-The Hindustan Times Before climate change became the most important global environmental concern, the depletion of the ozone layer dominated the discourse. This depletion was being caused by the use of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) primarily in refrigerators and of HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons) largely in air-conditioners. To deal with this threat, following the Vienna Convention in 1985, the Montreal Protocol came into existence in 1987 with a Multilateral Fund following in 1991. This has...

-The Hindustan Times Soon, motorists caught speeding, driving drunk or jumping red lights may not get away with a light fine and a few stern words from the traffic cop. The punishment would get harsher as the gravity of the offence increases - a Rs. 3-lakh fine and not less than seven years in jail for causing the death of a child; Rs. 5 lakh in penalty and three months in jail...

-The Indian Express The MGNREGS stands out as one of the Indian government's most ambitious social schemes, with far-reaching consequences throughout the economy. The only known recipe for poverty eradication is a combination of high growth and high development spending. Neither is sufficient. A recent study (Kapoor and Ahluwalia, 2012) has shown that post-liberalisation, one champion of poverty reduction in India is Andhra Pradesh. This reduction in poverty is widespread, as...

In the midst of irregular monsoons affecting agriculture, a new report shows stagnation in the state of irrigation infrastructure. The recent report entitled Infrastructure Statistics 2014 (Third Issue) by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has provided information that despite the rise in expenditure on irrigation infrastructure, there has been no substantial improvement in the gross irrigation potential utilized*. Athough expenditure on irrigation has increased from Rs. 36561.64 crores...

-The Hindu Jaipur: It is the Chandpole cremation ground in the heart of Jaipur city. Groups of people have come to perform the last rites of their loved ones. The mood is sombre. But the exercise, one will observe, is rather mechanical. Each family seems to know under which shed they have to perform the last rites. If they don't, they are directed to the right one by the workers at the...