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Tuesday, April 23, 2024
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Talk Point

TALK POINT: Is PM Narendra Modi’s trip to Israel more about symbolism and less about real gains?

Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Israel – the first by an Indian prime minister – is being hyped as a key shift in the...

TALK POINT: Can official data be fudged? How can we ensure that the credibility of official data is not damaged?

In recent months, many allegations have been made about fudging of official data by government departments in both the centre and the states. How...

TALK POINT: Should Indian military chiefs step out of their professional jurisdiction and talk about politics and diplomacy?

Eyebrows have been raised over Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat’s statements on Kashmir and Pakistan. While some are cheering him, others say that an Indian Army chief should not make provocative statements. Is the chatter of TV channels and digital India changing the culture of the military leadership? We ask experts about the pros and cons of having an outspoken military chief in a democratic India.

TALK POINT: Is it time to revisit the culture of farm loan waivers, minimum support prices and take on this “moral hazard”?

As UP and Maharashtra write off farmers’ loans and MP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab struggle to tackle fresh demands for debt relief, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says the Central government will not help foot the bill. And RBI Governor Urjit Patel calls loan waivers a “moral hazard”. Is it time to revisit this culture of farm loan waivers? We ask experts.

TALK POINT: Is India less mindful of global censure of its hard military posture in Kashmir today than it was in the ’90s?

Is it easier for India to adopt a tough line in Kashmir today than it was in the 1990s? How is India’s position today different from the 1990s when New Delhi felt the impact of censure from groups like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, U.S. and European capitals? Is the world too distracted right now to lecture India on human rights? We ask experts Ajai Sahni, Aakar Patel.

Talk Point: Has India’s new disability rights law begun to fix chronic inaccessibility for the disabled?

A year-and-a-half ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ambitious programme ‘Accessible India’. But people with disabilities continue to struggle against inaccessible infrastructure and services. Can India afford to delay any longer? We ask experts.

TALK POINT: What is the future of Make in India in the new era of robots replacing humans in factories?

Maruti Suzuki has one robot for every four factory workers. Firms like Eicher and Bajaj also use robots in a quest for efficiency and cost-cutting. About 100 mln Indians enter the workforce every month. Has India entered the manufacturing race too late? We ask experts Manish Sabharwal, Amitabh Kant, R.C. Bhargava.

TALK POINT: Can professionals and municipal bonds save our cities?

Dozens of our municipal corporations are set to issue financial bonds in the coming months to raise funds for developing smart cities. Over 90 urban local bodies have also got themselves rated in order to increase their ability to attract investment. Is this the best way to turn around the sorry state of our cities and how they are governed? We ask experts.

Talk Point: Will legalising euthanasia give patients rights, or will it result in abuse by relatives?

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has recognised and given sanction to passive euthanasia and "living will"

On Camera

BJP’s 2024 election manifesto only looks tech-savvy. It is quite outdated

The manifesto’s silence on legal reforms in the digital space is concerning. The outdated Information Technology Act, about two decades old now, remains India’s nodal tech law.

Economists vs statisticians — the battle being fought over the soul of India’s GDP data

Economists say there are weaknesses in India’s GDP data. But statisticians claim the accusations are based on flawed understanding, saying while GDP has problems, the economists are looking in the wrong places.

‘No brides for Agniveers’: In Rajasthan’s ‘Shaheedon ki nagri’, few takers for defence coaching centres

Coaching centres for Army aspirants in Jhunjhunu are shutting down due to plummeting admissions in the face of a lack of job guarantees under Agnipath Scheme.

These 6 states are key for Modi’s ‘400 paar’ target. They’re also where Opposition can stop him

While this contest looks so predictable in large swathes of our political landscape, it is also more keenly contested than 2019 in some states.