarh,
The Hindu News - 25 Feb 2015
Can’t continue in present state: Pachauri
In his resignation letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday, R.K. Pachauri, Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said he had intended to resign in November 2014.
In his letter, he said: “The IPCC needs strong leadership and dedication of time and full attention by the Chair in the immediate future, which under the current circumstances I may be unable to provide, as shown by my inability to travel to Nairobi to chair the plenary session of the
Feb 24, 2015
News Bits - 24 Feb 2015
- IBA (Indian Banks’ Association) signs pact with bank unions ; 15 per cent increase in pay slip ; 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month will be holidays and the remaining Saturdays will be full working days.
- The official secrets smuggling case on Monday spread to three more Ministries — Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy — as the Delhi Police found out that documents from these ministries were also being leaked and sold off.
- Centre hints at joint session route for Bills ; will move motions to
[Ed] The rise of the liberal-right intellectual
The left-liberal variety of public intellectualism has declined in India because of the revival of the liberal-right and neoliberal changes after 1991
Professor Romila Thapar in a recent article (“To Question or Not to Question? That is the Question”) laments the decline of public intellectuals in India. She accuses them of remaining silent in the face of authoritarian governance and narrowing liberal spaces, noting that “...books are banned and
[Ed] Secrecy and information theft
Though the new government at the Centre has done a lot to block unauthorised access to government offices, the recent incident of the loss of data from a key Ministry shows that loopholes are still being exploited and much ground needs to be covered in terms of enhancing security
Government offices the world over are notoriously porous. Even those which boast of a high standard of physical security sometimes do not have a matching ability to protect their information systems. WikiLeaks is a striking example of how even one of the most
The Hindu News - 24 Feb 2015
Centre hints at joint session route for Bills
To withdraw three of them from the Rajya Sabha
After failing to breach opposition ranks to secure support for a slew of controversial Bills, the Modi government on Monday decided against taking any chances.
On Tuesday, it will move motions to withdraw three Bills intended to replace ordinances from the Rajya Sabha — Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill and
Feb 23, 2015
News Bits - 23 Feb 2015
- States’ climate action plans to be approved soon
- India’s position underscoring the historical responsibilities of developing countries in the context of climate change was up against proposed dilutions to that concept notably by the U.S. and the European Union at the recent climate talks in Geneva.
- Ordinance route unacceptable: Opposition.
- An affidavit filed by the Union Agriculture Ministry in the Supreme Court says the government has done enough and more to
[Ed] The cost of negligence
The failure of successive governments in India, especially those in States that have the highest mortality rates among children younger than five years, to address the critical issue of training health-care providers in rural areas to correctly diagnose and treat children suffering from diarrhoea and pneumonia, has had tragic consequences. These ailments account for the maximum number of under-5 mortality incidence in the country. That the poor management of sick children by
[Ed] Look beyond the usual numbers
Recent data releases — the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for December, 2014; Consumer Price Index (CPI); and Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for January - can hardly be called routine. The IIP, which measures the industrial output, was up by 1.7 per cent on a year-on-year basis, down from 3.9 per cent in November, while CPI inflation increased to 5.11 per cent in January. Inflation based on the WPI contracted by 0.4 per cent, pushing it into
The Hindu News - 23 Feb 2015
States’ climate action plans to be approved soon
The Union Environment Ministry will soon approve plans from various States to tackle climate change and an additional Rs.150 crore has been sought in this budget for the National Adaptation Fund.
Official sources said of the 31 States and Union Territories that had submitted plans, 23 were approved and the rest would be passed shortly. However, the Centre does not propose to fund any of these State action plans and it is basically an articulation of their vision. These will be linked to national climate change missions on adaptation and funds could also come from the Green Climate Fund. It’s more a wish list of
Feb 22, 2015
News Bits - 22 Feb 2015
- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has told Bangladesh that breakthroughs will be achieved in the Teesta water-sharing deal and the Land Boundary Agreement, which have been hanging fire since she blocked them four years ago.
