News: Central government repealed three farm laws that it introduced in the year 2020. This has again brought the focus to the APMCs (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) where the majority of the first time sale of farmer’s produce takes place. It has been widely acknowledged that APMC markets across the country suffer from various irregularities… Continue reading The reforms that farming really needs
Author: Luv Sharma
New CSR disclosure framework for companies: Onerous disclosures
News: Government has brought out a new disclosure framework for companies that requires a detailed level of reporting from FY21 within a prescribed format of its Corporate social responsibilities (CSR) activities. Companies need to submit these details to the Registrar of Companies. What does the government directive say? The disclosure requires some granular details.… Continue reading New CSR disclosure framework for companies: Onerous disclosures
On legally enforcing Fundamental Duties: Wrong call
News: Supreme court has been hearing a PIL that seeks to legally enforce fundamental duties. It has also issued notice to the centre and states for the same. Fundamental duties (Article 51A) are in the form of general directives to citizens to display some “ideal” conduct in their public lives. However, they are not justiciable… Continue reading On legally enforcing Fundamental Duties: Wrong call
Banks must refocus on their basic lending role
News: ABG Shipyard, a ship building and repairing company, is alleged to have committed a bank fraud. Questions are also being raised as to why it took so long to conduct an audit report and for the report to point out mala fide use of funds and legal action to be initiated. Contents1 What is… Continue reading Banks must refocus on their basic lending role
Making Green Hydrogen work
News: Recently, a new green hydrogen and green ammonia policy has been introduced that envisages building a prominent role for clean fuels in the country’s fossil fuel-dominated energy mix. Contents1 What does the policy offer? 2 What are some issues with the policy? 3 Why is Hydrogen important for India? 4 What is the way forward? What… Continue reading Making Green Hydrogen work
Online courses by autonomous colleges: UGC gets Bold
News: UGC (University Grants Commission) is planning to allow autonomous colleges that are under top-100 ranks in the NIRF subject rankings or having NAAC-grade higher than 3.26 to offer online degrees from the next academic session. What are the implications of this move? Quality education: Although many universities are offering online degrees but allowing prestigious… Continue reading Online courses by autonomous colleges: UGC gets Bold
The budget spells green-shoot for agri subsectors
News: Although the recently introduced Union Budget has had no big ticket announcements on agriculture and rural development, it tries to focus on sub-sectors that matter such as livestock, fisheries and food processing. Which sub-sectors in agriculture have seen an increase in allocation in the budget? Livestock and fisheries: These two subsectors roughly contribute about… Continue reading The budget spells green-shoot for agri subsectors
What data tells us about the lives of young Indians
What is the news? The book titled ‘Whole Numbers and Half Truths’ analyses data from various sources like census, National Statistical Office, National Family Health Survey, National Crime Records Bureau to analyse lives of Indians. India is the second-most populated country on the planet and also a young person’s country, average age of India is 28.4… Continue reading What data tells us about the lives of young Indians
I & B ministry warns officials on data security
What is the news? The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has prohibited the sharing of top secret or secret documents by its officials over Internet. What is the detailed order on data security by the ministry? The ministry has advised government officials to not use digital assistant devices such as Amazon’s Echo, Google Home… Continue reading I & B ministry warns officials on data security
Beyond the hype of blockchain, a look at its reality
News: Blockchain is an elegant concept whose properties and potential require careful research, but treating it as a solution for all problems without thinking things through is techno-determinism. Techno-determinism: It states that media technology shapes how individuals in a society think, feel, act, and how our society operates as we move from one technological age… Continue reading Beyond the hype of blockchain, a look at its reality
