-The Hindu While sanitation schemes in India date back to the British Raj, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is the latest and by far most ambitious iteration. Launched by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the end of 2014, the Rs.9,000-crore scheme aims to achieve an Open Defecation-Free (ODF) India by constructing 12 million rural household toilets across the country before October 2, 2019 — to coincide with Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birthday. But...
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The Indian economy finally bares its demonetisation scars -Manas Chakravarty
-Livemint.com Very low GDP growth in the fourth quarter indicates that the slowdown is likely to persist in the current quarter as well Finally, the impact of demonetisation is visible in the gross domestic product (GDP) numbers. Gross value-added (GVA) growth at constant prices fell to a mere 5.6% in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017 (FY17), clearly showing the scars of demonetisation on the economy. That’s not all. The headline growth...
More »New threat: city heat -GS Mudur
-The Telegraph New Delhi: Heat trapped by tarred roads and dense clusters of buildings may have added nearly 2 degrees to temperatures in the world's most populated cities, including Calcutta, Delhi and Mumbai, over and above the effects of global warming, researchers said today. Their study, described as the first to quantify the combined impacts of global warming and the "urban heat island effect", suggests that the overheated cities will face double...
More »Illegal and senseless -Arvind P Datar
-The Indian Express The proposed total ban on cattle slaughter goes against Supreme Court decisions on the matter since 1959 Less than a week ago, the Central government notified rules, many of which are as unconstitutional as they are senseless: A person is prohibited from bringing any type of cattle to an animal market for sale for slaughter. First, why is it unconstitutional? The ban on slaughter of cattle was a politically...
More »Cattle trade rules: Buffaloes may go off 'no slaughter' list after protests
-IANS The environment ministry, on May 26, modified the rules to prevent cruelty to animals, making it mandatory to ensure that cattle are not bought or sold for slaughtering. The Centre is understood to be having a rethink on its order Restricting the sale of animals, including cows and buffaloes, for slaughter following the stiff opposition from some states, including Kerala. The government is likely to exempt buffaloes from the ‘no slaughter’ list,...
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