- For the second successive day, China has protested Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh on Friday, calling the journey a breach of consensus that had been reached between the two countries on the boundary issue.
- Leaders of the Janata Parivar will be in Patna on Sunday for the swearing-in of Nitish Kumar as
The Hindu News - 22 Feb 2015
Mamata relents on Teesta deal, LBA
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has told Bangladesh that breakthroughs will be achieved in the Teesta water-sharing deal and the Land Boundary Agreement, which have been hanging fire since she blocked them four years ago.
Meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina exclusively for half an hour at the end of her three-day visit here on Saturday, Ms. Banerjee said the Land Boundary Agreement was likely to go through in
Feb 21, 2015
News Bits - 21 Feb 2015
- India Signs Loan Agreement with Asian Development Bank for $50 Million Loan To Boost Power Generation Capacity in Assam .
- Indian Insurance Companies (Foreign Investment) Rules, 2015 Notified; Foreign Equity Investment Cap of 49 Per Cent Applicable to All Indian Insurance Companies; Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Proposals up to 26 Per Cent of the Total Paid-Up Equity of the Indian Insurance Company Allowed on the Automatic Route, and FDI Proposals which take the Total Foreign Investment Above 26 Per Cent and up to the Cap of 49 Per Cent Shall Require FIPB Approval.
- The Delhi Police recovered two boxes full of confidential papers on petrol, coal and
[Ed] A thoughtful Obama
If taken at face value, President Barack Obama’s closing address to the Summit on Countering Violent Extremism could signal a repositioning of the official White House line on the war against global terrorism. The President’s speech was a carefully calibrated response to the recent wave of attacks by militants from the Islamic State (IS) in those countries that are part of the U.S.-led war in Syria and Iraq. Rather than the shrill notes of threat and retribution that usually attend U.S. policy rhetoric on the global war on terror, what the
[Ed] Dealing with broken marriages
Shelving the decision to allow an amendment of the marriage laws to include ‘irretrievable breakdown’ as an additional ground for seeking divorce will be a regrettable step. This progressive amendment, conceived mainly on the recommendation of the Law Commission and on the strength of suggestions from the Supreme Court in a number of cases based on the experience of administering divorce laws, would help expedite what has always been a difficult and
The Hindu News - 21 Feb 2015
China on Friday expressed its “diametrical opposition” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that China had lodged “strong representation with India,” that it was “not conducive to properly resolving and controlling disputes between the two sides, nor in conformity with the general situation of growth of
Feb 20, 2015
News Bits - 20 Feb 2015
- The denial of visa to Peoples Democratic Party spokesperson Naeem Akhtar is in line with a toughening of Pakistan’s position over the past year on Jammu and Kashmir, especially after the cancellation of Foreign Secretary-level talks by India over High Commissioner Abdul Basit’s discussions with Hurriyat leaders.
