A good beginning but China negotiations must continue

The statement made by Union External Affairs Minister; first substantive statement in Parliament on developments in India-China relations since the Chinese intrusions in Eastern Ladakh in the summer of 2020. His remarks offer clarity on some issues, but many questions remain unanswered. 

The issue of India’s economic growth versus emissions

The Indian economy has consistently showcased its robust growth over the past few decades. But higher economic growth is believed to have come with increasing environmental pressure, notably through higher greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, India's Economic Survey (2023-24) claims that India has decoupled its economic growth from GHG emissions, as between 2005 and 2019, India's GDP grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7%, while emissions rose at a CAGR of just 4%. This raises a crucial question: has India really decoupled its economic growth from GHG emissions? And, what does this mean for sustainable development? 

Gamify India’s skilling initiatives

The problem of unemployment has become a contentious issue in economic policy discussions in India in recent times. Economic Survey 2023-24 estimated that India needs to create 78.5 lakh new jobs in the non-farm sector annually until 2030 to meet the demands of the rising workforce. One of the policy prescriptions often suggested to overcome the unemployment challenge is to close the growing gap between the skill sets of job seekers and the skill requirements of the industry. 

What went wrong at Sathanur dam?

Data show that Cyclone Fengal brought the highest rainfall recorded in the last 70 years to upstream areas of the Sathanur dam in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu. The dam, which was already close to its full capacity days before it received water from the rainfall, flooded villages downstream.

Confederation of Indian Industry urges government to stick to fiscal deficit target

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has suggested that the government stick to the fiscal deficit target of 4.9% of the GDP for 2024-25 and 4.5% for 2025-26, cautioning that “overly aggressive targets” beyond these could adversely affect India’s economic growth.

Practical ways to make health cover affordable

As the cloud of uncertainty looms over people across Indian cities owing to pollution and other health

hazards, it is imperative not just to secure health and also ensure financial stability. After all, as the saying goes, health is wealth. But due to a lack of awareness, many people make the mistake of dismissing the need for health insurance.