Contents1 What is the News?2 What is the Declaration for the Future of the Internet?3 Are these Principles legally binding?4 Significance of this declaration What is the News? The United States and 60 other partner countries signed a political declaration called the “Declaration for the Future of the Internet”. India, China and Russia are among… Continue reading India stays out of Global Declaration on Future of Internet
India embarks on the World’s largest film restoration project under National Film Heritage Mission: I&B Minister
What is the News? The Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting has announced the World’s largest film restoration project under National Film Heritage Mission(NFHM). What is the National Film Heritage Mission(NFHM)? Launched in: 2016 by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Aim: To preserve, restore and digitize India’s cinematic heritage. Objectives of the mission: 1)… Continue reading India embarks on the World’s largest film restoration project under National Film Heritage Mission: I&B Minister
State of the World’s Forests 2022: 10% of total forest area on Earth lost in 30 years
What is the News? The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has released the State of the World’s Forests 2022 (SOFO 2022). What are the key highlights from the report? Loss of Forests: Forests cover 31% of the Earth’s land surface (4.06 billion ha) but the area is shrinking with 420 million ha of… Continue reading State of the World’s Forests 2022: 10% of total forest area on Earth lost in 30 years
The missing CDS
News: Recently, the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India died in a helicopter crash. The second CDS of India has not been appointed so far. The Indian military continues to remain headless and directionless with no successor to Rawat. Contents1 Importance of the CDS 2 History of Tri-Service Command in India 3 What are the… Continue reading The missing CDS
Paradise polluted: Can we save Kashmir’s lakes?
Context: Normalcy is gradually returning to Jammu and Kashmir after the upheaval caused by the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. Tourism has been rapidly growing. For example, 100% hotel occupancy was seen in popular resorts of Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam in the winter months of 2021-22. Contents1 What are the problems being faced… Continue reading Paradise polluted: Can we save Kashmir’s lakes?
Faster, cheaper and cleaner power
Context: The Sate-owned NTPC said it plans to begin work on the construction of a new coal power plant, despite it being faster, cheaper and cleaner to build solar or wind. Why India should transition to solar and wind energy? Record low tariffs: India has seen record low renewable energy tariffs of Rs 1.99 (2.6… Continue reading Faster, cheaper and cleaner power
How India’s new VPN rules change the status quo
News: On 28 April 2022, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert-In) issued new directives that require Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers to store user data for five years. What does the directive say? Under the new directions, Storage of user data: – VPN providers will need to store validated customer names, their physical addresses,… Continue reading How India’s new VPN rules change the status quo
Inflation and what to do about it: Secure cheap Russian oil at least
Context: The current price rise in Indian economy is largely driven by the non-core elements in the retail consumption basket. The food element in the non-core is being driven up both by primary global supply shortages and the rise in the fuel cost of transporting food. The key, therefore, is the cost of fuel. Core… Continue reading Inflation and what to do about it: Secure cheap Russian oil at least
The status of the Naga peace talks
News: The annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released recently said that the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) was involved in 44% of insurgency-related incidents in Nagaland in 2020. The Union government had, in 2015, signed a framework agreement with the NSCN-IM to find a solution to… Continue reading The status of the Naga peace talks
Let’s make GST a good and simple tax
The introduction of GST might be the most important tax reform. It was a unique experiment in cooperative federalism, where both the Union and the state governments gave up their tax autonomy in favor of harmonizing domestic trade taxes. However, some negative features have been inserted into the tax to make it acceptable. Why single rate… Continue reading Let’s make GST a good and simple tax
