-Moneylife.in While highlighting the need for proactive building up of adequate capital for banks to withstand possible asset quality deterioration, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has warned that the gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) may escalate to 14.8% under a severe stress scenario. In its financial stability report (FSR), the central bank says, "Macro stress tests incorporating the first advance estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) for...

-Down to Earth This water causes diarrhoeal diseases that kill 800 children every day, mostly in India, Afghanistan and Congo To limit the spread of disease and reduce environmental pollution, human waste (excreta) needs to be safely contained and effectively treated. Yet 4.2 billion people, more than half of the world’s population, lack access to safe sanitation. In developing countries, each person produces, on average, six litres of toilet wastewater each day. Based...

-Down to Earth Said will facilitate talks before committee set up by the court The Supreme Court January 11, 2021 slammed the Narendra Modi government’s handling of protests by farmers over the recent agriculture-related laws. It called for a committee and said if the government doesn’t stays the three laws, the apex court would A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde said that it was disappointed with the way the government...

-TheWire.in Development administration is a specialised job. At present, bureaucrats are transferred from one department to another with little attention to whether they have knowledge of agriculture or industries. The new year calls for a basic change in priorities – a need to focus on the development of rural areas. The current farmers’ agitation has thrown into sharp relief the failure of the government to understand the concerns of a large section...

-The Tribune Review skeptical about programmes such as ‘Make-in-India’ and ‘Self-Reliant India’ New Delhi: The World Trade Organisation’s review of India’s trade policies has expressed concern about the high level of government intervention in the agriculture sector. Members recognised the importance of the sector in supporting livelihoods and food security. At the same time, they urged India to reform its agricultural policies as they continue to be based on “significant levels” of domestic and...