- The outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) has called a ‘Dandakaranya Bandh’ for Friday in protest against the Polavaram dam project and the “all-out war” by the Government of India to
The Hindu News - 20 Feb 2015
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly contained strong allegations of
[Ed] Judiciary: the biggest economic bottleneck
The best way to deal with case backlog is to create a collaborative environment, as demonstrated in income tax matters
The country’s legal and judicial systems play a crucial role in deciding the pace and quality of its economic performance. The World Bank Report on Doing Business has identified streamlined court processes and faster contract enforcements as the paramount factor shaping efficient and
The country’s legal and judicial systems play a crucial role in deciding the pace and quality of its economic performance. The World Bank Report on Doing Business has identified streamlined court processes and faster contract enforcements as the paramount factor shaping efficient and
[Ed] Slow take-off
At Aero India 2015 in Bangalore, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar announced that a decision on India’s $20 billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal would be made soon, after the contract negotiation committee’s final report, due by end-February or early March. Reports indicate that the defence ministry has realised that the French Rafale, chosen as the lowest bidder, will
[Ed] Band-aid solutions for health problems
The Draft National Health Policy 2015 fails to tackle head-on the core problem of the Indian health system: its management, administration and overall governance structure
The Draft National Health Policy of 2015 released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, is a comprehensive document. So comprehensive, in fact, that it says too little by saying too much. A National Heath Policy is commonly read as a political statement which is meant to provide a vision to the long-term health strategy for the country. The latest health policy speaks about a wide variety of issues that plague our health-care system — low public
[Ed] Maximum City
Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray has given a new spin to the term SEZ. His proposal to make Mumbai truly the Maximum City and open up select non-residential areas for a vibrant nightlife has been welcomed widely in Mumbai, especially by the young. He wants business districts such as Kala Ghoda, Nariman Point and the Marine Drive promenade in South Mumbai, and the Bandra Kurla Complex and the Carter Road promenade in the western suburbs to come alive at
Feb 19, 2015
News Bits - 19 Feb 2015
- Faced with the unenviable task of persuading recalcitrant Opposition leaders to help the government convert six ordinances into Acts of Parliament, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has called an all-party meeting on Sunday , Bills have to be passed within six weeks of the opening of the session.
- India-Israel ties out in the open, says Ya’alon.
- Stressing on the need for domestic manufacture of defence equipment to equip the country for the future, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon foreign defence manufacturers to become strategic partners as he
The Hindu News - 19 Feb 2015
Another tussle on the cards over ordinances
Faced with the unenviable task of persuading recalcitrant Opposition leaders to help the government convert six ordinances into Acts of Parliament, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has called an all-party meeting on Sunday. This will be followed by a dinner hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to drive home the same message.
Time is of the essence as the ordinances must be converted into law in the first half of the session ending March 20 as they have to be passed within six weeks of
[Ed] Pharma needs the right prescription
The existing three-tier review system for obtaining product patents should be simplified as in US and Europe
The NDA Government’s hallmark ‘Make in India’ programme can potentially be a game-changer in fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of transforming the currently anaemic $2 trillion economy into a $20 trillion power house.
Achieving this vision would necessitate a sustained, year-on-year growth of 9 per cent going forward. The pharmaceuticals and biotechnology sectors can play a significant role in
[Ed] In the beginning, there was the world
A new gospel?
Well, sort of. It’s about a new theory in physics which says the Big Bang never happened.
I knew this! And God said, Let there be light...
Hold on. This new theory only says the Big Bang may not have occurred the way we thought it did. In fact, the new theory says the universe always existed.
Mea Culpa! But who says this?
Physicists Ahmed Farag Ali from Benha University and the Zewail City of Science and
[Ed] Politics of rape in Kashmir
The ‘high-profile’ cases of sexual violence in the Kashmir Valley show a pattern of intimidation and threats that have been deployed by the government, the police and the military so that the cases do not reach the trial stage
Last year at a seminar in Srinagar, women from Kunan-Poshpora, twin villages in Kupwara district of Kashmir, publicly recounted the night of February 23, 1991, when soldiers of the Indian Army invaded their lives, privacy and dignity. Masquerading as a “cordon and search operation to
Feb 18, 2015
News Bits - 18 Feb 2015
- Electronic gas detectors have retired canaries from a dangerous job they had been doing in the coalmines, introducing state-of-the-art handheld gas detectors with sensors and alarm systems for deep excavation, the birds are no longer called in to play the role of an early-warning system for carbon monoxide and other toxic gases in the mines.
- Sunderbans on the edge as tiger numbers rise, Residents fear more conflicts with big cat .
- RSS opposes climb-down on Art. 370, AFSPA
- Mamata-led delegation to visit
The Hindu News - 18 Feb 2015
Growth in export of agri products slidesGrowth in exports of agricultural products is seen sliding, causing a concern.
Decline in commodity prices, glut in global markets, and import ban by several countries have led to a slowdown in agri exports, after registering a consistent growth..
