AS WATER stocks continue to deplete in dams, rivers, and reservoirs in most parts of the country, ground situation has worsened to the extent of a public revolt. Apart from the frequent clashes over water sharing, a disturbing event has come to fore from Dalwat village in Maharashtra where some villagers allegedly damaged a dam gate to divert stored water. This breach underlines the severity of water crisis in drought-hit regions of many States. In Maharashtra, the problem is assuming dangerous ..

 EVEN though prayers per se have been an integral part of human civilisation, a Prime Minister dedicating as many as 17 hours to meditation in a Himalayan cave was unheard of. But when Mr. Narendra Modi found time to relive his original inclination, he just launched his journey to Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines in the Himalayas. Having been involved deeply in the election campaign, having been treated as the centre of the electoral hurricane, having suffered being the lone target of the entire ..

  THE slam-bang Indian Premier League (IPL) season ended on a happy note for late starters Mumbai, pipping Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to the post. Now the focus is back to international cricket when the big event, 50-over World Cup, kicks off in England at the beginning of next month. All the teams have been in the process of building their squads for the big event. Pakistan have been particularly lucky to have been playing in England just ahead of the World Cup for the last few weeks, giving ..

 THE uncouth statement made by Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur regarding the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi deserved the rebuff which Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi gave. His assertion that he cannot forgive Sadhvi Pragya, and Bharatiya Janata Party President Mr. Amit Shah’s clear stand that her statement militated against the party’s philosophy, therefore, presented a common picture of outright rejection of the utterance.   This rejection made ..

 THE fears expressed by majority of Europeans on likely disintegration of the European Union are reflection of the tenor of times. The bloc will face a stern test on May 23 when it goes for elections even as forces of protectionism are raising their stakes against globalisation. Already walking a tight-rope over immigration issues, the EU is finding itself on thin ice. It is reflected in the survey conducted in major European countries. The figures show a “realistic possibility” of ..

THAT the issue of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is complex and involves a deep-driving diplomatic activity, becomes clear from the latest development that the Comprehensive Nuclear test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) has offered India ..

  THERE can be no doubt that the Election Commission’s decision to curtail campaign period in West Bengal by 20 hours ahead of the declared schedule has come fully out of compulsion of the situation of unprecedented violence unleashed by Trinamool Congress goons. So fierce was the attack on the rally of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Mr. Amit Shah that he could remain safe only with the intervention of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel present on the spot. It ..

  The task before Modi is not merely to attain improvements in some Ministries under some individual Ministers, but to set in place systemic changes that continue to provide good governance to the people even under changed circumstances.  PRIME Minister Narendra Modi has appreciated the performance of the Ministries of Railways, Civil Aviation and Power. The credit for these improvements lies with the individual Ministers at the head of these Ministries, and the backing given to them ..

  Vijay Phanshikar:  Forty-four years ago, exactly on May 15, a seed of something great was sown in Nagpur. A madmanlike gentleman with a terrific spark in eyes and soft but straight manner of speaking brought out in the open from under his dark countenance something very bright, very brilliant, very golden in every which the way. He had a clutch of eager children with gaping mouths around him. In their tiny hands, they held some sheets of drawing paper and pencils and brushes ..

  THAT there would be a backlash in the wake of the terror attack on churches and hotels during Easter celebrations in Sri Lanka, was not entirely unexpected. But the manner in which the Sri Lankan Government has been dealing with the situation in its aftermath, has been quite in tune with the demand of the circumstances. Since the crackdown on suspected terror outfits began, the Sri Lankan authorities have taken stringent measures. While they are in the midst of major investigations with ..

 THAT there is increased flight of high-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs) from the country is not a phenomenon typical to India, nor is it a new development. Flight of rich individuals has been happening all along. Britain has been on the forefront of millionaires migrating to that country in large numbers. Now there is a reversal. Britain is seeing exodus of millionaires since the last two years, thanks to Brexit. With US imposing heavy tariffs on Chinese goods, China too is facing the same problem. ..

