Category: 9 PM Daily Articles

News: The newly-created National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL), first in the public sector, offers hopes for the faster clean up of lenders’ balance sheets. NARCL is not a bank, but a specialised financial institution to help resolve the distressed assets of banks. Over the last 5 years, considerable progress has been made in resolving and… Continue reading Tackling the problem of bad loans

News: The centrality of land to people’s lives is key to understanding the reasons behind the year-long, rigid opposition to the three farm laws by the farmers. The ongoing land acquisition issue between the Archaeological Society of India (ASI) and over 10 agricultural families in Dholaivra is a case point that explains the significance of… Continue reading Failure at the tri-junction of land, income and identity

News: The first US-India Trade Policy Forum in over four years begins. Over the past two decades, the partnership between India and US has strengthened tremendously. From strategic cooperation to our deepening people-to-people ties, the gains have been impressive. However, the current stakes for a growing economic partnership are greater as we experience a volatile… Continue reading Deeper trade ties will benefit both India and US

News: Recently, the Supreme Court has set aside the controversial judgment of the Bombay HC which held that ‘skin-to-skin’ contact is necessary for an act to be classified as sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences(POCSO) Act. About the judgment Read here: Sexual intent, not skin-to-skin contact, key: SC About the POCSO… Continue reading Error corrected: Regarding POCSO Act

News: The government’s fiscal policy is pro-rich and anti-poor. It is depriving the exchequer of some of the resources it needs to handle issues such as climate change. Why it is said that the government’s taxation policy is anti-poor and pro-rich? Pro-rich policies: Replacing the wealth tax with an income tax for households that earned… Continue reading Why India’s pro-rich, anti-poor taxation policies must change

News: Human’s exploitation has led to forced evolutionary changes in other species. There is a need to minimise this risk. How human’s exploitation has led to forced evolutionary changes in other species? Loss of useful traits: In Mozambique, Past hunting pressure has led to an increase of naturally tuskless elephants. According to researchers, decades of… Continue reading Forced evolution

News: Researcher from Columbia University outlines the economic costs of human exposure to air pollution. What are the impacts of air pollution on human well-being? It includes both health outcomes and non-health outcomes Impact on health outcomes: PM 2.5 can affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Children, when exposed to air pollution during sensitive periods… Continue reading Air pollution impacts productivity. Mitigations generate economic gains

News: Finance Minister announced that the Centre will release over ₹95,000 crores in one stroke to States this month. The decision came after meeting with Chief Ministers and State Finance Ministers to discuss the state of the economy and to sustain the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Why was it required? The central policy fixes… Continue reading A stimulating alliance

News: The Global Commission has issued a similar dire warning, as it was issued in 1972 through a study on ‘The Limits of Growth’. In its recent report, the Commission(group of eminent global citizens drawn from across the world), has highlighted the key challenges facing the world today. What does the report states about global… Continue reading Global challenges can be tackled in spite of great power rivalry