News: The government spent more than Rs 12,000 crore on near-universal access to LPG connections, Still, about six lakh people die every year due to air pollution in Indian kitchens. What are the problems faced by the people? Over half of rural India continues to primarily rely on burning solid fuels for cooking. It increases… Continue reading Looking for an effective alternative to LPG
Prisoner of Gender
News: According to a recent Pew Survey, 79% of men and 82% women in India agree that it is very important for women to have the same rights as men. However, the anomaly is that this rarely translated into specific behaviours, relationships, freedoms. How different surveys highlight the discriminatory attitudes towards women in India? India… Continue reading Prisoner of Gender
Managing the crude price pressure
News: Russia-Ukraine conflict will have many economic implications for India, but higher commodity prices, particularly oil, will be most harmful. In case the conflict prolongs, crude oil will be expected on an average around $100/barrel in 2022, vis-a-vis $70/barrel in 2021. It would cost India 1.2 per cent of GDP i.e., for same net oil… Continue reading Managing the crude price pressure
Find space for new science, its ethical dilemmas
News: Several advances have been made in the field of ‘Xenotransplantation’. Xenotransplantation involves the transplantation of nonhuman tissues or organs into human recipients. Read more – Xenotransplantation: Need, Advantages and Challenges – Explained, pointwise What are the developments made in the field of Xenotransplantation? In September 2021, at the NYU Langone hospital in New York,… Continue reading Find space for new science, its ethical dilemmas
Rich nations must step in
News: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) has released the second part of the Sixth Assessment Report. What are the key findings of the Sixth Assessment Report? Read here: The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (Part 2) – Explained, pointwise How would climate change impact India? Read here: What is the impact of climate change on agriculture, farming and… Continue reading Rich nations must step in
Care informed by data: On children orphaned by the pandemic
News: Some reports have suggested a high increase in COVID-19-associated orphanhood. Lancet estimates of COVID-19-associated orphanhood put the number at over 19 lakh children orphaned. Globally it estimated 52 lakh children had been rendered orphans by the pandemic. However, Lancet report has been refuted by Indian government. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights data… Continue reading Care informed by data: On children orphaned by the pandemic
Our muddled attitude to women in the workforce
News: Pew Research data has recently revealed its survey. What does the survey data reflect? Nearly 30,000 adults participated in the poll conducted across India in the last four months of 2019-20. Rights: 79% of men and 82% of women stated that women should have equal rights as men. Jobs: Large proportion agrees that men should… Continue reading Our muddled attitude to women in the workforce
The ‘global rules-based order’ is an idealistic myth
News: Unexpected Russian military intervention in Ukraine is the latest example of an underlying cause of decay in the international ‘rules-based’ order. Where did the idea of an ‘international rules-based order’ originate? Diet of Westphalia (then Holy Roman Empire) in 1648 established the principle of ‘sovereignty’. For a long time, it has been the founding… Continue reading The ‘global rules-based order’ is an idealistic myth
Counting those who qualify as EWS
News: Supreme court has sought clarification from the Government regarding the basis for the income cut-off for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). Government in 2019 issued a circular, which guaranteed 10 per cent reservations in civil posts and services of the GoI to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of the society. These sections were not… Continue reading Counting those who qualify as EWS
Nod for Defence Acquisition Procedure
What is the news? The Defence Ministry has Accorded In–Principle (AIP) approval to four projects under Make–I category and five under Make–II category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020. What is Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020? Defence Procurement Procedure(DPP) was first initiated in 2002 to streamline the procurement of military hardware for the Armed Forces in… Continue reading Nod for Defence Acquisition Procedure
