Agricultural Transformation: Hidden Costs and the Road Ahead Context: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently released a groundbreaking report exposing the concealed expenses of global agri-food systems, surpassing a staggering $10 trillion. These costs, constituting nearly 11% of the GDP in middle-income […]
Re-criminalising Adultery Context: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs recently proposed the reinstatement of adultery as a criminal offense in India, albeit on gender-neutral grounds, seeking to safeguard the sanctity of marriage. This recommendation comes after a unanimous 2018 Supreme Court decision decriminalized adultery, […]
Disability Inclusion in the Development Agenda Context: Disability, existing at the crossroads of social, economic, and gender vulnerabilities, affects a staggering 1.3 billion people globally. Despite constituting 80% of this population, residing predominantly in developing countries, a lack of tailored systems results in increased poverty, […]
Understanding Growth Challenges and Fostering Inclusivity Context: The National Statistical Office’s recent release of provisional GDP estimates for the quarter ending September 30 indicates a real economic growth rate of 7.6%, slightly lower than the previous quarter’s 7.8%. Gross Value Added (GVA) across various sectors […]
The ‘loss and damage’ (L&D) fund Context: Addressing a three-decade-old demand for climate justice, the ‘loss and damage’ (L&D) fund during the COP28 climate talks was initiated. This fund, consisting of financial resources and technologies, aims to assist developing countries in dealing with the unavoidable […]
Improving the capability of the Indian State Context: The governance scenario in India presents a paradox — a vast administrative system with intricate regulations coexists with a shortage of personnel across critical sectors. The debate on the size and efficiency of the Indian state […]
Simultaneous Elections Context: The Union Government’s recent notification on the formation of a six-member panel to explore the feasibility of simultaneous elections has reignited a longstanding debate. Simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, State assemblies, and local bodies were a norm during the initial […]
Broadcast regulation 3.0, commissions and omissions Context: The recently unveiled Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting marks another attempt in the journey of regulating broadcasting comprehensively. Background: The previous endeavors, notably in 1997 and 2007, aimed at […]
Rat Hole Mining Context: The recent rescue of 41 workers from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand shed light on the usage of rat-hole mining, a method once prevalent in Meghalaya but later banned due to its hazardous nature. This mining technique, involving cramped tunnels and […]
Rocky Reminder – The Silkyara tunnel rescue Context: On November 12, a tragic incident unfolded in Uttarkashi district, where 41 laborers found themselves trapped in an under-construction tunnel at Silkyara due to a landslide. This incident sparked a 17-day-long rescue mission, named Operation Silkyara, involving […]