-Newsclick.in Weavers in Prime Minister Modi’s constituency, reeling under the triple blow of demonetisation, GST and lockdown, are on a week-long token protest against hiked electricity bills. Lucknow: To keep his home fires burning, Mohammad Obaid had to sell three handlooms and a wrapping machine that he had bought with his hard-earned money following demonetisation (November 2016) and the imposition of goods and services tax (GST). Now, the coronavirus pandemic-induced over three...

-NetworkIdeas.org In the wake of the India-China conflagration at the border, the worst in more than five decades, the fault lines of India’s economic relationship with its northern neighbour are now wide open. Amidst the demands for boycotting Chinese products and investments, the Government of India finds itself in a bind, given the sheer dependence of the Indian economy on China. This dependence did not happen in a hurry; it took China...

-Down to Earth Such data is needed for assessing impact of a project on the environment; experts fear Environment Impact Assessment studies will become misleading Data from only one season can be used to create a baseline for projects under the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) 2020 unveiled by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) March 12. Baseline data is needed in EIA reports that predict the impact a...

-The Indian Express We need to provide minimum income for poor and vulnerable — cash transfers for women, increasing MGNREGA to 150 days in rural areas, introduction of urban employment guarantee scheme. In the post corona crisis situation, India has to address many problems, of which two stand out. First, the improvement of our healthcare system and second, the need for the institution of a scheme to provide minimum income support to...

-Scroll.in A doctor looks at the pattern of Covid-19 cases in Rajasthan. On March 25, India went into a nationwide lockdown that had been imposed with only four hours notice. The clampdown on travel resulted in millions of migrant workers being trapped in cities that, even at best of times, are hostile to their needs. Faced with starvation and separation from families, lakhs of workers started walking or cycling hundreds of kilometres back...