Author: ForumIAS

AIIB not a threat, can cooperate: ADB president What has happened? The rise of China-led The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is not seen as a threat to Asian Development Bank (ADB) and in fact, both can cooperate to finance the large infrastructure funding needs, Takehiko Nakao, president of the ADB, said on Thursday. China’s… Continue reading AIIB not a threat, can cooperate: ADB president

Need time for Cauvery scheme: Centre to SC  What has happened? Tamil Nadu argued that though the Cauvery tribunal had ordered the release of 2.5 tmcft each for April and May, Karnataka had released only 1.1 tmcft in April. Background Tamil Nadu has filed a contempt petition against the Centre for delaying the framing of… Continue reading Need time for Cauvery scheme: Centre to SC

SC upholds MCI notification Context Bid to prevent blocking of Post Graduate entrance medical seats What has happened? The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the validity of a April 9 notification issued by the Medical Council of India (MCI) making changes in the method of admissions to the postgraduate medical courses to arrest the blocking… Continue reading SC upholds MCI notification

Centre quotes SC order on Aadhaar What has happened? Recently, the Aadhaar Constitution Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, had questioned the government’s line that its efforts to mandatorily link SIMs with Aadhaar was based on a February 6, 2017 order of the Supreme Court. Centre’s stand The Centre insisted that its… Continue reading Centre quotes SC order on Aadhaar

Emerging irritant: on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor What has happened? The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is China’s ambitious project for increasing connectivity and economic cooperation within Eurasia. Since its announcement in 2013, the BRI has been positively received by many countries covered within its ambit. Indian concern regarding CPEC China’s insistence on establishing the CPEC… Continue reading Emerging irritant: on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Sting in the air What has happened? The WHO’s global pollution database, that was released this week, is not the first worldwide survey to give Indian cities a poor report card on air quality indicators. In what should be worrying news for policymakers, the survey counts 13 Indian cities, other than Delhi, as among the top… Continue reading Sting in the air

‘Fasting may boost stem cell regeneration’ What has happened? A 24-hour fast may reverse the age-related loss of stem cell function that regenerates new intestinal cells, according to a study. It breaks down fatty acids, not glucose Researchers, including those from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the U.S., found that fasting dramatically improves stem… Continue reading ‘Fasting may boost stem cell regeneration’

Ministry fast-tracks security clearance What has happened? Among the foreign countries, U.S., China (including Hong Kong), Mauritius, U.K. has received the green signal for the maximum number of projects at 10 each, followed by Germany 6, Bangladesh 3 and two each for Italy, Israel, Netherlands and Switzerland. Overseas investment proposals are getting the nod in… Continue reading Ministry fast-tracks security clearance

Architecture for privacy Context: Privacy protection Data protection requires a strong regulatory framework with a hierarchy of regulators to protect basic rights Fear of Digitization: Mass surveillance Databases linked by unique identities can possibly create an infrastructure for totalitarian observation of citizens’ activities across different domains The mere existence of such infrastructure, if unrestricted, can… Continue reading Architecture for privacy

GST Council approves single form for filing of returns What has happened? The Goods and Services Tax Council on Friday decided to convert the GST Network into a 100% government enterprise, and implement a single form for GST filing from the current three.  Background 27th meeting of GST Council Cess on sugar The Council also… Continue reading GST Council approves single form for filing of returns