Relevance: Inefficient discoms have been a critical problem for India’s power sector since long. Synopsis: Smart meters have the power to improve the revenue recovery rate of discoms and ensure better electricity services to the consumer. But such outcomes can be expected only if our roll-out program are executed well and not in haste. Background: Announced in Union Budget 2020 –21, smart… Continue reading Smart Metering Program shouldn’t be implemented in Haste
Category: 9 PM Daily Articles
23 states at additional Covid risk due to Biomedical waste
Relevance: Prior to pandemic itself, India’s biomedical waste management capacity was already limited. With the advent of pandemic, biomedical waste generation has increased manifold. What is the News? A study was conducted by the International Institute for Population Science (IIPS) to determine the Covid risk due to increase in Biomedical Waste. What is Biomedical Waste? Biomedical Waste means any waste… Continue reading 23 states at additional Covid risk due to Biomedical waste
Securities market: On the cusp of change
Relevance: A robust financial market is critical for optimum channelization of surplus in an economy. Synopsis: We need to establish a capable financial market system. One of the challenges is the less than perfect functioning of regulatory bodies. Problems with the regulators Concentrated power: Regulators in India are unique in having concentrated power, with an intermixing… Continue reading Securities market: On the cusp of change
A system of shared IDs can globalize digital currencies
Relevance: Digital currencies are gaining global attention. Even an inter-ministerial committee (IMC) suggested to introduce National Digital Currency under the RBI. Synopsis: The major countries of the world are planning to issue their respective digital currencies whose success depends on the degree of global acceptance and transferability. Background: Digital Currency is a direct claim on a central bank, like regular cash. FedCoin,… Continue reading A system of shared IDs can globalize digital currencies
Lesson from China on bad banks
Relevance: There is a debate going on in India to open bad bank for solving the NPA problem with banks. Synopsis – To address stressed assets [nonperforming loans (NPLs), a bad bank must have a fixed term and a narrow mandate with clear aims. What are bad banks? A ‘bad bank’ is designated financial institutions that purchase and resolve nonperforming assets (NPAs) from banks and help… Continue reading Lesson from China on bad banks
Protecting Prisoners’ right
Relevance: Prison reforms in India have been pending of late. Synopsis: Overcrowding in prisons has put several inmates at risk of COVID-19 infection and death. It is a violation of the human rights of prisoner. Background In India Prisons are overcrowded and it has left thousands of prisoners at risk of Covid infection and death. According to data, there are 12,715 inmates lodged in 11 sections of… Continue reading Protecting Prisoners’ right
The new urban
Relevance: Distinctive features of government’s key schemes related to urban planning and development Synopsis: Completion of six years of implementation of three major flagship missions of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs — the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission. Contents1 Special feature of all these missions 2… Continue reading The new urban
What India’s new rules mean for e-marketplaces
Context: The Centre has proposed additions and changes to the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020. This has caused confusion among e-commerce firms and stakeholders. To whom the new rules applicable? According to the definition provided in the rules, these rules apply to “all goods and services bought or sold over digital or electronic networks including… Continue reading What India’s new rules mean for e-marketplaces
Reviving the Airline Sector
Synopsis: The government and industry should collaborate to develop a sustainable restart strategy. Governments need to come up with consistent policies based on evidence. While the industry should do whatever it can to reinstate passenger confidence and embrace new ways of making revenue. Background: Airlines have been battling uncertainty since March 2020. In April 2020,… Continue reading Reviving the Airline Sector
The usual tools are unlikely to fix our inflation problem
Context: High consumer and wholesale price inflation along with no/low growth means that India might enter into a stagflation phase. Traditional macroeconomic approach may not be optimum in such case. We need a more comprehensive set of policies to address the peculiar kind of inflation that India is facing. Contents1 What is stagflation? 2 What should be done instead? 3 Why conditional cash transfers in such cases… Continue reading The usual tools are unlikely to fix our inflation problem