According to available data, the year-on-year growth in agricultural exports has reduced considerably in 2012-13 and 2013-14. Though in absolute terms, agri products exports have
Decline in commodity prices, glut in global markets, and import ban by several countries have led to a slowdown in agri exports, after registering a consistent growth..
According to available data, the year-on-year growth in agricultural exports has reduced considerably in 2012-13 and 2013-14. Though in absolute terms, agri products exports have
[Ed] Brand India — the small picture
Take 10 steps to push MSME growth. These include making credit and land available at reasonable rates
The MSME sector is critical for India’s economy. Their share in GDP at around 8 per cent currently can grow to 15 per cent by 2020 according to a KPMG-CII study. Hopes are centred around the prospects of double digit growth in a few manufacturing sectors and FDI interventions in the defence, pharma and infrastructure sectors. Not so encouraging, however, is the
[Ed] Brightening the future with the sun and wind
Renewables can play a greater role in a sustainable energy future, but proper accounting and specialised effort to understand their grid implications and scalability are necessary
The Renewable Energy (RE) Global Investor’s Meet inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15 invited participation in funding India’s RE growth ambitions, which include almost 1,00,000 MW of growth in solar power in just seven years (about 40 per cent of
The Renewable Energy (RE) Global Investor’s Meet inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15 invited participation in funding India’s RE growth ambitions, which include almost 1,00,000 MW of growth in solar power in just seven years (about 40 per cent of
[Ed] New thrust in India-Sri Lanka ties
Relations between India and Sri Lanka have not just been reinforced during the visit of President Maithripala Sirisena but have also gained new direction and momentum. As Sri Lanka’s closest neighbour that has ethnic links to its most significant minority, India is a huge influence in the island nation’s political, economic, social and cultural consciousness, and its world view. President Sirisena was hewing to a long and unbroken tradition of newly
[Ed] A Somalia on the Mediterranean
In the cases of Muammar Qadhafi and Saddam Hussein, opportunities to allow them to surrender were squandered. It was as if the new dispensations in Iraq and Libya could be created from scratch. Rather than disappear, the older currents would reappear in ways unforeseen in western and Gulf Arab capitals
Libya’s “Islamic State” paraded 21 Egyptian workers along the Mediterranean. The IS fighters, dressed in black, then killed the Egyptians, dressed in orange jumpsuits. One of the IS men speaks, in English, of the beheadings in Syria before he says, “… we are on the south of Rome, on the
Libya’s “Islamic State” paraded 21 Egyptian workers along the Mediterranean. The IS fighters, dressed in black, then killed the Egyptians, dressed in orange jumpsuits. One of the IS men speaks, in English, of the beheadings in Syria before he says, “… we are on the south of Rome, on the
Feb 17, 2015
News Bits - 17 Feb 2015
- India, Sri Lanka sign three pacts on agricultural cooperation, a memorandum of understanding on Nalanda University and an agreement on cultural cooperation.
- Pre-empting China, India inks nuclear pact with Sri Lanka.
- A four-decade-old aircraft, Dakota-3, used during the Bangladesh Liberation War was handed over to Bangladesh on Monday.
- SC grants bail to Rasheed Masood.
- The Centre is trying to build consensus with State governments on implementing 50 per cent reservation for women in
The Hindu News - 17 Feb 2015
Mr. Sirisena and Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed the signing of three agreements on agricultural cooperation, a memorandum of understanding on Nalanda University and an agreement on cultural cooperation. On the conflict between
[Ed] Needed, real inclusion
The scope of the banking ombudsman system needs to be expanded to provide easier redress to small banking customers
India’s poor as well as the middle class are quite happy with the banking system. If they have any complaints, these are resolved quickly and efficiently. This is the impression one gets from reading the Reserve Bank of India’s latest annual report on the banking ombudsman scheme. The report states that the scheme — a free grievance redressal mechanism for small banking clients — handled as many as 82,052 complaints in 2013-14 and disposed of 96 per cent of
India’s poor as well as the middle class are quite happy with the banking system. If they have any complaints, these are resolved quickly and efficiently. This is the impression one gets from reading the Reserve Bank of India’s latest annual report on the banking ombudsman scheme. The report states that the scheme — a free grievance redressal mechanism for small banking clients — handled as many as 82,052 complaints in 2013-14 and disposed of 96 per cent of
[Ed] All you wanted to know about NITI Aayog
The winds of change sweeping across the corridors of power since Narendra Modi took charge at the Centre have dislodged not just bureaucrats, but also institutions once regarded as key pillars of governance in the country. Among the big moves of the government was to consign to history the more than six decades old Planning Commission, and to usher in its place a brand new NITI Aayog. Earlier this month, the NITI Aayog’s governing council held its first meeting.
