Must Read News Articles – September 25

Archives

GS-1

Social Issues

A Blinkered Justice: (Indian Express, Editorial)

Rape laws have changed but the temptation to shame and blame the victim remains.

Turn the economic ship around: (The Hindu, Editorial)

We need to apply the potential of social business to solve problems of inequality and unemployment.

GS-2

Government Policies

Dialling The Wrong Number: (Indian Express, Editorial)

The DOT circulars seeking Aadhaar-Mobile linking have no legal force.

India and Neighbors

Afghan overture: (The Hindu, Editorial)

India’s decision to expand security assistance to Kabul has a nuanced geopolitical message.

International groupings and agreements

Japan keen on friendship with northeast: (The Hindu)

Tokyo will invest in infrastructure, education and people-to-people sectors, apart from inviting 25 youth from region to the country this year.

GS-3

Infrastructure and investment models

Private players may run rail lines: (The Hindu)

The Union government is open to the idea of giving operations of railway lines to private players for enhancing competition.

Cropping pattern, Agriculture, e-technology

Tech boost for soil quality scheme: (The Hindu)

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is looking to link the programme with a research project at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay that uses sophisticated imaging techniques and can picture the nutrient balance of a patch of land without necessarily collecting soil sample.

Indian Economy

A sketchy roadmap: (Indian Express, Editorial)

• NITI Aayog’s three year agenda does not recognise the role of trade policy in agriculture.
• It is silent on money-guzzling food and fertiliser subsidies.

‘GSTN tweaked features, handled robust return filing’: (The Hindu)

Portal handled 1.3 lakh tax return filings and payments per hour on last day.

‘GST: MSMEs to gain via better competitiveness’: (The Hindu)

• The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is all set to enhance the competitiveness of the almost five crore Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• It will account for 25% of employment, 40% of industrial output and 45% of exports of the country.

Who’s lending to Indian businesses?: (The Hindu)

• Reserve Bank of India’s recently released annual report for 2016-17 shows that many new sources of finance are springing up.
• Domestic businesses are increasingly turning to the bond markets, Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) and foreign direct investors to meet their funding needs.

All you need to know about Graded Surveillance Measure: (The Hindu)

• SEBI introduced the measure to keep a tab on securities that witness an abnormal price rise.
• It does not not commensurate with financial health and fundamentals of the company.

The faltering economy: (The Hindu, Editorial)

The Centre should capitalise on stable macros to push through tough structural reforms.

Prelims Related Facts 

Navy’s dilemma: US-2 planes or helicopters?:

• The Navy’s urgent priorities include helicopters and minesweepers.
• India continues discussions with Japan for buying the US-2 amphibious aircraft though.

M777 broke due to faulty shell:

Probe blames ammunition supplied by the Ordnance Factory Board.