ECI ON BIENNIAL ELECTION TO MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Focus: GS-II Governance, Polity, Prelims Why in news? The Election Commission, on May 1st, reviewed the matter concerning feasibility of conduct of biennial election for the 9 vacant seats of the MLC by MLAs in the state of Maharashtra. ECI on 03 April 2020 had issued an order under Article 324 to defer the elections […]
IT’S ABOUT FOOD, NUTRITION AND LIVELIHOOD SECURITY
Introduction The current national lockdown to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the problems of food, nutrition and livelihood security confronting a large number of rural people, in particular, migrants to cities. Some measures have been announced, such as: Provision of additional rice or wheat, some pulses and oil free of cost Rs. 1,000 cash […]
WHAT IS INDIA’S PERMANENT MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS?
Why in news? India has appointed diplomat T S Tirumurti, currently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, as its Permanent Representative to the United Nations, succeeding Syed Akbaruddin. What are Permanent Missions to the United Nations? The Permanent Mission is the diplomatic mission that every member state deputes to the United Nations, […]
RELIGION AND FREEDOM: ON INDIA AND COMMUNAL VIOLENCE
Introduction Religious freedom is of paramount importance, not because it is about religion, but because it is about freedom. USCIRF Characterisation of India The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) characterised India as a country of particular concern, in its annual report. The Indian government repudiated the report. The U.S. has used arguments of […]
SAUDI ARABIA’S INVESTMENTS IN INDIA ON TRACK
Why in news? Despite a massive 50% drop in oil revenues and a downturn in the economy, Saudi Arabia’s investments in India will not be affected, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to India Saud bin Mohammed Al Sati said in a written interview. At a time when a UN body has predicted a cut in about 1.7 […]
INDIA SLIPS IN PRESS FREEDOM RANKINGS
Why in news? The latest survey of the global body, Reporters Without Borders, that shows India dropping two places on the global press freedom index ranking to 142nd place in the list of 180 countries. India’s neighbours — Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka — are ranked higher in the list. Claims and details on India’s Press […]
OMAN JOB CUTS NOT INDIA-SPECIFIC: CENTRE
Why in news? There are reports of continued job cuts in several Gulf countries, including Oman, which has instructed government-owned companies to replace expat workers “as quickly as possible” with Omanis. Amidst these reports, expat Indian citizens have played a significant role in creating prosperous economies in the Gulf region, the External Affairs Ministry said […]
PLAN TO EXTEND CAT OPPOSED
Why in news? There was opposition against the decision to extend the jurisdiction of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chandigarh, to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to hear the cases of employees for redress. Why were they against it? Shifting of all pending service-related matters from both wings of the High Court in […]
BY ANY CALCULUS INDIA QUALIFIES FOR UNSC PERMANENT SEAT
Why in news? India is due for election to the temporary membership of the U.N. Security Council later in 2020. Priorities for India to work on India in many ways is a sui generis (unique)country, the only example in history of a billion-plus people working together in a democratic framework. Our USP (Unique selling proposition) is that […]
ONLY 30 LAKH FOUND MGNREGA WORK IN APRIL 2020
Why in news? Although the Centre gave explicit instructions to reopen its flagship rural jobs scheme from April 20, only 30 lakh people were provided work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in April, about 17% of the usual, government data show. In mid-April, only 1% of the usual number of […]