India, China to resume direct flights, issue visas

Three months after negotiating an end to the military stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India and China agreed to concrete measures to resume direct flights, visas, people-to-people exchanges, and the Mansarovar Yatra for pilgrims this summer. They agreed to resume the dialogue on trans-border rivers and sharing of hydrological data that China has withheld for years. 

Uttarakhand adopts Uniform Civil Code, launches portal

Uttarakhand Chief Minister officially rolled out the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for all residents of the State, except the Scheduled Tribes and natives who have migrated out of the State. With this, Uttarakhand has become the first Indian State to implement the UCC post-Independence. The UCC Bill, passed by the State Assembly last February, bans practices such as halala, iddat, and talaq (customs related to marriage and divorce in Muslim Personal Law). It also ensures that women are given equal rights in matters related to property and inheritance. The UCC mandates online registration of marriages, divorce and live-in relationships. A government portal - ucc.uk.gov.in -has been formed for the purpose. People can access records, register complaints and also upload their will on the portal. Mr. Dhami also registered his marriage on the portal

Getting drunk, on homoeopathy

A recent judgment of the Supreme Court of India, in Bhagwati Medical Hall vs Central Drugs Standard Control Organization & Ors., has, once again, turned the spotlight on the impossible challenge faced by State governments in regulating a significant public health hazard - that posed by alcoholic tinctures marketed in India as homoeopathic remedies. As per Schedule VII of the Constitution, only States can enact legislation in relation to public health and the taxation of alcohol. The exception to this rule of taxation is if the alcohol is meant for medicinal purposes, in which case, Entry 84 of List I allowed the Union to decide the rate of taxation. In the pre-Goods and Services Tax (GST) era, alcohol for medicinal preparation was taxed at a tiny 4% under the now repealed Medicinal and Toilet Preparations (Excise Duties) Act, 1955. Post the 101st Constitutional amendment which paved the way for the GST, the issue of taxation of alcohol meant for medicinal purposes is not clear since the exception created for alcohol meant for medicinal purposes is no longer mentioned in Entry 84.

The Union Budget as a turning point for climate action 

To accelerate India's green energy transition, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana needs a comprehensive review. While the scheme has seen around 1.45 crore registrations, the completion rate of only 6.34 lakh installations (4.37%) indicates the presence of significant implementation gaps. The Budget must expand the scope of production-linked incentives (PLI) across the solar module supply chain, addressing the critical supply-demand mismatch, where domestic manufacturing fulfils only 40% of current requirements. European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which will take effect on January 1, 2026, necessitates urgent budgetary interventions to protect India's export competitiveness. India's total exports of CBAM products to the EU amount to $8.22 billion annually and will likely face carbon levies ranging from around 20% to 50%. 

Will the FY26 Budget reverse the decline in social sector spending?

The share of the Union Budget allocated for the social sector has declined rapidly in recent years. 

allocations for various social sectors as a share of the total Budget. Expenditure on health as a share of the total Budget declined from 2.47%-2.22% in the FY18-22 period to 1.85%-1.75% in the FY23-25 period. The share of the total Budget allocated to the Ministry of Rural Development did not cross the 6%-mark in the last three years, which was the case for many years prior. Notably, allocations for schemes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), introduced under the United Progressive Alliance government, have declined significantly over time. The ₹86,000 crore (Budget Estimates) allocated for MGNREGS for 2024-25 formed only 1.78% of the total Budget, a 10-year low. Latest data show that the Rural Development Ministry was short of ₹4,315 crore, which resulted in a delay in the disbursement of wages to MGNREGS workers. 

Is the Guillain-Barré Syndrome life-threatening?

Following a reported outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, in Pune, with 73 cases so far, the Union Health Ministry has now sent a team to the city to assess the situation. There is no known cure for GBS. However, there are some treatments that aid in recovery. Most people can make a nearly full recovery. While the causes of GBS are still not fully understood, in most cases, it occurs after a viral or bacterial infection.

RBI moves to ease liquidity crunch

The RBI on Monday announced a host of measures to inject liquidity in the banking system, including bond purchases and dollar/rupee swaps. The Reserve Bank of India will buy government bonds worth 600 billion rupees ($6.96 billion) in three tranches and conduct a 56-day variable rate repo auction worth 500 billion rupees, it said in a release. It will also conduct a USD/INR buy/sell swap auction of $5 billion for a tenor of six months, the RBI said.