 THAT lawmakers from as many as 18 countries observe India’s electoral process, see how India uses the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) capably and rue how their respective lands cannot boast of such a fine efficiency, is a matter of immense pride for the country. There never was a doubt in the world about the greatness of India’s massive election machinery that is operating successfully for the past seven decades. But when lawmakers and administrators from 18 countries coincidentally ..

   1st ApacheSir, The first AH-64E Apache attack helicopter built for India was formally handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Boeing production facility in Mesa, Arizona in USA. The first batch of these helicopters is scheduled to be shipped to India by July this year. Selected aircrew and ground crew have undergone training at the training facilities at US Army base Fort Rucker in Alabama. These personnel will lead the operationalisation of the Apache fleet. IAF had contracted ..

 By Adv. R. S. Agrawal  The plaintiff has admitted that the oral partition had taken place and the same was not reduced in writing. Everybody got right/share as per the oral partition. The respondents herein – the original plaintiffs instituted the suit praying for the judgement and decree in their favour that he be declared the owner of the suit schedule property and also for permanent injunction restraining the appellants herein (original defendants) from interfering with his ..

   There has been no comprehensive package for their betterment, no concrete planning for their resettlement, no policy innovation or strategic breakthrough to ensure their safety in their own land.   Kashmiri Pandits are some of the worst sufferers of human displacement in the recent history of the Indian subcontinent. There is no catastrophic occurrence, no inclement weather to drive them away, no war or pestilence. Kashmir is a beautiful place with God’s abundance. ..

 HAVING witnessed a slump in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector for some time, the appeal of the engineering exporters’ apex organisation to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to facilitate easy and cheaper loans to exporters deserves to be considered seriously. The MSME sector, after getting some set-back for some time now for various reasons, is trying to find its feet again.  In this situation paucity of finance should not become an impediment in its revival. Revival ..

 HUNGER and malnourishment have remained perennial obstacles in many backward and conflict-ridden regions of the world. Every country carries a certain share of this problem which is gradually assuming worrying proportions, especially in the African continent. A United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation report has pegged the number of hunger-affected people at 52 million, which is over two-thirds of the region’s population. Civil instability and criminal neglect of rural areas ..

 By AL NEAL: For the first time in the Conservative Party’s 185-year history, rank and file members have forced an emergency meeting, scheduled for June, to discuss party leadership, and allow up to 800 senior Conservative members to vote on whether May should resign the premiership. AS EXPECTED, the Easter Holiday Brexit reprieve was short-lived. And as April rolls into May (no pun intended), progress in breaking the European Union divorce deal deadlock is lacking. While the October ..

 FINALLY, the Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMO) has nailed the lie the Congress party was trying to foist upon the nation by asserting that the Army has no record of the six surgical strikes being claimed by the party. There are no records of any surgical strikes before September 2016, the DGMO has said in response to a query under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. Union Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh, too, has insisted that there were no surgical strikes during the regime ..

  Legislators were changing parties like dresses—from morning to afternoon and again in the evening. This made it impossible to make a stable Government. Our Parliament then enacted Constitution 52nd Amendment in 1985. It provided that the MPs and MLAs would be disqualified if they voted against the direction of the Party.  FRENCH philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau laid the foundations of modern democracy. He said that persons elected by the people had a right to rule over the ..

 Vijay Phanshikar: Summers at their scorchiest peak take me back in time to college days when I would find resort under trees anywhere in the city to spend afternoons, generally reading books or engaging in heated conversations with friends. No, we refused to take shelter in our homes, and sought refuge under trees, generally by lakeside. We swam, too, in those terribly hot afternoons and rested under trees. And one of the most favourite resorts was the Sonegaon lake’s eastern bank ..

  EVEN as the Lok Sabha elections are heading towards end, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is witnessing a controversy over the timing of the Legislative Assembly elections there. While many parties are accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of putting pressure on the Election Commission (EC) to delay the legislative polls, the BJP has asserted that it is willing for the elections even tomorrow morning. And even as this controversy continued, the people lined up for Lok Sabha polling in good ..

