News: Recently, the SC in Union of India Anr. vs Mohit Minerals Pvt. Ltd., ruled that the recommendations of the GST Council are not binding on either the Union or the States. Some States have rejoiced over the ruling. They believe that this has restored the autonomy of States to legislate on GST. Contents1 The SC’s… Continue reading The weight of the GST Council ruling
Category: 9 PM Daily Articles
The path towards greater religious tolerance and social harmony
Context: In the words of K M Munshi: “Indian culture is a living force. It absorbs alien elements when necessary but transmutes them into a new pattern of homogeneous richness. It has made us what we are in the world today; and will make us what we want to be in the world tomorrow.” Nature… Continue reading The path towards greater religious tolerance and social harmony
Urban mining
News: In late April, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram angrily ordered its officials to find out who dumped “malba” — the Hindi word for Construction and Demolition Waste (C&DW) on either side of the Gurugram-Faridabad road. Frameworks to tackle C&DW already exist. Implementation needs to be improved. Contents1 What are the causes behind C&DW?2 What… Continue reading Urban mining
Indigenise smart: Heavy investment in R&D is needed to take Indian defence production to next level
News: To promote indigenisation, defence ministry has given the initial approval to projects worth Rs 76,390 crore. All the proposed capital acquisition will be under the ‘Buy and Make Indian’ mechanism. What are the projects approved? Construction of eight next-generation corvettes for the navy, Procurement of wheeled armoured fighting vehicles, and The manufacture of Dornier… Continue reading Indigenise smart: Heavy investment in R&D is needed to take Indian defence production to next level
The inflation spectrometer
News: Inflation is a macroeconomic phenomenon which is under pressure at global and local level. Contents1 Major driving factors behind inflation2 Globally3 Local drivers of inflation:4 What are the issues in fiscal and monetary policy measures? Major driving factors behind inflation Inflation is caused by a number of factors which may includ supply, demand, local… Continue reading The inflation spectrometer
Open network for e-commerce: It’s an idea whose time has come
Context: The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) was launched in few cities recently on a pilot basis. It has the potential to usher in a disruptive change. India’s potential in digital economy India has the world’s highest fintech adoption rate of 87%, as compared with the global average of 64%. E-commerce market in India… Continue reading Open network for e-commerce: It’s an idea whose time has come
How best to interpret CMIE’s consumer survey findings
Context: Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) has been at the forefront of providing necessary data that provide information about the average Indian household. However, some discrepancies in the survey methodology brought the CMIE data under question. CMIE provided the surveys during lockdowns that helped to understand the scale of urban unemployment and distress migration… Continue reading How best to interpret CMIE’s consumer survey findings
Vivek Katju writes: Why India must engage Taliban
Relevance: India – Taliban relations, Engaging with Taliban Context: On June 2, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that a team led by J P Singh, Joint Secretary (PAI) is currently on a visit to Kabul to oversee the delivery operations of India’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. The government clarified that although the delegation would… Continue reading Vivek Katju writes: Why India must engage Taliban
The judiciary should have annual performance reports, too
News: In a rare exhibition of transparency, the Orissa High Court has published an annual report taking stock of its performance in a difficult year that marked by the resurgence of the pandemic. By subjecting itself to the scrutiny of the common citizen, the court has shown exceptional humility. Contents1 Details of the annual report2… Continue reading The judiciary should have annual performance reports, too
Explained: Why the Gulf matters for India
News: Recently, the ruling BJP suspended its national spokesperson and expelled its Delhi spokesperson Naveen Kumar Jindal, following comments they had made about Islam and the Prophet. The move came after three countries in the Gulf region had summoned the Indian ambassadors to their nations to register their protest, and demanded a public apology from… Continue reading Explained: Why the Gulf matters for India
