Namaste Democracy

> Port Blair is named after Captain Archibald Blair who joined the Bombay Marine and received his first commission in 1771. It was 1792 when he was promoted to the rank of captain. > Port Blair was then a fishing hamlet which later became an important administrative and military base for the British Empire. > Archibald Blair was instrumental in establishing British control over this remote and strategically important region. It served as the operational centre for the British, enabling them to exert control and manage the adjoining islands more effectively. > It was in 1789 when the Government of Bengal laid the foundation of a penal colony on Chatham Island in the southeast bay of Great Andaman, and named it in honour of Archibald Blair. > He was known for his naval voyages and surveys across the Indian Ocean. His survey of the Andaman Islands, which he carried out from December 1788 to April 1789, was a crucial undertaking he presented to the British governor-general in Calcutta on 12th June 1789. Prior to that, between 1786 and 1788, he surveyed areas including the Chagos archipelago (near south of Maldives), Diamond Harbour near Calcutta, and the Hooghly River. > Blair’s efforts led to the subsequent colonial development of Port Blair to emerge as a central hub in the islands’ colonial administration. However, the island also has history imprinted from the Independence movement, as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose first unfurled the Indian flag in 1943, and several freedom fighters endured imprisonment at the infamous Cellular Jail. > The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are under the direct control of the Union home ministry today, and are renowned for their natural beauty, marine life, and biodiversity. Noting the islands’ historical significance, as it once served as a naval base for the Chola Empire as well, the Union home minister Amit Shah announced on 13th September, 2024, that Port Blair has been renamed as “Sri Vijaya Puram.” . . . #namastedemocracy #namasteinformed #PortBlairRenaming #AndamanHistory #ArchibaldBlairLegacy #NetajiAndamanFlagHoisting

When voices are silenced, who will listen? . . . Concept: Mrinal Rai Design: Swasti D. #FreedomOfSpeech #Censorship #Democracy

Estimates based on the Kinsey scale reveal a substantial presence of around 135 million LGBTQ+ individuals in India, constituting approximately 10 percent of population. The legal framework around queer rights is complex, but here is what we know so far. Watch the video till the end, and let us know what you think based on the question that has been asked there. Written and narrated by: Poorvi S. Edited by: Adithya Sai Srinivas #namasteinformed #namastedemocracy #queerrightsindia #marriageequality #marriagerights #lgbtq

The Chenab Bridge plays a crucial role in enhancing connectivity between Jammu & Kashmir and the rest of India. The engineering marvel consists of 17 spans and a 467-meter-long main arch, which is the longest of its kind. The bridge's construction was a meticulous process, with the critical task of joining the arch segments from both sides of the valley completed with precision. The golden joint of the 785-meter-long deck was a significant milestone, achieved in August 2022. Designed to withstand extreme conditions, the Chenab Bridge is built to resist winds of up to 266 km/h, earthquakes, and potential blasts, ensuring its durability and safety. The completion of the Katra-Banihal section, including the Chenab Bridge, is a key part of Indian Railways' 100-day action plan, and the bridge is expected to open for trains later this year. . . . #namasteinformed #namastedemocracy #ChenabBridge #EngineeringMarvel #JammuKashmirConnectivity #IndianRailways #ArchitecturalWonder

A notable example is a Delhi-based bike dealer’s Initial Public Offering (IPO), which was oversubscribed nearly 400 times, raising Rs 4,800 crore despite seeking just Rs 12 crore. This enthusiasm among retail investors, reflected in social media-driven stock tips, is seen as a red flag, echoing historical signs of market bubbles. Brokerages like Kotak Institutional Equities have been vocal in highlighting the risks of high valuations. In July, Kotak reiterated that many low-quality companies and large-cap consumption stocks are trading at inflated levels, with stocks like Bajaj Auto, TVS Motors, and Asian Paints trading at 30-86 times their earnings. Similarly, the Buffett Indicator, which compares market capitalization to GDP, has crossed its historical average, further suggesting that the market is significantly overvalued. India’s stock market has seen rapid growth in recent years, with its market capitalization jumping from $3 trillion in 2021 to $5.5 trillion by August 2024, making it the fourth-largest globally. While India is expected to emerge as the third-largest economy by 2027, with projections of a $10 trillion market cap by 2030, the surge has raised concerns. The Economic Survey 2023-24 warned of overconfidence in the financial sector, noting that an excessively high market cap relative to the real economy could signal instability rather than resilience. Retail investors have played a significant role in driving this growth, with 120 million new retail investors entering the market between 2019 and 2023. However, analysts caution that despite the market’s current strength, wild swings are possible, and the ongoing euphoria may not last. As investor Deepak Shenoy noted, it’s a volatile market, and investors need to remain cautious and flexible to navigate potential downturns. . . . #StockMarketCorrection #OvervaluedStocks #MarketBubbleAlert #RetailInvestorRisks #IndiaStockMarket #namasteinformed #namastedemocracy

