SMART-PDS is a centrally sponsored, technology-oriented reform initiative by the Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD), Ministry of Consumer Affairs, aimed at enhancing and consolidating the IT infrastructure of India’s Public Distribution System (PDS).
India’s proposed GST 2.0 is being framed as the biggest reform to the indirect tax system since 2017: India’s upcoming GST 2.0 announcement, slated for implementation by Diwali, is being widely promoted in the media as a “Diwali gift”—a measure to reduce burdens on everyday consumers. Prime Minister Modi’s Independence Day speech has already prompted headlines calling it “a brighter gift of simpler taxes” and a “gamechanger” for GST.
TK ARUN Visible rates have been cut, while rates whose impact is not directly observable by the consumer have gone up; indirect taxes have been made even more indirect. Most of us have heard the tale of the mouse that…
The Nile-Ganga Cultural Exchange symbolizes a living bridge between two of the world’s oldest civilizations, India and Egypt. Rooted in centuries of interaction, this initiative represents the revival of ancient cultural affinities and their adaptation to modern diplomacy.
Policy UpdateDevshi Satish Mishra What is meant by “Circular Economy”? The circular economy is a system that could be understood as a move towards sustainable development. It is a system wherein materials are fully utilised, which allows nature to be…
It is the season of digital spectacle. From Smart Cities to the National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM), the Union government never misses an opportunity to announce a grand plan for “transforming urban India.” Glossy dashboards, artificial intelligence claims, and billion-dollar contracts are flaunted as if technology alone can rescue India’s cities.
India’s wellness industry is booming, with PWC estimating its size at ₹490 billion, growing at a compound growth rate of around 16%. Fitness centres, yoga studios, Zumba dance classes, personal trainers, health food, and athleisure clothing proliferate. A section of the population is really taking their health and fitness into their own earnest hands, even as another section is feasting on newfound prosperity and growing obese.