Synopsis: China’s sweeping overhaul of its tech sector could benefit India in the near future. Introduction Last year China stopped Ant Group’s Initial Public Offering (IPO), which is Alibaba’s fintech arm. Recently, there is another high-profile crackdown on a Chinese tech company. China has also imposed various regulations, antitrust and anti-monopoly lawsuits, cyber security probes,… Continue reading Crackdown in China, hope in India
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Tarballs on India’s west coast: A tale of shifting responsibilities
Synopsis: Tarballs, how they are formed, their impact on environment and judicial & legal provisions dealing with such issues. Introduction Tarballs hit the news headlines recently when they started appearing on well-known beaches of Mumbai and Goa. These aquatic pollutants have flooded Anjuna, Morjim, Colva and Mandrem beaches in Goa as well as Juhu, Versova,… Continue reading Tarballs on India’s west coast: A tale of shifting responsibilities
RBI microfinance proposals that are anti-poor
Synopsis: Proposals of RBI’s consultative document will reduce the availability of cheap loans to the rural poor. Background In June 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) published a “Consultative Document on Regulation of Microfinance”. The paper was to promote the financial inclusion of the poor and competition among lenders. However, if the recommendations of… Continue reading RBI microfinance proposals that are anti-poor
Taproots to help restore India’s fading green cover
Synopsis: Forest restoration activities and why they are important. Various challenges associated with forest restoration and solutions to deal with it. Introduction Forest covers nearly 30% land surface of the earth. They provide a wide variety of ecosystem services and support countless and diverse species around the globe. They also stabilise the climate, sequester carbon and regulate the water regime. What is the… Continue reading Taproots to help restore India’s fading green cover
Cities are taking climate action
Synopsis: Efforts taken by states to deal with climate change, hurdles in transforming states in to a sustainable urban state and how we can find a solution to deal with the twin challenge of climate change and inclusive development. Introduction Recently, Maharashtra’s Environment Minister announced that 43 cities across the State will join the UN-backed ‘Race… Continue reading Cities are taking climate action
India should never fall into the trap of premature celebration
Synopsis: India must focus on doing things right before getting too enthusiastic over the country’s economic ascent. Introduction There is talk of the BSE Sensex at 200,000. In 2019, a year that India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth fell, there was talk of achieving a $10 trillion nominal GDP by 2030. Such talk has begun… Continue reading India should never fall into the trap of premature celebration
Recurring pain: On RBI’s decision on auto-debit transactions
Synopsis: RBI must re-examine its auto-debit restrictions Introduction Recently, the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) new rules controlling recurring payments on credit or debit cards came into force. The new rules mandate advanced notification by banks to customers for executing recurring payments which are of value of ₹ 5,000 and above. It is meant for… Continue reading Recurring pain: On RBI’s decision on auto-debit transactions
The future of vertical farming is brighter than once thought
Synopsis: The concept of vertical farming can fix several problems faced by conventional farms. Introduction AeroFarms is going to be the first vertical-farming startup to be listed on the Nasdaq in the next month after it completes a merger with Spring Valley Acquisition Corp. What is Vertical farming? It is a system for growing food… Continue reading The future of vertical farming is brighter than once thought
Employment increases in rural India
Synopsis: In all the major labour market metrics, it is rural India that shows big improvements. Labour conditions improved in urban India also but not as much as they did in rural India. Introduction Labour participation in Rural India increased 0.20 percentage points in last month as compared to a much smaller 0.02 percentage points… Continue reading Employment increases in rural India
How loopholes in Aadhaar-enabled payments are putting poor people at risk of being swindled
Synopsis: Given the need for financial inclusion, resolving the issue in the AePS model is vital. Introduction The government of India launched Aadhaar enabled Payment System which is coupled with the Business correspondent model. It was supposed to revitalize financial inclusion in India. However, it faces many challenges. What is the Aadhaar enabled Payment System… Continue reading How loopholes in Aadhaar-enabled payments are putting poor people at risk of being swindled
