Security agencies suspect NSCN (I-M) is regrouping – (Security)
- A series of developments in the north-east, especially in Manipur, since the August peace accord between the Centre and the Naga rebel group NSCN (I-M), have raised serious concern that the security situation in the region could dramatically worsen in the coming months.
- Dim is the assessment from sources in the military and other security agencies about developments in Manipur, where the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M) has probably set up a training camp, has already recruited a few hundred new cadres, and is contributing to possible new flare-up of inter-tribe tensions in the fragile State.
Army opposes plan for bund on border; PMO to take a call – (Defence)
- National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval is grappling with a face-off between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Army.
- The Army has objected to the government’s plan to build a raised embankment along the 179-km stretch of the international border (IB) in Jammu district, a senior Home Ministry official told The Hindu.
Choking Delhi is never given a chance to breath: CSE – (Environment)
- Trucks entering Delhi pollute the Capital’s air. While this information may not be new, the Centre for Science and Environment on Tuesday released a reportchallenging Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s data on the number of these trucks.
- The survey on the entry of trucks from nine points into Delhi finds the MCD estimation 70 per cent less than actual. The difference between the MCD estimation and the CSE study is between 50 and 96 per cent at different points.
INS Astradharini commissioned – (Defence)
- Addressing a long felt need of the Indian Navy for a torpedo launch and recovery vessel (TLRV), India’s first totally indigenously designed and built INS Astradharini was commissioned here on Tuesday and added to the Eastern Fleet.
- The 50-metre catamaran hull vessel is the first indigenously built warship of the Indian Navy .
- The unique design is a collaborative effort of Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), IIT Kharagpur and Shoft Shipyard.
Transfer BCI functions to expert panel: High Court – (Indian Polity)
- In a bid to “purify” the legal profession, the Madras High Court on Monday directed the Union government to consider positively to entrust the functions of the Bar Council of India (BCI) to an Expert Committee headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge.
- The Expert Committee, which would comprise academics , legal luminaries, prominent social workers, retired IAS and police officers and doctors shall be entrusted with the functions of BCI permanently or till the Advocates Act is suitably amended, the court said.
Is JeM pushing Myanmar rebels into J&K? – (Security)
- Is Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) pushing displaced Myanmar Muslim militants into the Kashmir Valley?
- Security agencies are grappling with the identities of two JeM militants killed on Sunday at Harriparigam, a village in Awantipora, 30 km south of Srinagar. One of them was identified as Chota Burmi. Now, it is emerging that his real name is Abdul Rehman-al-Arkani, a possible member of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Arakan, a militant group operating in Myanmar.
The politics of waste management – (Environment)
- Work involving waste products is tough, dangerous and oppressive. A report found that 90 per cent of India’s sanitation workers die before they reach retirement age.
- The production of waste in India is growing at an exponential rate. However, the welfare and dignity of the informal workers involved in the stigmatised sector of waste management remains at the bottom of any government’s political agenda.
Unbundling the coal-climate equation – (Environment)
- There is still enough room for India to grow its coal consumption while continuing to accelerate its thrust on the expansion of renewable energy.
- Indian INDCs reflect an enduring paradox: India will need to grow its coal capacity if it is to successfully.
Modi assures favourable conditions for doing business – (Economics)
- In a bid to woo more foreign investments from Germany, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government would provide favourable business conditions for industries to set shop in India.
- Addressing a gathering as part of the Indo-German summit in Bengaluru organised by Nasscom, Mr. Modi also said the government would provide strong IP protection regulations, fast-track approvals and clearances for industry and infrastructure, and there would be no retrospective taxes.
Develop consensus for free trade, open markets, says Raghuram Rajan – (Economics)
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan has called for developing a consensus among countries for free trade, open markets and responsible global citizenry.
- Analysing a host of economic problems and issues in industrial countries and emerging economies, Dr. Rajan said “we need stronger well-capitalised multilateral institutions with widespread legitimacy, some of which can provide patient capital and others that can monitor new rules of the game.”
e-commerce likely to be $80 billion industry by 2020: report – (Economics)
- Driven by growing adoption of smartphones and increasing Internet penetration, the e-commerce sector in India is projected to cross $80 billion by 2020, and grow further to $300 billion by 2030, according to a report released by Snapdeal and KPMG.
- The report, however, pointed out patchy Internet connectivity due to underdeveloped infrastructure, a general lack awareness about the benefits that e-commerce offers and a lack of trust among organisations considering to go online, are some of the key challenges faced by the sector.