Chairing the second National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi on the 6th and 7th of January 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the Aspirational Block Programme throughout India. With a special emphasis on the "India-First Approach", the programme aims at developing the most backward blocks of the country identified based on a variety of factors as recognised by NITI Aayog.
The online gaming industry has been growing exponentially in the past few years. The main reason was the emergence of COVID-19, which forced many people to resort to online gaming for relieving stress. Moreover, smartphone affordability, low cost-high speed internet and easy access have further contributed to the spike. Out of all Asian countries, India is growing rapidly to be amongst the major contributors to this industry, providing a source of income to many. However, just like every coin has two sides, the online gaming industry is also not void of its negatives.
BRICS on a mini-lateral level is focusing and yielding rather significantly on what other major groupings and multilateral organisations are aiming at. It has begun to provide an alternate avenue of cooperation from trade, and finance to resolving regional and global issues to counter-terrorism and capacity building. But, it is not free of issues.
The issues around, and about, women empowerment and the patriarchal nature of our country have been seeking solutions for a long time. The data from 2011 Census showed the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) as a continuous trend since 1961 and highlighted the inferior status, and missing preference, for a girl child in the Indian society. The worrying figures pushed the government to launch a nation-wide scheme that would sensitize families on the issue and empower the girl child of the nation. With good intentions, and great ambition, on January 22, 2015, Prime Minister Modi launched the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign (save girl child, educate girl child).
Much of the multilateral discussion and collective decision-making on climate change takes place at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC), better known by its nomenclature of COP (conference of parties). There is a strong case to begin a parallel track, which radically changes the contours of the conversation under India's presidency of G20. It is a terrific opportunity for India to lead the world into a more realistic pathway to achieving more concrete outcomes in the battle against climate change.