Category: 9 PM Daily Articles

News: The Char Dham road expansion project, to be executed by Min of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), was inaugurated in 2016. In 2018, it was challenged by an NGO for its potential impact on the Himalayan ecology. The Supreme Court (SC), in 2020, after consultation with the high-powered committee (HPC) and on the basis… Continue reading The road to a Himalayan blunder

News: India’s largest IPO (Paytm) made a disastrous stock market debut and ended its first trading day at a discount of 27% to the issue price. Questions are, hence, being raised on the valuation of the firm and the IPO. Paytm, along with an educational technology start-up, are being viewed as one of the ‘shining… Continue reading Over-valued unicorns in a distressed economy

News: India has decided to enter into trade agreements with key partners like the UK, UAE and Australia and announced an ambitious plan for an early harvest deal by March 2022. These trade agreements coincides with India coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic-related slowdown and wants to become “Atmanirbhar” and play “a bigger role in… Continue reading What India should strive for in trade deals

News: In the Attorney General of India v. Satish case, 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 Bombay HC judgment Two judgments… Continue reading The significance of Supreme Court’s recent POCSO decision

News: A heavy increase in fertilizer subsidy bill is seen. A brief background of fertilizer policy since 1991 reforms: After years of unchanged prices, the budget of 1991 raised the issue prices of fertilizers by 40% on average. This rise was rolled down to 30% in a few months, with exemption to small and marginal… Continue reading Reforming the fertilizer sector

News: Recently, government repealed three farm laws. Agri reforms in India are necessary to unlock the true potential of agriculture and the agro-processing industry, and for the efficient allocation of private and government resources. However, the success of any attempt to reform the agriculture sector in India would depend to a large extent on the… Continue reading Non-farm jobs and social mores hold India’s key to farm reforms

News: Despite the announcement by the PM to repeal the three farm laws, farmers have said their protest will continue. They have written to the PM with their six remaining demands. One of the main demands by farmers is that, MSP should be made a legal entitlement of all farmers for all agricultural produce. However,… Continue reading Explained: In perspective, farm distress and the demand for guaranteed MSP

News: Big emitters must reconsider their stated net-zero date and specify a credible action plan. Important elements of a disaster response There are four elements in the response to any disaster that are important — – The credibility of the warning – A shared sense of emergency – A social and political norm of joint… Continue reading Climate justice must drive climate action

News: US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell recently said that Americans should be prepared for the global supply chain to remain in crisis through 2022. Covid-induced supply chain disruption highlighted the loopholes of total dependence on one country for vital products, and diversification will take a few years to implement. What is the risk to… Continue reading Another Supply Chain Crisis?