Category: 9 PM Daily Articles

News: Gati Shakti Plan can generate positive spillover effects, strengthen India’s economic ties with its neighbours. Prime Minister recently launched the Gati Shakti – National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity. Apart from the economic multiplier effect at the domestic level, the plan has also great significance in shaping India’s relations with other countries. What are… Continue reading How India’s Gati Shakti Plan can have an impact beyond its borders

News: The formalization of India’s economy has increased over the years, but regaining a fast-growth trajectory is a challenge yet to be fully tackled. Contents1 What is the size of India’s informal economy?2 How the size of informal economy can be measured?3 What are the signs that indicate an increase in formalization of the economy?4… Continue reading Big claims of rapid economic formalization are suspect

News: COVID-19 pandemic revealed the poor status of India’s health infrastructure. Now it is time to revamp this infrastructure. COVID-19 pandemic in India exposed the weakness of health infrastructure. Overflowing intensive care units, empty oxygen cylinders, lack of medicines, dead bodies outside hospitals all revealed the poor status of health infrastructure in India. Contents1 What… Continue reading How to fix India’s creaking health infrastructure?

News: Unlike most democratic countries, arrest seems to be becoming a norm in India. This needs an urgent course correction. There are so many cases of unjustified arrests and denial of bails like of Aryan Khan, journalist Siddique Kappan, and many others. These all incidents raise questions on rule of law in India. It is… Continue reading Jail should be the exception, not the norm

News: Given the seriousness and complexity of the issue of malnutrition in India, innovative approaches are needed. Hippocrates famously stated that Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. This highlights the importance of nutrition in the growth of a child. A unique Project Sampoorna was conceived in the Bongaigaon district of Assam.… Continue reading A vital cog in Bongaigaon’s response in malnutrition

News: In CoP 26 summit, 105 countries have pledged to reduce their methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels, by 2030.  IPCC research estimates that 1/4th of global warming is done by CH4 or Methane. Cutting Methane emissions is easier compared to other emissions due to tech solutions. Also, UN’s latest assessment is that over 50% of available targeted measures… Continue reading Methane question: It is easier to cut CH4 than CO2

News: The rise in prices of energy may slow down the economic recovery and growth rate. How are energy prices linked to economic recovery and growth? Economic Productivity is directly related to the use of dense forms of energy*. Improvements in Indian economy’s energy density means India’s energy demand grew 2.5% slower than India’s GDP… Continue reading The energy headwind

News: India’s Indo-Pacific strategy has got a concrete political and institutional shape with the setting up of QUAD. India must develop a similar strategy for Eurasia as well. The Eurasian Strategy will completement the Indo-Pacific Strategy as the latter influences maritime geopolitics while the former will be in the Continental domain. What is the concept… Continue reading India needs a new integrated approach to Eurasia

News: The Madras High Court recently quashed the provision of 10.5% reservation for Vanniyakula Kshatriyas within the overall 20% quota for Most Backward Communities (MBCs) and Denotified Communities (DNCs). This has highlighted the importance of quantifiable data while taking a decision on reservation in education and employment. What is the issue? The State Assembly had… Continue reading No Quota without quantifiable data

News: India has failed to utilise the international law to advance its national security interests.   International laws cover wide array of security issues ranging from terrorism to maritime security. For example, Article 1(1) of the UN Charter recognizes the maintenance of “international peace and security” as a principal objective of the UN. However, India has not been able… Continue reading It’s time to engage in ‘lawfare’