INDIA, RUSSIA TO HOLD NAVAL DRILLS IN ANDAMAN SEA
Focus: GS-III Internal Security Challenges, GS-II International Relations Why in news? Amid high operational alert by the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) due to the ongoing standoff with China in Ladakh, India and Russia are scheduled to hold the bilateral naval exercise, Indra 2020, in the Andaman Sea, close to the strategic […]
GST REVENUE FALLS 12%, MANUFACTURING SECTOR COMEBACK
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Why in news? Goods and Services Tax revenue in August stood at just over 1% lower than the amount collected in July. On a year-on-year basis, GST collections dropped 12% from August 2019, according to data released by the Finance Ministry. India’s manufacturing sector activity re-entered the growth territory in August, […]
INDIA, 3 NATIONS CALL FOR UNSC REFORM
Focus: GS-II International Relations Why in news? India has joined hands with Brazil, Germany and Japan to call for expediting the process for reforming the UN Security Council, with the four countries saying that inter-governmental negotiations on the issue have dragged on for more than a decade without substantial progress. Details The four countries, also […]
NEW GUIDELINES FOR STANDING COMMITTEES IN THE MAKING
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? Parliament is preparing new guidelines for its standing committees that may include a minimum 15 days’ notice and confirmation by one-third of the members before holding a panel meeting; nomination of members based on their qualifications, interests and occupations; and at least 50% attendance while collecting evidence and adopting […]
SUPREME COURT’S JUDGEMENT ON AGR DUES
Focus: GS-II Governance Why in news? The Supreme Court allowed telecom companies 10 years’ time to pay their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues to the government. The government had proposed in court a 20-year “formula” for telcos to make staggered payments of the dues, however the Supreme Court considered that the period of 20 years […]
A ‘NEW’ DEMOCRACY?
Focus: GS-II Governance Introduction The ‘democracy’ that a major part of our world swears by comprises free and fair, multi-party, fixed-term elections based on universal adult franchise in its ideal state. A contestant party winning the majority of votes represents the will of the electorate and gets to form the government; others sit in the […]
MERE GOVT. SPENDING WILL NOT HELP ECONOMY
Focus: GS-III Indian Economy Introduction In the wake of the economic crisis, many have asked for higher government spending to bail out the economy. Why can’t the government just spend to revive growth? First, in all likelihood, temporary incomes coupled with job/income uncertainty will induce precautionary savings without any impact on growth. Second, the fiscal […]
TREATING DATA AS COMMONS
Focus: GS-II Governance Introduction The Gopalakrishnan Committee set up by the government on developing a governance framework for non-personal data recently put out its draft report for public consultation. The report’s main purpose is to ensure wide sharing and availability of data in society. To ensure that companies share the required data, it was found […]