What is it?For starters, NITI Aayog is a catchy acronym in keeping with the Centre’s penchant for alphabet soups pregnant with symbolism. NITI is short for
What is it?For starters, NITI Aayog is a catchy acronym in keeping with the Centre’s penchant for alphabet soups pregnant with symbolism. NITI is short for
[Ed] The menace of plastic waste
If there is one type of municipal solid waste that has become ubiquitous in India and most developing countries, and largely seen along the shores and waterways of many developed countries, it is plastic waste. Much of it is not recycled, and ends up in landfills or as litter on land, in waterways and the ocean. For the first time, researchers have estimated the amount of plastic that makes its way into the oceans. While the estimate of eight million tonnes of plastic being dumped into the oceans by
[Ed] A social role for NITI Aayog
The NITI Aayog could throw light on long-term issues, with solutions that are not just economic or technological but also social and political — of strengthening democracy, building institutions and regaining policy space
NITI Aayog has had its first meeting with the economic experts. This was crucial since the government is trying to revive economic growth. The economy has experienced slow growth in spite of the revised national income data that has indicated faster growth. Industry, exports and
NITI Aayog has had its first meeting with the economic experts. This was crucial since the government is trying to revive economic growth. The economy has experienced slow growth in spite of the revised national income data that has indicated faster growth. Industry, exports and
Feb 16, 2015
News Bits - 16 Feb 2015
- Budget may announce SEBI-FMC merger.
- Pakistan violates ceasefire again, Pakistan Rangers on Sunday opened fire at Tawi area in the R.S. Pura sector of Jammu district.
- Israel Defence Minister to visit India this week to participate in “Aero India 2015” in Bengaluru.
- Petrol, diesel to cost more.Petrol price was increased by 82 paise a litre and diesel by 61 paise on Sunday, reversing the declining trend of the
[Ed] Tobin tax makes a lot of sense
It is a more elegant way of dealing with volatility in FII debt flows than slapping a lock-in period of three years
The nervousness is back, and so are direct physical controls. In an otherwise staid monetary policy document released on February 5, 2015, Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan has inserted one small restriction: henceforth all foreign portfolio investors investing in debt instruments — issued by government or private sector companies — have to hold on to their investments for a minimum of
The nervousness is back, and so are direct physical controls. In an otherwise staid monetary policy document released on February 5, 2015, Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan has inserted one small restriction: henceforth all foreign portfolio investors investing in debt instruments — issued by government or private sector companies — have to hold on to their investments for a minimum of
[Ed] Growth starved
The latest official industrial production and consumer price index (CPI) data reinforces the central fact that growth in the Indian economy remains weak, even as inflationary pressures have clearly subsided. This, notwithstanding the relaunched national income accounts series generating fairly robust GDP growth estimates and the new CPI with a revised reference year (2012) showing inflation to be marginally lower than
[Ed] Prospects for peace
Doubts over the durability of peace in Ukraine despite the ceasefire that formally came into effect on Sunday, represent a dangerous augury in the months-long, bloody and bitter conflict between government and separatist rebel forces. Prospects of any swift cessation of hostilities were thrown into jeopardy after differences surfaced even as the deal was being drawn up, with some players advocating an immediate suspension of violence and others
[Ed] Not measure for measure
With a plethora of government departments and international organisations putting out so much statistical data in the public space, often contradicting one another, it is the government’s duty to clear the air with up-to-date and coherent statistical data linking social and economic indicators
Purchasing Power Parity or PPP has validated a long held surmise that the poorer countries are not as badly off as they are made out to be nor the richer ones as well off as they seem. A nominal GDP ranking puts India at tenth place while a PPP one pushes
Purchasing Power Parity or PPP has validated a long held surmise that the poorer countries are not as badly off as they are made out to be nor the richer ones as well off as they seem. A nominal GDP ranking puts India at tenth place while a PPP one pushes
The Hindu News - 16 Feb 2015
Feb 15, 2015
News Bits - 15 Feb 2015
- India’s forest cover up by 5,871 sq km.
