Often exports made by a country to the rest of the world are seen in a positive light by us. It is because exports not only earn precious foreign currencies (that can be used for importing goods and services or simply be used for building forex reserves), it also helps in generating effective demand for goods and services produced in that country and hence, contributes to economic or GDP growth....

-Down to Earth The programme can provide a safety net for the poor, not just in COVID-19 times, but for times to come In these Darkest days of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) — when jobs and economies have collapsed — 56 million households got work in the past three months and these jobs provided relief. This was under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which perhaps is the...

-Scroll.in An excerpt from the introduction to Yadav’s new book, ‘Making Sense Of Indian Democracy: Theory as Practice’. That was foreshadowed by Congress’ victory in the wake of the Sikh massacre and followed by Modi’s victories in the Gujarat assembly elections, held in the wake of the anti-Muslim pogrom of 2002. We should have known about the Dark side of Indian democracy. At any rate, we are no longer now looking at...

-The Hindu The state and the rich and middle classes remain indifferent as millions slip into chronic hunger and intense poverty India’s labouring poor have largely disappeared even from the inner pages of newspapers and from television screens. It is as though, after the country has gradually unlocked and most migrants have returned home, the wrenching distress of mass hunger and sudden unemployment that racked their lives has somehow passed. The reality...

-PTI/ The Hindu Close to 50 lakh affected due to overflowing rivers Patna: Floods claimed two more lives in Bihar on Saturday taking the death toll to 13, while the number of people affected by the calamity inched closer to 50 lakh as the waters of overflowing rivers reached fresh areas of the State’s northern part. According to the bulletin issued by the State disaster management department, two fresh casualties were reported from...