  The sum and substance of Supreme Court’s judgement in the case is that even if the Sessions Court has sentenced the convict to death, subject to confirmation of the HC, or even if the appeal is filed before the High Court and the Supreme..

  THAT Pakistan uses terrorism as a tool against India, now stands endorsed -- this time by none other than Mr. Michael Morell, former Acting Director of the United States’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Though the whole world had always known this, the endorsement by a top American spy and Intelligence administrator adds a special value to common knowledge.  This drags Pakistan’s ugly underbelly out in the open in bad light. In the past few years, the US is getting ..

   THE report on the survey on voter turn-out this election by the State Bank of India (SBI), comes up with a very encouraging finding. According to this report, the voting percentage in this year’s Lok Sabha polls may be highest since 1947. This is not a hypothetical finding. The prediction is based on the voting percentage during the first four phases that have been completed so far. After the completion of four phases the national average of voting percentage has already reached ..

THE efforts of some elements to distort reality and present an altogether negative picture of the successful diplomacy India made possible getting terror mastermind Masood Azhar proscribed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) need to be condemned..

  By C.J. ATKINS: n In an all-or- nothing gamble, the Trump administration’s man in Caracas, Opposition leader Juan Guaidó, has opened what he’s calling the “final phase” of the effort to overthrow the elected Government of Venezuela. VENEZUELAN Opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets a small contingent of heavily armed troops early on Tuesday, calling for the military to rise up and oust Socialist leader Nicolas Maduro. In an all-or-nothing ..

   THE Election Commission has stoutly and rightly defended penal provision for electors if their complaint alleging malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) turns out to be false. The provision for criminalisation of false reporting of fault in EVMs is a strong deterrent for habitual mischief-mongers who have almost made it their right to raise questions about functioning of EVMs. A petition has now come before the Supreme Court ..

  VICE-President Mr. Venkaiah Naidu has very rightly said that education is the vital engine of development and that the country has to reshape higher education to meet development needs of future generations. He said that it will be the best gift that the country can give to its children and young generation. But this realisation has come rather too late in the day while the West has gone miles ahead in its development. The Vice-President was right when he said that despite huge potential, ..

  The fear of debt trap lies with China luring small and weaker nations with massive loans in the name of infrastructure development. And, when their debts are not paid, it captures their land and resources. It violates the global norms for development loan, as it leaves little room for debt relief.  CHINESE President Xi Jinping will have to hard - sell BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) in encompassing marine, rail and road projects across 65 countries from Asia to Europe and Africa, that ..

  GLOBAL software giant Infosys has carved out an example worth emulating by every corporate house as a social responsibility. It is heartening to note that the management of the software giant thought it its fundamental responsibility to safeguard nature and dedicate its efforts to conservation of environment. Out of this commitment to national cause the company has turned its sprawling 360-acre campus into a vast rain forest. It is apparent that much effort must have gone into raising ..

  A SIGNIFICANT fact that cannot be missed by geopolitical analysts from the just-concluded 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) in China was the selection of Pakistan Prime Minister Mr. Imran Khan as one of the only seven speakers who addressed the gathering of world leaders. Pakistan is a key partner in Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that aims to join economies in Asia, Africa, latin America, as well as Europe through road and sea routes.   ..

  FORMER Team India captain Saurav Ganguly, fondly referred to as ‘Dada’ by his fans, predicted that the forthcoming World Cup in England would be a tough tournament as there are no easy teams. But at the same time he still rates India as the favourite title contenders with Australia, Pakistan and England making it to the semi-finals. With ten teams participating in the tournament in a round-robin format with every team playing each other, the tournament will be a keenly contested ..

   LAST year when the island nation of Sri Lanka was embroiled in a political turmoil with uncertainty over government and governance, a crucial factor was bleeding profusely due to utter neglect of the leadership. Intelligence agencies, the backbone of national security, were at loss with no clear directives or help from the Government that had locked itself into a game of political oneupmanship. The ramifications of such a conundrum were bound to hit Lanka as the tear-shaped country ..

