Category Centres

West Bengal Panchayat Elections: No Free Lunches From Now On

Freebies are valorised as development instruments by ruling parties in India. However, the story is different in real life. While their marginal impact on the lives of the poor is undeniable, their purpose is to mould the electorates’ behaviour in favour of the ruling party. This is what rural Bengal has been witnessing ever since the Trinamul Congress came to power. The project has paid political dividends for the ruling party. But the question before the forthcoming panchayat election is this: will this project be successful in influencing the voting behaviour of the poor in rural Bengal?

Reforming Urban Governance in India: Issues and Way Forward

Given the problems of urban governance in India, the 74th Constitution Amendment Act (CAA) came into force in June 1993, which sought to empower the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and strengthen urban decentralization. With the CAA, it was expected that the ULBs would assume responsibilities for urban planning, water supply, social and economic planning, slum upgradation, public health, etc.

Modi’s Successful Visit to the US Leaves China Uneasy

China has been watching Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States this week. There are many stakes for China in the emerging US-India strategic partnership. These range from the emerging power distribution at regional and global orders to addressing supply chain and technology disruptions caused by the Global Financial Crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and the current Ukraine conflict.

Putin’s Decision Might Lead to Long-Term Consequences for Russia

Wars reveal a nation's vulnerabilities in ways that are often striking as well as surprising. Ever since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a "special military operation" against Ukraine in February last year, he has exposed the strategic weakness of Russia as a nation, step by step. His strategic, operational and tactical miscalculations in launching frontal aggression against Ukraine will haunt Russia for years to come. But even he couldn't foresee that the greatest challenge to his authority since coming to power more than two decades ago would come from one of his closest associates - the Wagner Group's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The 2015 India – Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement : Is it effective or merely symbolic?

The dispute between India and East Pakistan regarding enclaves (small pieces of lands located within one state but actually belonging to the other state) has been a matter of concern since the time of India's independence. The problem became grave post the formation of Bangladesh in 1971. There were attempts on the part of both the states to resolve the issue with no permanent solution. However, the ultimate decision to arrive at a feasible understanding was made in 2015 through the Land Boundary Agreement. Now the question which remains is whether the agreement has settled the dispute or has it been merely a symbolic step to portray to the world the friendly relation between the two states?

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