From OTT to air & train travel portals: Ministry eyes new data sources to calculate inflation

The Indian statistics ministry is looking to use a host of alternative data sources such as over-the-top (OTT) platforms and online portals for air and rail travel as part of the new Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based retail inflation series and other official statistics, Secretary Saurabh Garg told The Indian Express in an interview.-

Made-in-India Rafale fuselage from 2027-28: Tata, Dassault ink pact for Hyderabad facility

In a boost to defence and aero-space manufacturing in India, the country is set to become the first nation outside France where the fuselage of the Rafale fighter aircraft will be manufactured.-

CAG holds horizontal audit of JJM, reports soon

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) is conducting an extensive performance audit of Jal Jeevan Mission (IJM), the government's flagship scheme aimed at providing tap water connections to all rural households, The Indian Express has learnt.-

CJI: In age of algorithms, human touch matters in realm of justice

Underlining that rule of law remains humanity's oldest and most dependable algorithm even in the age of computer algorithms, CJI BRGavai has said that "the moment we let technology take the driver's seat in the legal system, we begin to erode the public's faith in us and with it, the foundations of the rule of law."-

Reimagining the classroom

As of may, the Central Board of Secondary Education has released approximately 30 academic circulars and numerous examination, affiliation and miscellaneous documents. These include assessment guidelines, teacher training programmes, student enrichment activities, curriculum updates and policy implementation. Educators are now grappling with the latest, mandating the implementation of mother tongue-based instruction in the foundational and preparatory stages of schooling

FAITH FOR CLIMATE ACTION 

There is a deep and beautiful connection between our inner world and the outer world. Today, we speak of climate change, sustainability, and conservation. But we often overlook an invisible thread that binds all these efforts together - the human mind. If one in every three persons on our planet is depressed, how do we expect the world to be a better place? How can one truly care for nature if one is struggling mentally or emotionally? A mind clouded with stress, fear, or greed cannot be sensitive to the needs of the planet.-

Cagey about the House 

This week, leaders from 17 political parties wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to call a special session of Parliament in June.

Within hours of doing so, a skittish government hurriedly announced the dates for a regular monsoon session starting July 21, seemingly turning down the demand for a special session. Normally, the lead time to announce a Parliament session (the number of days between announcement and commencement) has been around 20 days or less. The upcoming monsoon session has been announced 47 days in advance!

At the time of going to press, another 250 MPs from the Opposition are endorsing the letter already dispatched by their party leaders to the Prime Minister. The demand for a special session was first raised by Kapil Sibal, eminent jurist and Independent MP, three days after the tragedy in Pahalgam. Opposition parties took the cue from there.-

Infantry needs an upgrade 

The Technological Shock of World War I was the machine gun, which could cut down rows and rows of infantrymen from a distance in the battlefield. Combined with barbed wire and mines, it made movement across open land difficult and dangerous. The 21st-century equivalent of the machine gun seems to be drones, small and large, which have caused more casualties in the Ukraine war than any other weapon. Their widespread use spans reconnaissance, strikes, and logistics

Ground force still first line of defence

As the character of warfare evolves under the influence of emerging technologies, debates often intensify over the continued relevance of traditional arms of warfare - particularly the infantry and the Armoured Corps. The proliferation of stand-off weapons, precision-guided munitions (PGMs), drones, and Al-enhanced surveillance systems has altered the battlefield's shape, speed, and reach. However, while the tools of combat change, the fundamental truths of holding ground, establishing control, and projecting power remain unchanged. Recent operations, including Operation Sindoor and Spider's Web, offer critical lessons that reaffirm the indispensability of the infantry and the Armoured Corps.-

'Muslim ban' to US security: Trump's no-entry signs, 2017-25

US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States, effective June 9. Similar restrictions were instituted during Trump's first term (2017-21), but were subsequently challenged in the courts.

The move comes on the heels of an attack by an Egyptian man in Colorado that left 12 people injured. "The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas," Trump said while announcing the ban. "We don't want them."

IN JHARKHAND, WHERE PM LAUNCHED AYUSHMAN BHARAT IN 2018, THE SCHEME HAS STALLED: HERE'S WHY

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ambitious Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) in Ranchi in 2018. Seven years later, the ambitious health insurance scheme seems to be unravelling in Jharkhand.

Behind the crisis are Rs 190 crore in pending payments to hospitals: which has led to many hospitals pulling out -and others threatening to pull out – of the scheme.

Hydrology of the Brahmaputra 

To Counter "Pakistan's scare narrative" about Chinese dams on the Brahmaputra, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has pointed out that "65-70% [of the Brahmaputra's flow] is generated within India, and “even if China were to reduce water flow..., it may actually help...mitigate the annual floods in Assam...”.

The Brahmaputra, lifeline of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, originates as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet and enters India near Gelling in Arunachal Pradesh. The river, which is called Siang in Arunachal, is joined by many tributaries in Assam as it flows down the plains before entering Bangladesh, where it is called Jamuna.

State of the ungulates: why health of tiger is dependent on that of its prey

Populations of ungulates - hoofed mammals - are declining in several states, a new all-India assessment has revealed, spotlighting key conservation challenges such as habitat loss and deforestation.

Ungulates include deer species such as chital and sambar, pigs, antelopes, and gaur or Indian bison, and constitute the core prey base of tigers and other large predators. India currently has more than 3,600 tigers.

Ungulates also help regulate forest and soil health by their feeding habits.

'Unsecured loans by fintech firms key to meeting retail credit demand in India'

Unsecured loans given by fintech firms will be instrumental in meeting demand for retail credit in India over the coming years, with the absence of collateral for many households that are in the "early stages of the asset formation cycle" making it unlikely that secured loans will be able to completely fulfill the rising demand.-

S Mahendra Dev appointed new chief of EAC-PM

Economist's Mahendra Dev has been appointed as the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM). Dev, who was an independent director on the board of Axis Bank, resigned from the position upon his appointment as EAC-PM Chairman. Currently, Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Suman Bery heads the EAC-PM