The Wire

To understand just how alarming this is, consider that an AQI of 101-200 is categorised as moderate, while an AQI between 201-300 is ‘poor’. Delhi has already breached the ‘poor’ range and entered the ‘very poor’ category (301-400), and is moving steadily towards the ‘severe’ category (401-500) ­­– the last category defined in the AQI. Parts of Delhi have already recorded air quality that is considered severe. For instance, the monitoring station at Mathura road recorded an AQI of 470 on Saturday.

Financial Express

The last one and a half decades saw many policies and procedures coming as knee-jerk reactions to perceived corruption, notional revenue losses and media trials. India is a $2.8 trillion economy with a population of 125 crore and the best demographic profile among large economies. More than 50% of its population is below 25 years of age and 65% below 35 years. Policies should be framed with a holistic approach to the problems facing the country, keeping in mind its long-term policy requirements. Knee-jerk policy making may result in India’s demographic dividend becoming its biggest liability.

The Hindu

The State government’s subsidy bill towards agricultural connections is on the rise during the last four years with the demand for connections increasing significantly. It has to foot a subsidy bill of about ₹6,030 crore during the current fiscal. As the budgetary allocations do not match the demand, it is contemplating issuing bonds in near future.

Financial Express

NITI Aayog has proposed that 75% of the premium paid by farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) will be returned to them if they don’t file claims for crop damages for four-six consecutive agricultural seasons. Government officials reckon that such a move would attract more farmers into the insurance fold; at present, just 29% of the 12 crore farmers/cultivators in the country are covered under the crop insurance scheme.