Context: The Niti Aayog released the first draft of the Battery Swapping Policy 2022 on April 21, 2022, to improve interoperability and push for faster adoption of electric vehicles (EV) in the two-wheeler and three-wheeler segment. Why the battery swapping segment if significant? This segment has competitive prices compared to others. Further, it also constitutes… Continue reading Niti Aayog’s battery swapping policy provides direction, but lacks a constructive roadmap
Category: 9 PM Daily Articles
On Gati Shakti Mission: Plugging the infra gaps
Context: Ever since it was announced by the prime minister in October 2021, the Gati Shakti mission has been billed as one of the most transformational projects in the country. Successfully planning and executing large scale infrastructure projects in India have always been a nightmare, leading to significant cost and time overruns. Gati Shakti is… Continue reading On Gati Shakti Mission: Plugging the infra gaps
Retire judges later: Constitutional court judges are being pensioned off too early. Their services are badly needed
Context: With seven Supreme Court judges retiring this year and over a third of sanctioned high court judges posts lying vacant, Parliament should urgently consider increasing the retirement ages of SC and HC judges from 65 and 62 respectively. Scarce judicial resources are constantly expended in finding suitable candidates for these top constitutional positions. And… Continue reading Retire judges later: Constitutional court judges are being pensioned off too early. Their services are badly needed
How Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports will hurt us
Context: The abrupt ban on palm oil exports by Indonesia, its biggest exporter, is expected to impact household economics globally. Palm oil is among the world’s most-used cooking oils, and India’s dependence on Indonesia is expected to deal a supply-side shock. Must Read: Explained: Indonesia’s palm oil crisis, and its implications for India How will… Continue reading How Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports will hurt us
States vs Centre on selection of Vice-Chancellors: rules, friction
News: The Tamil Nadu Assembly recently passed two Bills that seek to transfer the Governor’s power in appointing Vice-Chancellors of 13 state universities to the state government. As per the state govt, the Bills were required as the Governor was disregarding the state government’s opinion on the appointments of VCs, an argument also made by… Continue reading States vs Centre on selection of Vice-Chancellors: rules, friction
On Electric Vehicle adoption in India: The right push
Context: Recently, the NITI Aayog released a draft battery-swapping policy pertaining to two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and e-rickshaws. The draft policy aims to address some key concerns within the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. What is the objective of the draft policy? It will promote adoption of EV. It would lower dependencies on fossil fuels and reduce the… Continue reading On Electric Vehicle adoption in India: The right push
Changing the skill development model
Context: In a rapidly changing world, there is a need to talk about skill development and predicting where jobs will be in 2032. What are the challenges wrt job creation? It is difficult to predict what jobs will be created in the long run. Also, India’s mental models for skill related policies were not only… Continue reading Changing the skill development model
Living in hothouse India: We have entered a new age of heat extremes. Concrete and glass-heavy urban buildings are a major hazard
Context: India is searing. Large parts of the country are in the grips of unbearable heat and heatwaves. It’s not supposed to be like this in March and April. Such heat is usually expected in May and June – the year’s hottest months. But this temperature anomaly is not unexpected. In fact, various IPCC reports… Continue reading Living in hothouse India: We have entered a new age of heat extremes. Concrete and glass-heavy urban buildings are a major hazard
That coal feeling: Shortage of rail wagons is one reason for dipping power plant inventory. But problem goes further
Context: Thermal power plants in India are once again struggling with coal inventory dipping to critical levels. A similar coal crisis had surfaced in India in October last year. Given that both coal mining and logistics through railways are dominated by GoI-owned enterprises, it reflects poorly on official management of an essential economic input. Contents1… Continue reading That coal feeling: Shortage of rail wagons is one reason for dipping power plant inventory. But problem goes further
Amway a Ponzi scheme? ’Buyer beware’ won’t do
News: Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) froze assets of Amway India worth ₹758 crore. The federal agency issued a statement, alleging that the company was perpetrating a “scam” by running a pyramid “fraud” in the guise of direct-selling MLM network. The new members, it said, are not buying the products to use those, but to… Continue reading Amway a Ponzi scheme? ’Buyer beware’ won’t do