The Kerala government has brought about steep cuts in planned expenditure (development expenditure) in response to the state’s ongoing financial crisis. The Kerala cabinet aims to eliminate non-essential projects and reduce spending on approved schemes. Projects that have recurring and those that have been given administrative sanction this fiscal year will be affected by this cut in expenditure. A committee led by the Chief Secretary has been empowered to tackle the financial strain. This committee, comprised of finance and planning secretaries and secretaries from the concerned department, will review the planned projects. Based on the evaluation of their inevitability, these projects are either set aside, or the funds allocated to them would be reduced by 50 per cent. For projects less than Rs 10 crore, the decision would be taken at the department level. The total plan outlay, or the expenditure allocated to the state government for the current fiscal year, is Rs 21,838 crore rupees, and 15.87 per cent of the allocation has been utilised to date (Onmanorama, 2024). There are 52 administrative departments and 2006 schemes and projects that are recurring or sanctioned for this fiscal year. Social and community services have the highest sectoral allocation, with 966 schemes and an allocation of 12,921 crore rupees. However, the government has assured that employee benefits and pending welfare schemes will remain unaffected by the cuts. By December, the state will have utilised the entire Rs 21,253 crore rupees credit limit allowed by the central government. No further borrowing is possible for October, November, and December. As the state faces a financial crisis, the long-term solution lies in more investments, as cuts in expenditure could reduce consumption and lead to recession. . . . #namasteinformed #namastedemocracy #KeralaBudgetCuts #FinancialCrisis #DevelopmentImpact #FiscalChallenges #EconomicReform

Today marks the 68th year since Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, assented to the States Reorganisation Bill, now known as the States Reorganisation Act. This landmark legislation reshaped India's political and geographical landscape based on linguistic lines. Before this landmark legislation, the country was divided into provinces and princely states, which often had arbitrary borders with a mix of linguistic and cultural groups. There was a need for linguistic homogeneity for better administration, governance, and representation. The reorganisation process was far from easy as redrawing boundaries had to venture hand in hand with addressing concerns of minority linguistic groups and dealing with administrative complexities. The States Reorganisation Commission was responsible for reorganising the various princely states along linguistic lines. It was preceded by the Linguistic Provinces Commission (aka Dhar Commission), which was set up in June 1948 and rejected language as a parameter for dividing up the states. In December 1953, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru appointed the States Reorganisation Commission to reorganise the Indian states. The States Reorganisation Commission submitted a report on September 30, 1955, with its recommendations. Before it took effect on 1 November 1956, an important amendment was made to the Constitution of India under the Seventh Amendment. As per this, the existing terminology of Part A, B, C, and D states was altered. The distinction between Part A and Part B states was removed, becoming known simply as "states". A new type of entity, the Union Territory, replaced the classification as a Part C or Part D state. Yes, true, several changes have been made to the boundaries of Indian states since 1956, but this was a key moment for India’s map. . . . #namastedemocracy #namasteinformed #StateReorganisationAct #India1956 #IndianHistory #UnityInDiversity #RajendraPrasad

Concept: Mrinal Rai Artist: Swasti D . . #namastedemocracy #namasteinformed #PromisesVsReality #PublicServices #Progress

Usage in context: “The company offers a superannuation scheme where they contribute 10% of an employee’s salary into a retirement fund.” Note: In some countries, the term “superannuation” is used interchangeably with “pension,” but it often implies the specific setup of a fund where contributions are made and managed over a period of time. Employers typically contribute 15% of the employee's basic salary and dearness allowance (if applicable) to the superannuation fund. Employee contributions, if any, are voluntary. Employer contributions to the superannuation fund are tax-exempt up to a certain limit under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. The interest earned on the fund is also tax-free until withdrawal. In India, superannuation differs from the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), which is mandatory for all salaried employees. While the EPF focuses on accumulating a retirement corpus through monthly contributions from both employer and employee, superannuation is an additional benefit provided by the employer. It is often seen as a supplementary retirement income. Superannuation schemes are typically more common in large companies and are considered part of an attractive employee benefits package. #namasteinformed #namastedemocracy #Superannuation #RetirementFund #PensionScheme #EmployeeBenefits #FinancialPlanning #RetirementSavings #WorkplaceBenefits #SalaryContributions #RetirementPlanning #SuperFund

Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasised that this move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of developing a prosperous Ladakh. This expansion will increase the number of districts in Ladakh from two to seven, aiming to enhance governance and bring administrative benefits directly to the region’s residents. Ladakh was originally part of Jammu and Kashmir before the state's special status under Article 370 was revoked in August 2019. This led to the creation of two separate Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The reorganisation of Ladakh into additional districts is seen as a step to improve local governance and provide more opportunities for its people. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir is preparing for its first elections since the abrogation of Article 370, with polling scheduled across three phases in September and October 2024. This will be the first election in the region in a decade, following the collapse of the previous PDP-BJP coalition government in 2018. The elections are being held in compliance with a Supreme Court directive to complete the process by the end of September 2024. . . . #namasteinformed #namastedemocracy #LadakhExpansion #LadakhDevelopment #GovernanceInLadakh #NewDistricts #Article370 [Ladakh, District Expansion, Governance, Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir Elections]