Table of Contents
Keeping dry
• The catastrophic (आपत्तिजनक) impact of monsoon rainfall on several districts of Kerala.
• It is to Kerala’s credit that the deluge (बाढ़) has led not to a partisan blame game over planning, relief and rehabilitation, but an all-round effort to look ahead and plan for reconstruction.
• Kerala’s unusually heavy monsoon this year is in contrast to the long-period trend of rainfall.
• University of Cambridge: overall this part of the country had become drier in summer, but with an emerging frequency of destructive flash floods in rare events. This trend is expected to become stronger.
Huff and e-puff
• The evidence so far indicates that e-cigarettes are safer than combustible cigarettes. Because they heat a liquid to generate a nicotine-containing aerosol, instead of burning tobacco, they do not produce toxic tars.
• That doesn’t mean they are completely safe.
• At high temperatures, e-cigarettes produce carcinogens such as formaldehyde, although these are fewer in number compared to regular cigarettes.
• e-cigarettes can act as a gateway drug for young people.
Growth may pick up, but concerns remain
• 11 meteorological divisions (of a total of 36) which were deficient.
• The area sown has come down. Rice-producing Bihar, for instance, has been severely affected. • Agricultural growth may at best be equal to what it was last year — 3.4%.
• The services sector may perform better because public expenditure will be maintained at a high level.
• Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for the first quarter has show substantial (ठोस) improvement over the corresponding period of the previous year.
• The combined revenues and profit of 370 large companies have shown better performance in the first quarter, even though they are on a weak base.
• The problems of the goods and services tax (GST) may have been largely overcome, but it is still a work in progress.
• International financial institutions have forecast a growth rate of 7.3%. RBI expects it to be 7.4%.
• The external environment is far from reassuring: Trade wars
• Country-specific sanctions like Iran: crude oil output and prices
• Current account deficit: 0.6% of GDP in 2016-17, rose to 1.9% of GDP in 2017-18, mainly because of crude price rise.
• In 2016-17, the merchandise trade deficit was 4.8% and rose to 6% of GDP the next year.
• Despite a current account deficit, India’s rupee had remained strong because of capital flows.
• But what is really important is to make our exports competitive.
• Improved efficiency in production and better infrastructure are equally important.
• Over the medium term, we need to search for an alternative fuel.
• The RBI’s latest report on financial stability shows that the gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio of scheduled commercial banks rose to 11.6% (March 2018). The ratio for public sector banks was 15.6%.
• The high NPA level has a dampening effect on the provision of new credit.
• Unless the banking system recovers fast, it is difficult to sustain a high growth of the industrial sector.
• Medium-term banking reforms will have to wait until the immediate problem is resolved.
• There are two aspects of the fisc which need to be kept under watch. 1. One relates to GST. 2. Proposed minimum support prices (MSPs)
• The expected growth rate of 7.3-7.4% may be reassuring. It may even be the highest in the world economy.
• Nevertheless, it falls short of our potential.
• It is below of what is needed to raise job opportunities and reduce poverty. A rainbow coalition
• “It’s the result of a strong political will, ” says psychiatrist and social commentator, C.J. John. “It’s an interesting case of politicians and administrators acting to reform social attitude.”
• The ‘State Policy for Transgenders in Kerala 2015’ , which aimed to provide the “right to live with dignity” reflected this political will.
• The previous government (Oommen Chandy) and the current government (Pinarayi Vijayan) walked the extra mile to implement the policy.
• Kochi Metro set an example by allotting a jobs quota. Village and district panchayats and municipalities have been tasked with finding jobs, running special training and skills programmes and welfare projects.
• Several other factors preceded the government’s pro-active approach, including the global campaign for gay marriage, the national campaign for decriminalising homosexuality (scrapping Section 377), the pride parades and the rising voices of Dalits, LGBTs and other marginalised communities.
– Kejriwal charged in assault case
• Delhi police name CM, his deputy in the case of alleged attack on Chief Secretary in February
Pune tops Ease of Living Index
• Three cities in Maharashtra — Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai — top the first Ease of Living Index brought out by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• New Delhi is ranked 65 among 111 cities, while Chennai is in 14th place. Kolkata did not participate in the survey. The three cities at the bottom of the rankings are Rampur, Kohima and Patna. India rejects U.K. proposal on DNA tests for ‘illegalmigrants’
India rejected a proposal by the UK to use DNA sampling to establish the nationality of illegal migrants living there citing “privacy issues.”
• Although a Memorandum of Understanding on return of illegal migrants was initialled after due approval of the Union Cabinet in January by Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, India refused to sign the final pact during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to U.K. in April.
• – •Blue stickers for petrol, CNG; orange for diesel
International News
• No war, no negotiations with the U.S., says Khamenei
• Iranian Supreme Leader blames ‘internal’ factors for present economic crisis
• North Korea to host Kim-Moon meet in Sept.
• North and South Korea agreed on Monday to hold a summit in the North in September, another step towards boosting cooperation between the old rivals, even as doubts grow over efforts to end the North’s nuclear weapons programme.
• Indonesia earthquake toll crosses 400
• The death toll from an earthquake on the Indonesian island of Lombok has topped 400, authorities said on Monday, as bodies were still being recovered from the ruins of destroyed buildings.
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