THE union government issued two sets of guidelines on June 19 to all state governments, asking them to implement urban reforms. In order to ensure the implementation of these reforms, a carrot of monetary incentive is dangled before them. This initiative reflects the BJP-led central government's push towards the aggressive implementation of neoliberal reforms.Before delving into the current guidelines, it is important to recap the previous directives issued by the central government during the COVID lockdown.

TWO major headline-grabbing defence equipment deals, the focus of this article, were signed during the PM’s recent State visit to the US.The US is to sell 31 unmanned armed Reaper MQ-9B drones to India, 15 for the navy and eight each for the army and air force. The drones, long sought by India, would provide a new and substantial intelligence-gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability and, when necessary, the ability to strike at targets on land and on or under the sea-surface.

DANIEL Ellsberg, an inspiration to the Vietnam generation of the 60s and 70s for his leaking of the Pentagon papers, died at 92 of pancreatic cancer. He refused medicines as he knew that, at best, it would extend his life only by a few months, preferring to die with his family and friends.

THE central government's decision to reduce the annual public borrowing of the state government is an assault on the state's public finances. According to the prevailing FRBM Act, state governments have the right to borrow up to 3 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) from the market. Additionally, due to the state's compliance with certain electricity sector conditions imposed by the central government, the state is entitled to an additional borrowing of 0.5 per cent of the GSDP.