Retail inflation eases to 3.34%, lowest since 2019

Retail inflation eased to a five-and-a-half-year low of 3.34% in March, from 3.61% in the previous month, mostly due to lower food prices, according to data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Vegetables, eggs, and pulses were significantly cheaper, though edible oils and fruits continued to see high inflation. 

IMD forecasts 'above normal' monsoon

India is likely to receive "above normal" monsoon rainfall, or 5% more than the historical average of 87 cm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. Were this to bear out, it would be a second year of "above normal" rainfall as India received 8% more than the historical average from June-September last year.

T.N. govt. forms panel on autonomy of States amid run-ins with Central govt.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday announced in the Assembly that a three-member high-level committee had been formed to review provisions of the Constitution, laws and policies pertaining to Centre-State relations, and recommend steps to strengthen the States' autonomy and federalism.

Making a suo motu announcement under Rule 110 of the Assembly, Mr. Stalin said the committee would be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph. Retired IAS officer and former Vice-Chancellor of the Indian Maritime University K. Ash-ok Vardhan Shetty, and former vice-chairman, State Planning Commission, M. Naganathan, will be its members. 

A proclamation of democracy in legislative process

The recent judgment by the Supreme Court of India, in The State of Tamil Nadu vs Governor of Tamil Nadu, was a historic one. But it has also led to another development - the passing of laws without the assent of the Governor or President, which is an unprecedented event in the history of the republic. The Court invoked Article 142 of the Constitution to do "complete justice" in the case and fixed a time limit for the gubernatorial and presidential responses to the Bills passed by the State legislature. It interpreted Articles 200 and 201 of the Constitution dealing with the powers and functions of the Governors and the President and laid down principles governing these provisions. It emphatically said that the Governor cannot torpedo the laws made by the legislature that reflects the people's will.

The judgment that runs into 414 pages has embarrassed the Centre. The Governor of Kerala is on record for his criticism of the judgment. He has expressed his view that the Court has overstepped into the domain of Parliament and exceeded its authority by subjecting even the President of India to judicial review. 

Self-perpetuating

In April 2023, a power struggle between two generals pushed Sudan, which witnessed a revolution and a counter-revolutionary coup in the preceding years, into a devastating cycle of violence. The conflict has displaced nearly 13 million people, transformed cities, including the capital, Khartoum, into war zones, and triggered economic collapse, inducing the world's first officially declared famine in four years. More than 1,50,000 people have lost their lives. Yet, the generals, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and head of the notorious paramilitary Rapid Sup-port Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, are not done fighting. Although the army suffered setbacks early in the conflict, it has regained ground. Late last month, in a blow to the RSF, Gen. Burhan's forces took control of Khartoum. The military controls much of northern and eastern Sudan, including the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, the de facto wartime capital. However, the RSF, a potent force, maintains control over much of the western Darfur region, where it is currently laying siege to El Fasher, an army stronghold. Recently, the RSF declared a parallel government in the areas under its control, seeking to shore up political support. So, despite the army's gains, a decisive victory seems far away. 

India, rising power demand and the 'hydrogen factor' 

The goal of achieving a net-zero economy can be realised only by massive electrification of end uses of energy. Besides their use in generating electricity, fossil fuels are used to provide heat and molecules for industrial processes. The use of fossil fuels for providing heat is ubiquitous and well understood. Examples of providing molecules include the use of carbon (from coal) in steel making to reduce iron ore, and the use of hydrogen from natural gas to make ammonia, which is a feedstock for the fertilizer industry. In the steel industry, hydrogen can be substituted for carbon. Thus, a net-zero economy would mean electrification of end uses and the use of hydrogen for many industrial processes.

The approach to regulating Al in India

The governance and regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) have garnered significant global attention over the past year. While the discourse has recently shifted from a focus on social safety, inclusivity, and human rights towards prioritising innovation and economic prosperity, only a few countries or regions have so far introduced laws to regulate AI. These include China, the European Union, Canada, Korea, Peru, and the U.S. (though U.S. President Donald Trump has now revoked former President Joe Biden's Executive Order related to the utilisation of AI). Several countries, such as the U.K., Japan, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Pakistan have draft Bills awaiting approval from their respective legislative assemblies. 

Why are women missing from the factory floors?

One of the drivers of Viksit Bharat will be manufacturing. One of the pillars of Viksit Bharat is 'nari (women)'. However, women are missing from the factory floors. The share of wo-men in India's formal manufacturing sector fell from 20.9% in 2015-16 to 18.9% in 2022-23 (1.57 million out of 8.34 million formal workers). What is even more striking is that of all the women working in manufacturing, Tamil Nadu alone is employing 41%.

In informal manufacturing, women form 43% of the workforce. Therefore, it is not the case that women are not working, but that they are not getting the "better" jobs. This again points to informal-isation and the low paying nature of jobs held by women. 

Why are ASHA workers protesting in Kerala?

For over two months now, a section of Kerala's 26,125-strong community of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) have been on a day-night agitation on the streets demanding better remuneration and retirement benefits. While the agitation gained much attention and was also raised in Parliament, the issues raised by the ASHAs remain unresolved.

Extraditions tough till conditions improve in prisons: Justice Lokur

Even as India seeks the return of fugitive diamond businessman Mehul Choksi, accused of fraud to the tune of ₹13,578 crore in the Punjab National Bank case, former Supreme Court Justice Madan B. Lokur warned on Tuesday that such extraditions will be difficult until conditions are improved in Indian prisons. Justice Lokur chairs the United Nations Internal Justice Council.