News: Recently, Amnesty International raised concerns that extensive surveillance of Hyderabad is putting human rights at risk. How surveillance is carried out in Hyderabad? It largely follows a three-pronged approach. – Wide web of CCTV cameras: For example, CCTV coverage in two cities (Kala Pathar and Kishan Bagh) is 53.7% and 62.7% respectively according to… Continue reading Surveillance as governance
Tag: the hindu
India-Russia summit recognised that each needs the other, and that the drift in bilateral ties needs to be arrested
News: Recently, 21st India – Russia Annual summit took place. The summit highlighted the “all-weather” partnership between India and Russia. Must read: Recent developments in India-Russia Relations – Explained, pointwise Contents1 What are the challenges in India-Russia relations?2 Why does Russia need India?3 Why does India need Russia?4 What should be done? What are the… Continue reading India-Russia summit recognised that each needs the other, and that the drift in bilateral ties needs to be arrested
About Swacch Bharat Mission 2.0: Being free of old waste
News: Main focus of Swacch Bharat Mission 2.0 is to work on solid waste management. About Swacch Bharat Mission 2.0 The mission aims to provide financial assistance to set up fresh waste processing facilities and bioremediation projects across all the ULBs. Financial assistance is limited to chosen large cities that have a population of over 5… Continue reading About Swacch Bharat Mission 2.0: Being free of old waste
Health account numbers that require closer scrutiny
News: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released the National Health Accounts Report for 2017-18. How does NHA capture data? NHA captures health data like out-of-pocket expenditure, insurance premiums from various sources like the “Household social consumption in India: Health” survey of the National Sample Survey Organization. Read here: Per capita out-of-pocket health expenditure sees… Continue reading Health account numbers that require closer scrutiny
Afforestation funds released to States
Contents1 What is the News?2 What is Compensatory Afforestation?3 About Compensatory Afforestation Fund4 Key Provisions of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act,2016 What is the News? The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has so far disbursed ₹48,606 crores to 32 States. Chhattisgarh and Odisha have had the maximum amount transferred to them, followed by… Continue reading Afforestation funds released to States
Nagaland killings should prompt a broad rethink
News: The army operation resulted in the tragic death of 14 civilians in Nagaland. Contents1 What can be the impact of the killings? 2 What is AFSPA? Why controversies surrounding it?3 Why there is a stalemate despite the Framework Agreement (FA)?4 What is the way forward? What can be the impact of the killings? It can stall… Continue reading Nagaland killings should prompt a broad rethink
Basking in reflected glory
News: The recent appointment of Parag Agrawal, as the CEO of US-based company ‘Twitter’ started renewed debate on brain drain from India. What are the reasons for brain drain from India? It started in the late-1960s when private sector companies were few and there were few good jobs available in public sector undertakings. Unlike India,… Continue reading Basking in reflected glory
The way to tackle malnutrition
News: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) has released the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5). There has been tardy progress in reducing undernutrition, wasting and stunting. Contents1 What are the findings of NFHS 5?2 What are the lacunae in the system?3 What steps can be adopted to improve the progress?4 What should be the way… Continue reading The way to tackle malnutrition
A docket full of unresolved constitutional cases
News: There is a great asymmetry of power between the state and the citizen. Thus, one of the proposals during the making of the constitution was that petitions which challenge the violation of fundamental rights by the state should be decided within one month. The pendency of critical cases in the judiciary reflects that such proposals… Continue reading A docket full of unresolved constitutional cases
Highly invasive snail spotted in Kerala
What is the News? Researchers have found a tiny snail species named Physella Acuta also known as acute bladder snail in the Edappally canal in Kochi, Kerala. This snail species is globally branded as a Highly Invasive Species. Note: An invasive species is an organism that causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it… Continue reading Highly invasive snail spotted in Kerala
