Hidden Urbanisation in India

Why in News? The recent initiatives such as "City Economic Regions (CERs)" announced in the Union Budget 2025–26 and the proposal of an Urbanisation Premium Grant by the 16th Finance Commission have brought renewed attention to India's hidden urbanisation and the urgent need for better urban governance. What is Urbanisation in India? Urbanisation refers to th

India's Population Transition

Why is the Issue in News? India's declining fertility rate, ageing population, and regional demographic imbalances have sparked debates on whether the country is heading towards a demographic crisis. Policymakers are now focusing on adopting an evidence-based population strategy that balances economic growth, social welfare, and demographic stability rather than reacting to fears of eit

India’s Demographic Future

India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has steadily declined and is now close to or below the replacement level of 2.1 in most States. Consequently, the country's demographic challenge is gradually shifting from managing a youthful population to addressing the implications of an ageing society. However, recent policy discussions have increasingly focused on issues such as illegal immigr

Declining Fertility

India’s fertility rates have steadily declined over the last few decades and are now approaching or falling below the replacement level in many States. Consequently, the country is moving towards an ageing society where issues such as elderly healthcare, pensions, social security, and long-term care systems will become increasingly important. Policy Priorities and Demographic Realitie

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, also known as Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Day, flagship event of the Ministry of External Affairs is celebrated on January 9 every year. Aim - To mark the contribution and achievements of the overseas Indian community to the development of India. It’s a day to acknowledge the achievements of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of

Retribution for the south, accolade for the north

Retribution for the south, accolade for the north     Why in the News? The South Indian states face the risk of reduced political representation due to its lower population size compared to the northern states, amid the recent passing of Women Reservation bill, 2023 in the Parliament. Delimitation and political representation: Article 81 of the Constitution:

Circular Migration

Circular Migration Circular migration: It is a repetitive form of migration wherein, according to the availability of employment, people move to another place (the destination country) and back (country of origin). Instead of migrating permanently or temporarily (say, contract-based labour) to another location, people move to different locations for a brief period of time when work is a

Need for a timely census

Need for a timely census     Why in the News? The conduction of 2021 Census got delayed due to the pandemic, while the implementation of the women's quota has been tied to the delimitation exercise, which in turn will be based on the first census after 2026. What is the need for Census? Data availability has increased in the present times which raises que

India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC), 2022:

India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC), 2022:     It was launched to reward the cities, projects and innovative ideas promoting smart development in cities as an outcome of Smart Cities Mission, which was launched in 2015 to transform 100 cities into sustainable and livable urban centres. The awards are announced by The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Waorani community

Waorani community     The Huaorani, Waorani, or Waodani, also known as the Waos, are an Indigenous people from the Amazonian Region of Ecuador. They comprise almost 4,000 inhabitants and speak the Huaorani language. Their language is distinct and unrelated to any other known tongue, including Quechua, which is commonly spoken in