  EARLY childhood, especially the first five years of life, is a crucial period for babies as it determines their cognitive development and impacts lifelong health. It is a period of rapid development and demands extreme attention from families whose lifestyle patterns cast big effect on a child’s growth. Latest guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) have sounded alarm bells over growing obesity in kids below five years due to the large amount of time spent in fiddling ..

   By BARUN DAS GUPTA WHAT is most sinister about the serial blasts in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday is their subterranean ramifications. There is not an iota of doubt that the Colombo authorities had been informed by New Delhi that the IS was planning a terror attack on big hotels and the Indian High Commission in Colombo. Despite this advance Intelligence, those entrusted with the responsibility of security in that country, did nothing to foil it. They were guilty of dereliction ..

 By Dr. Bharat jhunjhunwala:  Since 1984, Australia has used a system of public funding of federal elections. Political parties and candidates are reimbursed for their election expenses in proportion to the votes they secure, provided they poll at least 4 per cent of the votes cast.     THE role of money—whether black or white—in elections cannot be eliminated. But it certainly can be reduced. The makers of our Constitution were aware of this issue. Therefore, ..

  Vijay Phanshikar: Spending some time at the Nagpur or Ajni or Itwari Railway Stations, the Ganeshpeth Main Bus Stand, and the Sonegaon Airport was a favourite activity many, many years ago during the school and later college days. There, we came across a wonderful range of people coming into the city or going out of it -- with their bags, families. Some faces had dried tears while some were brightened with broad smiles. Each visit, thus, brought us closer to many human emotions expressed ..

  By Nantoo Banerjee  Notwithstanding the fact that situation has caused a big embarrassment for Modi Government at this crucial election period, the administration could do little to make Jet airborne anytime soon as the airline has failed to pay even the aircraft lease dues.   IT may be a bad news in the midst of the ongoing parliamentary election season that the country’s second largest airline by traffic share, Jet Airways, having some 22,000 employees on board, ..

        FROM being a ‘buyer’ to become a ‘builder’ the Indian Navy has charted a fabulous course in the last six decades. The third arm of the Indian Armed Forces is now a self-reliant Navy with potent submarines, warships, and aircraft carriers in its fleet. The crucial role it has to play in the Indo-Pacific region along with Japan, Australia and the United States, makes it mandatory for the Indian Navy to induct more submarines and ..

  WE join the world in condemning the terrorist attacks on churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on the Easter Day, killing 290 innocent people, either engaged in prayers or in other leisurely Sunday activities. We join the world in prayers for the departed souls whose only fault was to have been present at the spots selected beforehand by the terrorists. We join the world in going beyond just condemnation and prayers and seek an action that would declare a good human resolve to fight ..

  The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has done well to get in touch with some of the English counties to allow some seven Indian Test players to play in the English county season. Thus, even while the board was busy with the selection process for the upcoming World Cup in England, simultaneously it was also thinking of giving the Indian Test specialists some practice in English conditions in preparation for the tour of West Indies and later the inaugural World Test Championship, ..

   THE decision of the Election Commission (EC) to spend large numbers of companies of central Forces to ensure smooth polling for Lok Sabha elections has an obvious reference to an ugly reality that West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TC) chief Ms. Mamata Banerjee is creating stumbling blocks in the electoral process. Many of her actions in the past few months have indicated her effort to dare the federal governance as well as authority to conduct and monitor elections ..

   Sir, It is really a sad and discouraging news that once a reputed and efficient Jet Airways is now completely grounded rendering as many as 22,000 people jobless. After King Fisher, Jet Airways is the second airline to be grounded. The result is lot of inconvenience to air travellers and pressure on Go Air and Indigo to cope with the rush.   I recently read that the fare from Mumbai to Delhi was around Rs. 30,000 for a single journey. In fact, this is equal to Mumbai, New ..

