Context: Maruti Suzuki’s chairman recently said that hybrid technology, natural gas and biofuels offer a better path towards a cleaner future than fully-electric cars. Globally, many electric models have hit the streets. Even in India, MG Motors, Hyundai and Tata Motors offer vehicles that liberate users from petrol or diesel refills. However, both India’s and… Continue reading Don’t count hybrids out of the race to go greener
Category: 9 PM Daily Articles
Technology is no panacea for custodial deaths
Context: Technology has been proposed as a silver bullet against custodial deaths by many. However, these solutions are not as effective as they were intended to be. A recent increase in the custodial deaths in Tamil Nadu has brought the issue of custodial deaths into the limelight. Between 2001 and 2018, 1,727 persons died in… Continue reading Technology is no panacea for custodial deaths
Strains on India-Russia defence cooperation
Context: Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, India-Russia defense cooperation is under threat. When the war started in Feb., the Indian armed forces had stocks of spares and supplies for eight to ten months. They expected that war would be over soon and supply from Russia will be resumed, however, it didn’t happen. Now, there are… Continue reading Strains on India-Russia defence cooperation
Why is defection a non-issue for voters?
News: Recently, India has seen a political drama in Maharashtra in which 37 Shiv Sena legislators were involved in defection. Anti-Defection Laws in India It is not new to Indian politics, and has been around for a long time. It is a routine exercise in Indian politics. There have been several attempts to strengthen laws… Continue reading Why is defection a non-issue for voters?
Breather for NGOs
News: The Centre has recently amended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) rules. These modifications are a welcome step after the escalation of restrictions on the NGO sector since 2015. What are the modifications introduced? The government extended to September 30 the validity of FCRA entities whose five-year permits would lapse between July 1 and… Continue reading Breather for NGOs
Explained: How Kerala has struggled to identify buffer zones around its protected forests
News: For over a month now, Kerala farmers living along the Western Ghats have been protesting a June 3 directive of the Supreme Court for setting up buffer or eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) for all protected forests in the country. What is the Supreme Court order? The SC in its order has said national parks, wildlife sanctuaries… Continue reading Explained: How Kerala has struggled to identify buffer zones around its protected forests
There Are Cracks In Brics & Trouble For India
Context: Amid the evolving geopolitical situation, the BRICS mechanism appears to be undergoing an identity crisis. There is a deepening contradiction at the heart of the grouping, which is likely to result in extremely difficult choices for Indian foreign policy. What are the major pillars of BRICS? Historically, the group’s agenda was not just economic,… Continue reading There Are Cracks In Brics & Trouble For India
India’s ban on select single-use plastic items: A start but still a long way from blanket ban
News: India’s ban on select single-use plastic(SUPs) items comes into effect from July 1, 2022. Contents1 Does India impose a blanket ban on all single-use plastic items?2 What are the challenges associated with the present ban?3 What is the status of the plastic alternatives market in India?4 Do alternatives to plastics viable?5 What should be… Continue reading India’s ban on select single-use plastic items: A start but still a long way from blanket ban
The rupee’s ‘new lows’: Why it’s not necessarily a cause for concern
News: The currency’s fall gets more attention than its rise. At present, the Indian rupee is falling against the US dollar. Contents1 What is the status of the Rupee fall vis a vis other currencies?2 What is the long-term cause-and-effect relationship between country and currency?3 How does India maintain its long-term cause-and-effect relationship between country… Continue reading The rupee’s ‘new lows’: Why it’s not necessarily a cause for concern
How the RBI unconventionally innovated policy to fight the pandemic
News: The RBI has been missing the inflation target since 2019 by not raising rates. This raised some debates about RBI’s inflation management. What is the reason for rising inflation in India? There are two reasons that inflation is on the rise. These are, a) Inflation has been largely the result of supply-side shocks from… Continue reading How the RBI unconventionally innovated policy to fight the pandemic