- Optimism after countries agree on draft in Geneva Climate Change talks.
- India-China boundary talks likely by month-end.
- MoEF seeks enhanced budget for National Adaptation Fund.
- 100 whales stranded in New Zealand die.
- EC drive to link electoral rolls with Aadhaar.
- Boeing hints at price escalation in copter deal.
- Ukraine: fierce fighting threatens ceasefire.
- Iraqi Sunni leader assassinated
The Hindu News - 15 Feb 2015
Optimism after countries agree on draft in GenevaOn the last day of the Geneva Climate Change talks on Friday, countries agreed on a negotiating text for the 2015 agreement.
Responding to the new draft text, Julie Ann Richards of the Climate Justice Program said there is a new breath of optimism for an ambitious climate agreement in Paris and
Responding to the new draft text, Julie Ann Richards of the Climate Justice Program said there is a new breath of optimism for an ambitious climate agreement in Paris and
Feb 14, 2015
News Bits - 14 Feb 2015
- Forex reserves reach $330 billion.
- Regulators turned a blind eye to chit fund scams: SC
- President’s Rule possible in Bihar, fears JD(U).
- MoEF accepts some High-Level Committee ( led by T.S.R. Subramanian) recommendations.
- Rift in censor board over use of ‘bad words’. CBFC chief lists out words and
The Hindu News - 14 Feb 2015
Even as the Saradha scam investigation is yielding more arrests, the Supreme Court on Friday reiterated its commitment to bring to justice the perpetrators of multicrore ponzi scams spread across several States and hauled up regulators such as the RBI and the SEBI
[Ed] Data whirlpool
After GDP, here are the new price indices to get used to
For economy watchers, these are statistically bewildering times. The recent set of GDP data revealed a dramatic increase in the growth rate for 2013-14. Now, the base year for the consumer price index has moved from 2010 to 2012, with lower weights for food items. The change is meant to reflect a shift in consumer expenditure patterns away from food since 2004-05. According to the 68th Round of the National Sample Survey Organisation on consumer expenditure, the proportion of
For economy watchers, these are statistically bewildering times. The recent set of GDP data revealed a dramatic increase in the growth rate for 2013-14. Now, the base year for the consumer price index has moved from 2010 to 2012, with lower weights for food items. The change is meant to reflect a shift in consumer expenditure patterns away from food since 2004-05. According to the 68th Round of the National Sample Survey Organisation on consumer expenditure, the proportion of
[Ed] Clear the field for Special Economic Zones
Sort out tax burdens and ambiguities in the law so that SEZs become ‘make in India’ hubs
In early 2000, when the India growth story was still struggling to be written, special economic zones (SEZs) were introduced to set up new infrastructure with the idea of creating jobs and giving an impetus to exports.
In 2005, the SEZ Act and Rules provided a policy framework with minimum regulations, simplified procedures and single window clearance at the State and central levels. SEZ developers and
In early 2000, when the India growth story was still struggling to be written, special economic zones (SEZs) were introduced to set up new infrastructure with the idea of creating jobs and giving an impetus to exports.
