In view of the revival of the controversial issue of “one nation, one election”, I reproduce below an analysis which I penned when the Narendra Modi government raised the issue. Five years later, the essay is perhaps more relevant today than when it was first written.
A report commissioned by NITI Aayog, titled “Economic Impact of Select Decisions of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal”, has estimated that during the three years from mid-2018 to mid-2021 at least around 75,000 persons were adversely impacted and around 16,000 workers lost their jobs.
The Central Ground Water Authority, constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, has the mandate of regulating groundwater development, and regulates groundwater extraction by NOCs. However, the relaxation of NOC was not without precedent.
The theme has been an abiding one for the prime minister. While supporters say it will save public money and reduce administrative burden, critics say it is against the principle of cooperative federalism.
Delhi is relying more on rapid antigen tests for diagnosing cases. While they have high specificity for positive cases, their sensitivity is low. So those who test negative should be re-confirmed by an RT-PCR test.
The government is falling short of money and eyeing unused land of various departments and ministries. But before it can sell these, it will have to get its records updated and remove trespassers there.
With the festival season nearing and cinemas and restaurants opening up, the next cycle of the pandemic could be upon us. Just one super-spreader in a large gathering can trigger an explosion of new cases.
On June 27, while addressing on a webinar organised by IDRC, Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog has stated that, ‘India is at a cusp of transformative change with use of Technology in the Judicial System and our Supreme Court is leading us in innovative ways.'