 ‘VASUDEIVA kutumbakam’ is certainly a norm in India. You would find Indians are endearingly related to one another. The extended family of Indians has an all inclusive extension in India. Anyone senior to you by a couple of years is a ‘Didi/ bhaiya’ or ‘akka/ anna.’ One can gauge their affection for each other by the way they address others. ‘Kaka,’ ‘Mama,’ ‘Kaku,’ ‘bhaijaan,’ ‘Chacha,’ ‘Bhau,’ ..

  THE grounding of all Jet Airways operations, howsoever described as temporary, is a serious development that cries for national attention and subsequent action without which domestic aviation sector may suffer terrible blows in coming years. The closure of the premium airline in private sector, thus, cannot be taken as a usual development in the commercial world since the company had achieved a critical mass in serving air commuters across the country and outside.   By no standard ..

  THE muted and guarded response by the world community to India’s historic feat of shooting down its own low-orbit satellite with an Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile last month was a huge acknowledgement of the Indian space programme’s efficiency. That India managed to become only the fourth country to have A-SAT capabilities, on its own, was also set to become a point of consternation to a few with similar capacities. Two responses emanating from the United States sum up the ..

  By Dr. Bharat jhunjhunwala: Secularism suggests that religions must coexist peacefully. It is built on the assumption that the religions are different—maybe even opposed to each other. The premise is that the One God has given different messages to different religions.    THE victory of NDA in the 2014 elections was built on the grounds of corruption, policy paralysis and economic growth. Caste-and religious divisions were on the back foot. The last five ..

WITH the Central Government deciding to earmark ten pc quota in education and jobs for economically weaker section (EWS) it was only expected that a separate provision for the new category would be made. The Union Cabinet on Tuesday decided to add two lakh seats in central educational institutions to accommodate the EWS. That will be a massive step, which will ensure that there would be no encroachment on the entitlement of traditional reserved categories. The much desirable fall-out of the decision ..

Srinivasan Umashankar, Nagpur   Sir, The country is surrounded by two countries, China and Pakistan potentially dangerous in different ways. While Pakistan is displaying its open hostility and hatred towards India, China is silently engaged in creating unrest in India to divert the attention of the people from core issues which can impact the economy.   China has stepped up ties with Pakistan and building massive infrastructure along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor much ..

   All the nine presidential hopefuls endorsed Project Labor Agreements, where unions and contractors agree on union representation for workers in return for a set of work rules and grievance procedures to cover problems on the job.  IT’S called, in political parlance, “a cattle call.” The phrase refers to what happens when presidential hopefuls parade their positions, one by one, before a group, large or small. And that’s what nine Democrats– ..

  Motivated by a mission to support meaningful Bengali cinema, the petitioners produced this film. Their grievance, which forced them to move the court, has been that “the State of West Bengal is misusing police power and acting as a ‘super-censor’ atop the CBFC and is violating the petitioners’ fundamental rights through the Kolkata Police which is under its Department of Home”.  VERY recently the Supreme Court had an occasion to take a critical look at ..

  Measures are taken to relocate them to safer or higher areas but they are temporary steps that don’t solve any problem permanently. In India the rhino habitat is limited to parts of Assam and North Bengal, which limit their diversity, movement and safety channels. There are two major threats that the rhino faces in the Indian context – one is poaching and the other is natural calamities. In most of South Asia flooding is a natural phenomenon that occurs almost every year and ..

      TO SEE hundreds of first-time voters line up at polling stations in scorching summer noon was a heartening sight. Talking to some of them was still better. For, they represented something very upbeat, something very aspirational, something that may be described as young India. Their eyes shone in delight, their voices had a pep and they talked about their expectations from the nation, not just from the people in power. Listening to their ideas, engaging them in ..

  THIS is the latest amongst the hopping teens and sprinting youth, a signature style of masculinity! From times of yore, we’ve heard of Shammi Kapoor-style, Dev Anand-style, Rajesh Khanna-style, and lately, youngsters swooning over the Varun Dhawan and Ranveer Singh-style statements! Yet, nothing to beat or debate the present ‘veggie hairstyles’! As I walked down through the college gate, I almost gasped at the sight before me! A group of a dozen youngsters presenting ..

