Tag: gs paper 2

States, freebies and the costs of fiscal profligacy

News: In recent years, many states are pursuing the freebie culture. Such freebies are announced ahead of the assembly election. For example, the one of the contesting political parties in Punjab election, promised a sum of Rs. 1,000 per month to every woman in the State. Read – How are freebies different to free essential… Continue reading States, freebies and the costs of fiscal profligacy

How Hanoi and New Delhi are fortifying defence ties

News: India and Vietnam recently deepened their bilateral cooperation with the signing of the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030. Apart from that, the early finalisation of the $500 million Defence Line of Credit extended by India to Vietnam and the implementation of existing projects which would complement India’s ‘Make in India,… Continue reading How Hanoi and New Delhi are fortifying defence ties

Ruchi Gupta writes: The crisis in Maharashtra shows the anti-defection law to be ineffective, even counterproductive

News: The political crisis in Maharashtra has brought focus back on the anti-defection law. The law has failed to provide the stability of elected governments. What is anti-defection law? Read more: “Nominated members” and “Anti-defection Law” in India What are the challenges associated with the anti-defection law? Repeated ceding of political power to the judiciary:… Continue reading Ruchi Gupta writes: The crisis in Maharashtra shows the anti-defection law to be ineffective, even counterproductive

What’ll help us come to terms with India’s past

News: Many state boards and NCERT are making changes to the social science textbooks, specifically history books. For example; NCERT) has proposed sweeping changes to social science textbooks for Classes VI to IX. Read More – Objections to rewriting of the history textbooks What are the issues with making changes to the social sciences? History… Continue reading What’ll help us come to terms with India’s past

Why India Should Become A Rare Earths Powerhouse

Context: India has huge reserves of Rare Earth Elements, but is still dependent on imports. Rare Earth Elements are a group of 17 elements: scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium. Demand for Rare Earth Elements is on the rise for many critical applications… Continue reading Why India Should Become A Rare Earths Powerhouse

Making sense of New Delhi’s Taliban rapprochement

News: Recently, India sent a senior diplomatic delegation to the Taliban-occupied Kabul. The visit was the culmination of Delhi’s months of quiet diplomacy and signaling. India’s Foreign Policy Just hours after the Taliban’s takeover, in 2021, India was the first country to immediately ban all Afghans traveling to India, including students and patients with a… Continue reading Making sense of New Delhi’s Taliban rapprochement

On women’s rights, West takes a backward step, and India shows the way

News: At present, there is a distressing furore on social media and the streets against the near-total bans on abortion in the West. What are the reasons for India’s forward-looking policy? About The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2021 It allows the abortions up to 24 gestational weeks on grounds of risk to the… Continue reading On women’s rights, West takes a backward step, and India shows the way

On GST, the problem is trust deficit

News: On 1st July 2022, India’s goods and services tax (GST) will be five years old. Further, the GST Council will be meeting over the next few days. What are the issues with GST? (1) The breakdown of trust and cooperative federalism between states and the Union government, (2) The expiry of the revenue guarantee… Continue reading On GST, the problem is trust deficit

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