THE PANDEMIC AND THE CONTOURS OF A HEALTH RESPONSE
India’s worries India is facing the worst public health crisis in its independent history which pales the earlier ones such as AIDS, SARS and H1N1 into insignificance. The speed at which the virus entered the country and the multiple challenges it has posed before the people and the government are unprecedented. While the initial response […]
EXPLAINED: A LOOK AT WTO’S RULES
How does WTO classify developed and developing countries? The WTO doesn’t define countries as ‘developing’ or ‘developed’. Member nations themselves are required to declare which category they fall under. However, these declarations can be challenged by other member nations. Over two-thirds of WTO’s 164 member countries are developing countries. Advantages of a ‘developing country’ status […]
EXPLAINED: HOW A DOLLAR SWAP LINE WITH US FED CAN HELP
Why in news? India is working with the United States to secure a dollar swap line that would help in better management of its external account and provide extra cushion in the event of an abrupt outflow of funds, according to banking industry and government sources. India already has a $75 billion bilateral currency swap […]
AMBEDKAR AND THE POONA PACT
Introduction to Poona Pact In late September 1932, B.R. Ambedkar negotiated the Poona Pact with Mahatma Gandhi. The background to the Poona Pact was the Communal Award of August 1932, which, among other things, reserved 71 seats in the central legislature for the depressed classes. Gandhi, who was opposed to the Communal Award, saw it […]
ACCESSING JUSTICE ONLINE
Why in news? With Indian courts too under a lockdown for three weeks (and probably more), citizens have severely restricted access to justice for this period. However, the deeper malaise is the complete inability of the conventional court system to deliver timely justice. This shakes the very foundation of the polity on which we rest […]
REIMAGINING OUR ECONOMIC CHOICES
Introduction to our choices The COVID-19 pandemic will reshape all our economic choices. Nations have made a crucial choice in recent weeks, choosing human life over economic growth. Governments including ours have mandated lockdowns to slow the pandemic, relieve the pressure on their hospitals and save lives. Economics is about choices, a study of ‘human […]
SACKING BY SUBTERFUGE: REMOVAL OF A.P.’S TOP ELECTION OFFICIAL
Why in news? The legality of the removal of the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner (SEC) is seriously in doubt. That it was the culmination of an open conflict between the Election Commissioner, and Chief Minister makes it a glaring instance of misuse of power. Background The State government got the Governor to issue an […]
WOMEN’S SAFETY DURING LOCKDOWN
Introduction to Domestic Violence during crisis It is well-documented that during a war, a natural disaster or a pandemic, women’s bodies bear the worse brunt of the crisis. Now, at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations recognises domestic violence against women as a “shadow pandemic”. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a huge […]
WTO EXPECTS GLOBAL GOODS TRADE VOLUME TO SLUMP BY AS MUCH AS 32%
Why in news? The WTO released its outlook for global trade last week – Projecting merchandise trade to plummet by anywhere between 13% and 32% in 2020. Details Economists at the WTO appear certain that the disruption and resultant blow to trade will in all likelihood be far worse than the slump brought on by […]
WANTED, A COLLECTIVE NATIONAL ENDEAVOUR
Some excerpts from the article on “What can be done?” We are all in it together and representatives of all political parties should work together to deal with what we are told is the severest crisis since Independence. The Centre must have the State Governments as equal partners while taking decisions. The most productive effort […]