  THE Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has taken a welcome and much needed decision to make education in arts mandatory for classes 6th to 8th from next academic session. Not only that, the CBSE has also taken another welcome and innovative decision to introduce ‘cookery classes’ to promote culinary art. Obviously the CBSE appears to feel concerned that schools, while laying much stress on the study of sciences, mathematics and subjects in humanities, have left little ..

   THE admission by Prime Minister Mrs. Theresa May that the Jallianwala Bagh massacre was a “shameful scar” on British Indian history, is quite in order of goodness, but incomplete because she has avoided expressing her nation’s apologies for the tragedy that took away nearly 2,000 lives a hundred years ago just because a power-drunk officer instructed blocking of the only entry-exit point at Amritsar’s famed location and ordered indiscriminate firing on a peaceful ..

  The mantra of fiscal deficit was created to prevent the corrupt Governments from siphoning off public money. The mantra was not created for “development” policy of an honest Government. The mantra was made for controlling corruption by the developing country Governments.   THE fiscal deficit consists of the money borrowed by the Government to finance its expenditures beyond its income. BJP and Congress agree that the fiscal deficit should be reduced. That is, the ..

Vijay Phanshikar,      It is one of the most busy roads in town -- the Central Bazar Road, with one end joining the Wardha Road on the east, and the other end just stopping short of entering the sprawling premises of the Visveswarayya National Institute of Technology. This nearly three-kilometer stretch has everything that any modern street can think of having -- hotels, hospitals, newspaper offices, Government premises, farms, colleges, schools, outdoor restaurants, ..

  THAT India and Sri Lanka have decided to enhance their defence cooperation, is a welcome tiding from the seemingly estranged neighbourhood. The neighbouring country, which appeared to be drifting towards China in a substantial manner in various fields, now has shown willingness to mend fences with India. Sri Lanka, it appears, has realised the fallacy of over-dependence on a country whose design is expansionist in nature. This realisation has possibly come when China sought a free lease ..

  THAT cash is the most preferred mode of transaction in the election campaign material business this time as well, should surprise no one. For the buyer and seller of this merchandise cash is more convenient than the Government ordained cashless transactions through digital wallets or other online payment modes. For the political parties and individual contestant cash payment is a sure way of evading the Election Commission’s hawk eye on poll expenses. Besides, most of the money being ..

  IT IS out of sheer habit that Pakistan Foreign Minister Mr. Shah Mahmood Qureshi made the senseless statement that India was planning an attack on his country between April 16 and April 20. It is only natural that India has called the statement “irresponsible and preposterous” and has rejected it outright. It is also natural that India calls the statement as an attempt to kick up a war hysteria in the region. After having cut a terribly sorry figure the world over following ..

   that as many as 200 applications have been received by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for the post of national coach shows growing interest in Indian football, not only within the country but also from European greats.  The top..

   THE nation is witnessing one of the most critical and great churnings in recent decades as the political community and the people engage in the election process. As political parties release their respective election manifestoes one by one, the voters get exposed to the different ways poll strategists evolve to woo them. No matter the details of individual lists of campaign promises the parties have made, the most significant issue that the situation has churned up pertains to national ..

   ON THURSDAY the Monetary Policy Committee (MCP) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) effected second consecutive cut in the lending rate by 0.25 pc. The majority decision of the MCP shows that the apex body itself was divided over the move to cut the lending rates with two of the members favouring status quo.  Thus at this juncture of the economic situation there is no unanimity on whether there is need for lowering the cost of borrowing. But given the prevailing situation, it ..

    IF THE fact that as many as 1.2 million people died due to air pollution in 2017 in India, does not disturb us, then what does? -- is the question we the Indians must ask ourselves. It is a very disturbing fact that air pollution is the third highest cause of deaths in the country. And these statistical details are only one fourth of the story, so to say. For, countless other millions of people remain near-continually sick due to air pollution throughout the year, and their ..

