Synopsis: This article explains issues and problems associated with the Ease of Doing Business report, why it gained so much importance, and should we reform the index or bring a new one in its place? Contents1 Introduction2 Why the EoDB index report was developed?3 What were some issues with the EoDB report?4 Why countries competed… Continue reading Lessons from the death of the ease of doing business index
Author: Luv Sharma
Govt. moots changes to Forest Conservation Act
What is the news? The Union Government has proposed that agencies involved in national security projects and border infrastructure projects will not have to obtain prior forest clearance from the Centre as part of amendments to the existing Forest Conservation Act (FCA). The FCA, which first came in 1980 and was amended in 1988, requires such permission. What is the draft amendment by the government? First, to exempt land acquired before 1980 (before… Continue reading Govt. moots changes to Forest Conservation Act
What the continued distress in informal labour market says
Synopsis: Status of informal sector in India, distress faced by them mainly during the Covid-19 pandemic and various impacts of the sustained divergence between the formal and the informal labour force. Introduction Recently released economic data suggests that the Indian economy has emerged from the second wave of the pandemic better than expected. Two broad… Continue reading What the continued distress in informal labour market says
COVID-19: How bio-medical waste poses challenges to urban solid waste management system
Synopsis: COVID-19 virus has increased the urban solid waste which is very infectious and risky. Some suggestions to deal with the situation. Contents1 Introduction 2 Why it is important to prioritise a separate collection of waste? 3 What steps have been taken to improve the urban solid waste management system (USWM)? 4 How COVID-19 has affected the waste sector? … Continue reading COVID-19: How bio-medical waste poses challenges to urban solid waste management system
Revealing India’s actual farmer population
Synopsis: Various surveys put the total number of agricultural households at a different number. The actual number of farmers deriving a significant share of their income from agriculture only is far less and this has policy implications. Introduction The last Agriculture Census for 2015-16 placed the total “operational holdings” in India at 146.45 million. The… Continue reading Revealing India’s actual farmer population
Explained: Why do the Pandora Papers matter?
Synopsis: There are at least 380 persons of Indian nationality in the Pandora Papers. The papers consist of as many as 12 million documents from 14 companies in offshore tax havens with details of ownership of 29,000 offshore companies and Trusts. A look at various dimensions of the issue. Contents1 What are the Pandora Papers?2… Continue reading Explained: Why do the Pandora Papers matter?
Molnupiravir, the covid drug that everyone wants to launch
What is the news? Indian drugmakers are preparing to play a key role in the global scale-up of the oral covid-19 drug molnupiravir. It is termed to be the first antiviral to treat the disease. How the drug is beneficial? The experimental drug reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by 50% in an interim trial. Afterwards it has been decided to… Continue reading Molnupiravir, the covid drug that everyone wants to launch
NGRI proposes landslip, flood warning system
What is the news? The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI) has launched an ‘Environmental Seismology’ group to develop a ‘Landslide and Flood Early Warning System’ for the Himalayan region. It is based on real-time monitoring with dense seismological networks, coupled with satellite data, numerical modelling and geomorphic analysis. What is the purpose of this early… Continue reading NGRI proposes landslip, flood warning system
Centre rolls out new survey to map job creation in the informal sector
What is the news? The Union government has rolled out a nationwide survey, the Area Frame Establishment Survey (AFES), to map employment generation in the unorganized sector and establishments deploying less than 10 workers. About Area Frame Establishment Survey – The informal sector survey has also been designed by veteran labour economist and statistician S.P. Mukherjee.… Continue reading Centre rolls out new survey to map job creation in the informal sector
The aftermath of delayed central infra projects
Contents1 What is the news?2 Why are the projects delayed?3 What needs to be done?4 What is the way forward? What is the news? According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) – As many as 470 central sector projects have witnessed a combined cost overrun of ₹4.37 trillion. – 560 projects have… Continue reading The aftermath of delayed central infra projects
