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India, of late, has woken up to realize the importance of oceans, more particularly the one in its vicinity. Better late than never, the Prime Minister Modi has made a humble beginning for integrating with countries in the Indian Ocean rim. While security in the region remain a major concern, another recipe for integration is the call for cooperation in the development of Blue Economy.

Aam Aadmi Party is a child of struggle with thrust on anti-corruption movement headed by Anna Hazare. The desire to have a strong Lokpal had brought together diverse individuals whose ideological compatibility is always questionable. Then, Anna was an ageing rebel from rural Maharashtra, Arvind Kejriwal a dynamic NGO activist, Kiran Bedi a famous police officer, Prashant Bhushan a crusading public lawyer, and Yogendra Yadav an academic.

Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley may feel gratified his moderately reformist budget, which fell below raised expectations, has had a smooth run through an increasingly uncomfortable Parliament but his real challenges to uphold its claims and deliver on growth and jobs will now test his skills.

Defence of a country is vital, particularly when it is surrounded by countries claiming parts of its territory. The situation is aggravated when an immediate neighbour is engaged in a proxy war by facilitating infiltration of terrorists with the sole intention of carrying out its acts for destabilization in the destination country. India is faced with such a situation and the need to build up its defence is critical. The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while presenting his annual Budget has acknowledged this saying “defence of every inch of our motherland comes before anything else.” But has he done sufficient justice in allocation of funds for the country’s defence?

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh government, which is already facing several political problems, has plunged into another crisis. This crisis has been caused due to large-scale damage to the standing rabi crops because of untimely heavy rains, and at some places even accompanied by hailstorms. Both rains and hailstorm led to widespread destruction of standing crops, mainly wheat and gram.

The Sino-Myanmar border, south of China’s Yunnan Province, has suddenly come alive. Beijing alleged on March 14 that a fighter aircraft of the Myanmar Air Force had ‘bombed’ a village in Yunnan, killing five and injuring eight. Myanmar emphatically denied the allegation. Its military said that no warplanes had carried out any strike in Chinese territory. But this had no effect on the Chinese. A spokesperson of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) announced that ‘a large contingent’ of fighter planes had been sent to the region.

Enactment of the Jharkhand Domestic Policy will be the real litmus test for the BJP’s claim of catering to the needs of the tribals of the state. On March 13, the Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das assured that his government would table a draft domicile policy during the ongoing budget session and ensure the new policy is in place within two months. Notwithstanding Das’ assurance, the state BJP leaders are in the state of stupor. They are scared of outbreak of ethnic violence.

When the wife of the chief executive of India’s biggest public sector health insurance company recently visited a private medical specialist to rid herself of sudden severe headache, she had no clue about the procedure she was about to go through at the clinic and thereafter. The dutiful doctor, knowing her background fully well, refused to take any chance. She was made to undergo a whole lot of tests, including MRI, for the next two days before she felt the headache was gone. But, that was only a temporary relief. The final medical bill of Rs. 20,000 that she received after the thorough check up was threatening to cause her another headache. Employees of a good number of public sector undertakings are entitled to reimbursements of medical expenses for self and the spouse until death. This has opened a new opportunity for private healthcare providers in India though the total market of such cases is still very small. In most other cases, medical bills are picked up by patients or their guardians. And, that is becoming the biggest headache of the country’s poor as well as self-supported middle class.

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh is passing through a very serious crisis. The crisis is not only constitutional but also moral. According to the constitutional provisions administration of a state is run by the governor on the advice of the council of Minister. But at present the police which is under his control has lodged a First Information Report against him. The governor, on his part has moved the State High Court with the request that the FIR against him should be quashed. Obviously governor's petition is against his government. Thus the state police has initiated criminal charge against the governor and the governor has taken legal step against the state government. Thus it can be construal that he has filed a petition against himself.

If the Indian government wanted to become the laughing stock of the world, it couldn’t have done so more instantly and effectively than by banning the BBC documentary India’s Daughter on Delhi’s December 2012 gang-rape. Not only was the film watched by millions the world over; it became a cause celebre for feminists, defenders of free expression and even progressive Hollywood actors.