The Election Commission of India (ECI) is hosting the 2nd International Conference on the theme ‘Use of Technology and Elections Integrity’ at New Delhi on 23-24 January, 2023. ECI is leading the Cohort on Elections Integrity which was established as a follow up to the ‘Summit for Democracy’ held virtually in December, 2021. …
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U.S. AND INDIA RELATIONS ON VISA
Promising to bring its visa staff across the U.S. Embassy and five consulates in India back up to full strength in the next few months, the U.S. on Sunday said it was launching a “surge” in staffing and a number of other measures to increase visa processing capacity across the …
Read More »INDIA’S UNIVERSITIES -WORLD’S ACADEMIC COMMUNITY
With India assuming the G20 presidency, it is now time for it to join the world’s academic community as a major player. Indians are well-known globally as top scientists and academics, university leaders, and key leaders in high tech, but little is known about the academic environment from which they …
Read More »FLAWS IN INDIA’S URBANISATION POLICIES
A report by the World Bank, released in November last year, on financing India’s urban infrastructure needs, focuses on private investments ameliorating urban problems. The push to attract private capital, since the 1990s, followed by the urban reforms under the United Progressive Alliance I regime, the Smart City mission, and …
Read More »THE SUPREME COURT COLLEGIUM
The Supreme Court collegium has done well to push back against the Union government’s attempts to block the appointment of some advocates as High Court judges. The three-member collegium, which makes recommendations for High Court appointments, has reiterated its decision to elevate lawyers Saurabh Kirpal to the Delhi High Court, …
Read More »TN HAD OUTSTANDING LIABILITIES OF ₹4.73 LAKH CRORE
Tamil Nadu had an outstanding liability of about ₹4.73 lakh crore at the end of March 2022 on funds raised through the issue of bonds. About 32.4%, or about ₹1.53 lakh crore, of the outstanding amounts are coming up for repayment by 2026-27. To bridge the gap between its income …
Read More »URBAN UNEMPLOYMENT
Ravi Verma, hired by an electrical parts manufacturing firm early last year as India’s economy surged, was fired in November when the company lost several export orders. He has since remained unemployed, unable to pay back a ₹1 lakh loan he took to buy a two-wheeler. Verma is among thousands …
Read More »GOOGLE AXES 12,000 JOBS OR 6% OF ITS WORKFORCE
Google is laying off 12,000 workers, or about 6% of its workforce, becoming the latest tech company to trim staff as the economic boom that the industry rode during the COVID-19 pandemic ebbs. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google’s parent Alphabet, informed staff Friday at the Silicon Valley giant about …
Read More »XI JINPING SPEAKS TO TROOPS ALONG INDIA-CHINA BORDER
Chinese President Xi Jinping on the evening of January 18 held a rare conversation with People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers stationed along the India-China border through video link, State media in Beijing reported on January 19. Xi, speaking from the PLA headquarters in the capital, addressed troops at a border …
Read More »INDIA’S G20 PRESIDENCY TO AMPLIFY SOUTH ASIA’S VOICE
At a time of both potential and peril, India has taken over the G20 presidency. The global food, energy, and financial crises have been exacerbated by the climatic crisis and India has a unique opportunity to lead from the front of one of the most influential global platforms. India has …
Read More »AUTONOMY OF PANCHAYAT LEVEL IN INDIA
A few weeks ago, Balineni Tirupati, an up-sarpanch in Telangana’s Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, committed suicide due to indebtedness. He had taken out a loan to undertake development works in the village and was unable to bear the burden after the State government’s inordinate delay in releasing bill payments. A few …
Read More »DECLINE IN CHINA’S POPULATION
The last time China’s population saw a decline was in 1961, in the midst of a devastating four-year famine following Mao’s failed “Great Leap Forward” campaign. The latest decline in population, however, is no blip. The shrinking of the world’s most populous country by as much as 8,50,000 in 2022 …
Read More »DROP IN INDIAN EXPORTS
December 2022 marked the steepest fall in two years for India’s goods exports, with products worth $34.5 billion shipped out — 12.2% lower than a year ago. This was the second time in three months that shipments dropped year-on-year and top Commerce Ministry officials sought to calm nerves by citing …
Read More »ANCIENT PORT CITY OF POOMPUHAR TRACED UNDER SEA
Researchers of Bharathidasan University’s Department of Remote Sensing, the lead agency of a Department of Science and Technology-sponsored research study, on Friday claimed to have found traces of an ancient port city buried under sea, at a depth of 50-100 metres, about 30-40 km off the coast of present-day Poompuhar …
Read More »1ST G20 HEALTH WORKING GROUP MEETING
Highlighting the philosophy of “Aarogyam Param Bhagyam, SwasthyamSarwaarthSadhanam”, which translates as “Good Health is the Greatest Fortune” and “Health is the only way to Happiness in the World”, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare stated that “under G20 India Presidency, we plan to strive …
Read More »INDIA PARTICIPATES IN THE FMC LEADERSHIP MEETING OF THE WEF
India participated in the First Movers Coalition (FMC) Leadership Meeting of the World Economic Forum which deliberated on the world need for clean energy technologies to confront climate crisis globally. Industry leaders appreciated India’s fight against COVID leveraging digital technologies and also expressed their appreciation for Government partnering with industry …
Read More »THE POLITICAL FLUX IN PAKISTAN
With the dissolution of Punjab and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial assemblies, Pakistan’s politics has entered tumultuous territory. Former Prime Minister and founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan believes that now the PTI has a better chance to return with more seats. On the contrary, the Pakistan Muslim …
Read More »‘UAE, INDIA DISCUSS RUPEE NON-OIL TRADE’
The United Arab Emirates is in early discussions with India to trade non-oil commodities in Indian rupees, Emirati Minister for Foreign Trade Thani Al Zeyoudi said on Thursday. The UAE signed a wide-ranging free trade agreement last year with India, which, along with China, is among the biggest trade partners …
Read More »SC REJECTS GOOGLE’S PLEA AGAINST NCLAT ORDER IN ANDROID CASE
The Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order refusing interim relief to Google against a Competition Commission of India (CCI) directive to pay a penalty of ₹1,337.76 crore for “abuse of dominance” in the Android ecosystem. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of …
Read More »WOMEN ARMY OFFICERS IN COMMAND
The Army has begun the process for selection of women officers for command postings in the rank of Colonel, which has so far been the domain of male officers. According to sources, a Special No. 3 Selection Board is being conducted for promotion of women officers from the rank of …
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