In 2005, the SEZ Act and Rules provided a policy framework with minimum regulations, simplified procedures and single window clearance at the State and central levels. SEZ developers and
[Ed] India and the CTBT
India’s future with the CTBT is still unwritten. Leadership until now may have been delayed, but there are opportunities for it to be reengaged and renewed
India’s past with the treaty to ban all nuclear tests in all places for all time is well known. Some might characterise it as leadership defaulted or, more optimistically, merely delayed. A lot has changed for India since the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was opened for
India’s past with the treaty to ban all nuclear tests in all places for all time is well known. Some might characterise it as leadership defaulted or, more optimistically, merely delayed. A lot has changed for India since the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was opened for
[Ed] Medicines in India, for India
Tropical diseases have often been neglected by pharmaceuticals because the size of the drug market is smaller, people have lower incomes and companies are uncertain about IPR
January marked an important breakthrough in the fight against tropical diseases. Researchers and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in Delhi found a drug candidate that prevented TB and malaria pathogens from
[Ed] The Internet’s tempting presence
Toward the end of last year, there was an uproar when India’s leading telecom carrier Bharti Airtel decided to charge subscribers extra for use of applications such as Skype to make free calls over the Internet. Airtel was criticised for violating a key principle influencing Internet traffic, which is that all data must be treated equally and there must be no discrimination. The principle goes by the name Net neutrality. Within days, the company
[Ed] A budget to transform
In the present state of the economy, when there is excess capacity in manufacturing, adequate stocks of foodgrain and the inflation rate is trending downwards, there is an opportune moment for a public investment-centred fiscal expansion
Over the past eight months, the government has issued some strong statements on the economy and taken some bold steps aimed at transforming it. As it prepares to present its first real budget we may reflect upon the direction that it should take.
Over the past eight months, the government has issued some strong statements on the economy and taken some bold steps aimed at transforming it. As it prepares to present its first real budget we may reflect upon the direction that it should take.
Feb 13, 2015
News Bits - 13 Feb 2015
- ICAR to set up model mechanised farms at 100 villages across country.
- A pint-sized Japanese robot “Kirobo” that became the first android to converse with an astronaut in space has returned to Earth after 18 months in orbit, project organisers said on Thursday.
- The prestigious $500,000 National Science Foundation CAREER award was won by Gurpreet Singh, assistant professor of mechanical and nuclear engineering at Kansas State University , to develop
[PIB] Centre approves revised Guidelines for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
The model villages adopted by the Members of Parliament under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) will now get rural roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) on priority basis. Similarly, in these model villages, rural roads constructed or upgraded under PMGSY would have to be maintained by the State Governments up to prescribed standards and even beyond the built in period of first five years. A decision to issue these amended guidelines was taken in a meeting chaired by Union Minister for Rural Development. This is in accordance with
[Ed] The debt story less told
Small and marginal farmers in rainfed regions are trapped in a losing battle with agriculture — and with life
The lot of the poor Indian farmer keeps deteriorating with the passage of time. According to the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data released on December 19, 2014, during the last decade, the bloated debt of Indian agricultural households increased almost 400 per cent Even the
The lot of the poor Indian farmer keeps deteriorating with the passage of time. According to the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data released on December 19, 2014, during the last decade, the bloated debt of Indian agricultural households increased almost 400 per cent Even the
[Ed] A time for healing
The deep sense of hurt and mistrust among Tamils towards Colombo has come to the fore with the Northern Provincial Council, the elected body of the predominantly Tamil region in northern Sri Lanka, passing a resolution on Tuesday seeking a UN-led probe into the alleged genocide against the community by the state. The resolution presents a slew of charges against the Sri Lankan state and accuses it of carrying out “anti-Tamil pogroms, massacres, sexual violence, and acts of
[Ed] A hasty, half-baked report on environment
The report of the High-Level Committee for reviewing environmental laws has a misplaced focus on speedy project clearances and wrongly attributes their delays to environmental laws
The report of the High-Level Committee (HLC) on a review of environmental laws may no longer be in the news, but its potential for impacting environmental governance in the country has not diminished. That potential will become real soon enough. A note of caution at this stage is
