-The Hindu The INCident has given an opportunity to the Opposition BJP to attack the ruling Congress government for ‘neglecting a long-pending public demand’. The self-immolation and death of a septuagenarian monk, Baba Vijay Das, who was protesting against mining in Bharatpur has intensified politics in Rajasthan, the State set to witness polls by the end of the next year. While both the Congress and the BJP, in their respective tenures, allowed the...

-The Hindu It is time for political leaders to clamour for an overhaul of India’s economic performance measurement framework In a few weeks, a quarterly ritual will play out in India. The Government will release the first quarter’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth numbers with some chest-thumping about how India is among the fastest-growing economies in the world. Opposition parties will hold press conferences on the same day to counter such bombast...

-Down to Earth Number of ‘heavy rain’ days have gone up in recent years, finds IMD analysis Climate change might be behind the change in rainfall pattern in recent years, leading to regular floods. The rainfall pattern in the state has changed over the last decade, with a greater number of ‘heavy rain’ days.  Days receiving more than 65 millimetres of rainfall are called ‘heavy rainfall’ days. Western, eastern and southern districts of the...

-The Tribune Of sanctioned strength of 78, only 18 personnel have joined on deputation to carry out anti-mining raids Chandigarh: A total of 78 police personnel were sanctioned to join the Mines and Geology Department on deputation in 2021 for carrying out raids to stop illegal mining, but just 18 joined. Despite the department requesting the Haryana Police thrice to send the remaining 60 personnel, none has joined, not even after DSP...

-TheWire.in States like Delhi (despite its unique multi-party governance architecture), West Bengal, Kerala (or even Goa and Sikkim) perform better compared to UP when it comes to being measured for securing access to basic social, economic services. In a veiled attack against BJP’s political opponents, accusing them of promising ‘freebies’ (revdi) in exchange for electoral votes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday cautioned people, especially the youth, against this “revdi culture”, saying...