   By DEBORA REY: Families living on the streets outside shopping malls, bus stations, and parks have become an increasingly common sight in Buenos Aires, as an economic crisis, soaring inflation, and a spike in utility bills fueled by austerity measures have left more people unable to afford a home.  A SMILING two-year-old Valentina Aleman runs down a sidewalk in Buenos Aires, dodging cardboard boxes, a worn-out sofa, and a broken refrigerator without noticing the cars zooming ..

In economic parlance, it is said that the poor have a higher “propensity to consume.” This will lead to increase in demand, a corresponding increase in production and set in motion a fortuitous cycle of economic growth leading to higher revenue collections.   CONGRESS President Rahul Gandhi has promised to pay Rs. 72,000 per year as basic income to the 20 per cent poorest families of the country. This can be called Targeted Basic Income Scheme (TBIS). It will provide a basic ..

  Vijay Phanshikar, What happens when urban infrastructure comes up in an ill-planned manner, is evident from the story of what is now being described as new Jail Road that is expected to connect the Humpyard Road with Wardha Road -- that is from the Ajni Railway Station to the Rahate Colony intersection where a Metro Rail Station is coming up. Not just the people but also the authorities now admit that the whole road project has been planned and executed thoughtlessly.  The inconvenien..

 By Nantoo Banerjee:Goldman Sachs sees a high possibility of a NDA victory due to low inflation, monetary easing by the Reserve Bank and growing FPI inflows, driving Rupee’s exchange valuation to a seven-month high. As a result, the Sensex gained a little over 17 per cent during the Fiscal year 2019 and Nifty gained a little over 14 per cent.   FOREIGN investors (FPIs) in the Indian stock market seem to be heavily betting on the return of a BJP-led political alliance to power. ..

   THE Pulwama massacre has lent some vital and hard lessons to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) authorities. A new set of dos and donts have now been introduced under the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure greater safety during movement of convoys. During the Pulwama terror attack as many as 2500 CRPF personnel were moving in a convoy of 75 vehicles. The CRPF authorities have realised that this is an open invitation to disaster. In a suicide attack such huge contingent ..

  THE condition in which Jet Airways finds itself today cannot be brushed aside as the individual problem of one company in civil aviation sector. There is, of course, much substance in the statement of Civil Aviation Minister Mr. Suresh Prabhu that the Government is not responsible for the airline management’s limitations and failures.  Yet, sincere efforts need to be made to find out what has caused what appears to be a near-sudden collapse of a leading civil aviation company, ..

  Now with India having acquired this rare capability of shooting down satellites, it would no longer be easy for adversaries to launch satellites and direct them towards India as the fear of being shot down will lurk large.     Today, several countries clandestinely collect data on the basis of their satellite inputs and since most countries don’t have the capability of stopping satellite movements in space, it is an easy process to pry into countries’ ..

COME election season and very interesting facts come to the fore in the form of declarations the candidates file while submitting their nomination papers. A report compiled by an NGO, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on the 2014 Lok Sabha elections reveals that, a whopping 83 pc of the sitting MPs of Lok Sabha are crorepatis while 33 pc of them have criminal cases pending against them. While these cases may go on for ages in the courts without conclusion, those with political clout, muscle ..

A step forward..

  By Arul Louis, With the Russia probe behind him, Trump may see an opportunity to navigate the treacherous political waters without the dark cloud of impeachment dogging him in the 20 months before the Presidential election.  AFTER being hounded for over two years by accusations that he treasonously colluded with Russia to win the 2016 Presidential election, US President Donald Trump has won an exoneration after an arduous investigation and his Opposition has received a setback. ..

  Vijay Phanshikar,     The Telangkhedi lake bund had always been a wonderful place -- for morning or evening strolls, for sitting on the parapet wall staring at the rippling waters, for gazing at the sky whose reflection of varied colours often lighted up the placid, mirror-like surface of the waterbody. In the good, old days when the lake bund was rather a secluded place, or subsequently when a whole lot of commercial activity emerged there, thanks to the official ..