The report of the High-Level Committee (HLC) on a review of environmental laws may no longer be in the news, but its potential for impacting environmental governance in the country has not diminished. That potential will become real soon enough. A note of caution at this stage is
[Ed] Reset of a policy of equidistance
Given Narendra Modi’s growth and development agenda, for which he requires the U.S., China, Japan and others, he cannot afford to antagonise Beijing. The U.S. is vital for India’s rise and a hedge to China. So, New Delhi will necessarily be on a razor edge. In any realisation of the Asian century, Washington will be large and looming
Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office, an Indian TV channel held a discussion on likely foreign policy reorientation. When the doyen of South Asian Studies, Stephen Cohen, was asked in which direction Mr. Modi would tilt – the U.S. or China — without
Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office, an Indian TV channel held a discussion on likely foreign policy reorientation. When the doyen of South Asian Studies, Stephen Cohen, was asked in which direction Mr. Modi would tilt – the U.S. or China — without
The Hindu News - 13 Feb 2015
Asked whether China had become more supportive about India’s application for permanent membership of the Security Council than Brazil, following the joint statement released after the recent meeting of Chinese, Russian and Indian foreign ministers, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that “the reform of the U.N. Security Council should give priority to increasing the representativeness of
Feb 12, 2015
News Bits - 12 Feb 2015
- Calling the India-U.S. nuclear agreement a “breakthrough” is premature, says Russia’s Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin.
- Govt. putting on hold decisions on urea, LPG cylinders and kerosene.
- Pak. to release 173 Indian prisoners on Feb. 16.
- Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, called for early finalisation of the consortium leader for expeditious implementation of the 1,800-km Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline project in limbo for almost a decade.
[Ed] Addressing small industry’s finance drought
Companies coming together as self help groups can overcome difficulties in credit servicing and availability
The government recently released the results of a national innovation survey based on a sample of 9001 firms, mainly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from different sectors spread across 26 States and five Union Territories.
The government recently released the results of a national innovation survey based on a sample of 9001 firms, mainly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from different sectors spread across 26 States and five Union Territories.
[Ed] What figures hide
The primary purpose of statistics relating to growth or inflation is to provide insights into the state of the economy that are useful to the policymaker as well as the lay public. Such information should also conform to reality, based on broad perception as well as other data sources. The Central Statistical Office’s (CSO’s) estimates of GDP growth, based on a revised computation methodology, fail the reliability test on all counts. The 7.4 per cent projection for 2014-15 is difficult to
[Ed] For cooperative federalism
The views expressed by Chief Ministers at the maiden meeting of NITI Aayog’s Governing Council last weekend, demanding greater freedom to frame their own development plans, vindicate the thought process that went into conceiving the body that has replaced the 60-year-old Planning Commission. Promoting cooperative federalism and
[Ed] A ‘breakthrough’ that is no big deal
While the government may continue to say that the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act remains untouched, it’s the government’s reading of that law which is problematic, especially as it is around an issue which concerns every Indian: as an energy consumer, a taxpayer, and a potential victim of a nuclear accident.
In an unusual move this week, the government sought to clear the air over the India-U.S. nuclear “breakthrough understanding” announced by U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a detailed press release on the subject. The move was prompted by several questions being asked over how the two leaders had been able to announce
In an unusual move this week, the government sought to clear the air over the India-U.S. nuclear “breakthrough understanding” announced by U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a detailed press release on the subject. The move was prompted by several questions being asked over how the two leaders had been able to announce
The Hindu News - 12 Feb 2015
Envoy says U.S. has so far made only commitments and promises
Calling the India-U.S. nuclear agreement a “breakthrough” is premature, says Russia’s Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin, who has called the announcements made during U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit “only promises with a dose of euphoria.”
In an exclusive interview to The Hindu , Mr. Kadakin rejected the idea that
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)