News: Maternal mortality ratio (MMR), infant mortality rate and neonatal mortality rate (NMR) have not improved at the same pace as institutional births. About the growth in institutional births The share of India’s institutional deliveries increased to 88.6% in 2019-2021 (National Family Health Survey 5) from 40.8% in 2005-06 (NHFS 3). The nine targeted states… Continue reading Over 15 years of incentivised institutional delivery: Has it ensured safe births?
Tag: gs paper 2
Heartening milestone: On India’s overseas shipping record
News: Govt has announced that India’s merchandise exports have already surpassed the target set for this fiscal year, with overseas shipments crossing a record $400 billion mark by March 21. Why is this news significant? This news assumes importance esp in light of the last fiscal’s pandemic-induced slump in global demand. Also, the fact that… Continue reading Heartening milestone: On India’s overseas shipping record
Forging a social contract for data
News: In February 2022, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) released the Data India Data Accessibility and Use Policy 2022 (or Draft Policy) for public consultation. What are the aims of the draft policy? It will help in overcoming a number of historical bottlenecks: (1) slow progress on the Open Government Data (OGD)… Continue reading Forging a social contract for data
India’s complex position on Islamophobia
News: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a consensus resolution declaring March 15 to be celebrated as “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” annually. What is Islamophobia? It refers to the fear of and prejudice, discrimination and hate speech against Islam. For example, Muslims claims the face negative stereotyping in Western countries has exacerbated since 9/11… Continue reading India’s complex position on Islamophobia
A good foreign policy must also make a difference at home
News: India’s foreign policy is at the centre of debate due to ongoing geopolitical issues like the treatment of Indian students from the conflict-ridden Ukraine. What are the ingredients of a good foreign policy? A good foreign policy does not necessarily have to sound nice. It must be able to meet the everyday needs of… Continue reading A good foreign policy must also make a difference at home
3 in 1: New Bill silent on Corpn funding
News: The central government introduced the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, in the Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to merge the three municipal corporations of Delhi into a single entity. What is the rationale behind the bill? The 2011 Trifurcation of the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi was uneven in terms of territorial divisions… Continue reading 3 in 1: New Bill silent on Corpn funding
The worsening hunger problem of India’s poor
Context: In October 2020, The Right to Food Campaign conducted a Hunger Watch Survey (HW-1) to analyze the effect of lockdown. Covering close to 4,000 people in 11 states, the survey highlighted the extent of widespread hunger and a deterioration in the quality of diets compared to the pre-pandemic period. The second round of the Hunger… Continue reading The worsening hunger problem of India’s poor
The peculiar case of Ladakh’s eastern boundary
Context: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval. This provides a chance to focus on Ladakh’s eastern boundary and ongoing conflict. History of Ladakh’s boundary: There has never been a defined boundary in this area because high watershed frameworks do not apply to parallel… Continue reading The peculiar case of Ladakh’s eastern boundary
Sealed justice: On sealed cover jurisprudence
News: Recently, the Supreme Court has decided that it will examine the issue of ‘sealed cover jurisprudence’ in the Media One channel case. What is ‘sealed cover jurisprudence’? This practice gained much traction in recent years, in this contents or evidences are provided to judges in sealed envelopes, withheld from lawyers appearing against the government,… Continue reading Sealed justice: On sealed cover jurisprudence
Time for India to redefine its relationship with Russia
News: Russia’s war in Ukraine has decisively shaped international opinion. Indian Diplomacy is facing the question of how to navigate India’s great power relations in the future. What has been the impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis? Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine has changed the global order. The Western world has imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia… Continue reading Time for India to redefine its relationship with Russia