   I believe that the policy of import substitution was correct. The reason of its failure was that we did not simultaneously promote domestic competition and import of advanced technologies.The policy of import substitution was not meant to chain us to obsolete technologies.   THE income of a Chinese Citizen was 1.2 times that of an Indian Citizen in 1980 according to the data released by the International Monetary Fund. The income of a Chinese Citizen became 4.4 times that ..

WHEN Dr. Vikram Sarabhai first spelled out his idea of India’s space programme in the mid-1950s, one of the thrust areas of his presentation was national defence. Even though the overall stress was developmental, national defence was also a core idea. That dream -- nay vision -- now stands fulfilled. As Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi addressed the nation sharing the all-critical news that the Indian defence scientists destroyed a pre-determined, Low Earth Orbit live satellite at a..

   CONGRESS President Mr. Rahul Gandhi has come out with a patently bad idea that cannot sustain itself in the current economic conditions of the country. His electoral promise of giving 5 crore of the poorest of poor people a monthly hand-..

   By DR. ARUN MITRA There is need to study the health profile from the perspective of universal healthcare. There are no special schemes for the senior citizens who form the largest number of ailing persons. Primary care which forms basis of a healthy society has no mention.  DEVELOPMENT, progress and economic growth of the society and country is proportional to the participation of workforce in these activities. Health of people is therefore of utmost importance. Only a ..

    TG L  IYER,  There isapoem on persistence and determination which says: “When things go wrong as they sometimes will Whenthe roadyouare buildingseemsalluphill When the funds are low and the debts are high And you want to smile but you have to sigh When care is pressing you down a bit Rest if you must but don’t you quit For life is queer with its twists and turns As every one of us sometimes learns And many a failure turns about When he might have ..

DIVERSE views are being expressed on ‘workload management’ in view of the forthcoming cricket World Cup, beginning at the end of May and the 20Twenty Indian Premier League (IPL) carnival, that got underway on Saturday. It was Indian Captain Vi..

Uttara Huddar - A blessed soul.    By Rajendra Diwe,  There is a house in Vidya Vihar Colony in Pratap Nagar area. She was living alone and isolated in two small rooms behind the small main house. The first room, filled with a large number of books, cuttings of news-papers, hand written papers, a small chair placed near the door, a cot made up of iron opposite the chair and between both chair and cot, she was sitting on swing of wooden platform (Bangai). She was about 76, ..

   THAT the Central Government has banned the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) led by rabid secessionist Yasin Malik for participation in separatist and terrorist activities since 1988, indicates that the Centre is pursuing its anti-insurgency agenda with zeal and dedication. And even as the ban was being imposed on JKLF, the security forces arrested Sajjad Khan, a close aide of Pulwama terror strike mastermind Mudasir Khan, demonstrating further how unrelenting the Government ..

      l He was a boy of few words. But he always carried a calm smile on his well-groomed face. Everything about him looked good, rather ideal. He dressed well, if not expensively. His hair was well-kempt, his shoes polished. None of his fellow-students ever remembered him to have forgotten his books or notebooks or pens or drawing box back at home, in school and later in college. He often claimed modestly that he was good in studies, but often ended up with high marks. ..

    By prof shtrutee dhanorkar yeolekar,   Today is the era of technical advancements. Gone are the days when people used to believe that knowledge cannot be gained leading a lavish lifestyle. This was the basis of designing “Gurukul” system in such a way that students during their education should gain maximum knowledge by staying away from all the pleasures of materialistic world. ‘Guru-Shishya Parampara’ is India’s cultural identity. It ..

In an embarrassment to the Congress, Tom Vadakkan, once seen as a key aide of Sonia Gandhi, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday, saying he was “deeply hurt” over the Opposition party’s stand post-Pulwama terror strike, and that his decision was “not about ideology but patriotism”...

THE collapse of the foot overbridge near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) in Mumbai, is a classic case of urban decay and decadence...