Author: ForumIAS

Towards a clean-up:  Context The Swachh Bharat Mission is a high-profile national programme enjoying extraordinary political and budgetary support with some achievement and challenges of its own. Survey reports With its subsidy-based mass toilet-building programme, it has put up millions of individual house latrines in rural areas. A government-commissioned survey evaluates that the coverage now… Continue reading Towards a clean-up: 

UAE joins chorus of concern over Doklam:  Context Any military escalation between India and China would be “potentially very disruptive” for the region, said Anwar Gargash, the visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs from the United Arab Emirates. Gargash discussing Doklam issue Mr. Gargash discussed the current standoff at Doklam with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj… Continue reading UAE joins chorus of concern over Doklam: 

A strange hybrid: Context: The  Niti Aayog is all set to push states to privatise well functioning district hospitals in the Tier 2 and 3 cities like Pune, Baroda, Visakhapatnam, Madurai and so on. Introduction: The proposed model consists of leasing out for 30 years a portion of the hospital to a private company to… Continue reading A strange hybrid: 

Failing India’s children:  Context: The government’s proposal to amend the Right to Education Act and allow States to drop the no-detention policy at the primary and middle school levels will have far-reaching negative consequences for the education scenario. The proposal, which will give States the choice to detain children in classes 5 and 8, does… Continue reading Failing India’s children: 

Risks to growth:  Context: Five months after the Economic Survey 2016-17 was released, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Arvind Subramanian has presented the second volume of the annual economic review-cum-prognosticatory report. There was a clear need to update and refresh outcomes and forecasts due to recent policy developments, including the momentous roll-out of the Goods and… Continue reading Risks to growth: 

No level playing field:  Context: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 has enough loopholes to close down businesses instead of assisting entrepreneurs. Objectives of the code: 1.The Code aims to mend laws relating to reorganisation and insolvency resolution of corporate persons, partnership firms, and individuals. 2.It attempts to ease the process of recovery of money… Continue reading No level playing field: 

System lighter by ₹3.5 lakh crore of cash: Survey:  Context: Demonetisation has reduced Rs 3.5 lakh crore of cash from the amounts available in the system before, and digitization has increased across the board, even among the poor, according to second volume of the Economic Survey Introduction: The second volume of Economic Survey, tabled in… Continue reading System lighter by ₹3.5 lakh crore of cash: Survey: 

‘Unstable power, a big barrier in India’:  Context: Japan said unstable power supply was among the biggest investment barriers in India. Introduction: The comment comes ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s India visit next month during which bilateral discussions on cooperation in energy sector would get priority. Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu, said… Continue reading ‘Unstable power, a big barrier in India’: 

‘Ease norms for airlines to fly abroad’: Context: The economic survey has asked the government to build airline hubs in India which could compete with the hubs in the UAE and South East Asia that were taking away Indian traffic to the US and Europe from domestic carriers. Introduction: The second volume of the Economic… Continue reading ‘Ease norms for airlines to fly abroad’:

Growth likely to be in the lower range, closer to 6.5%:  Context: The Indian economy’s growth in 2017-18 is more likely to be closer to 6.5% than 7.5%, according to Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian. Introduction: Union finance minister Arun Jaitley tables second volume of the Economic Survey 2016-17 in Lok Sabha The Economic Survey… Continue reading Growth likely to be in the lower range, closer to 6.5%: