Balancing energy ambitions and tribal rights: Closer look at pumped storage hydro power projects in Andhra https://www.counterview.in/2025/04/balancing-energy-ambitions-and-tribal.html Monday, April 14, 2025. in the Scheduled Areas of the Eastern Ghats, where tribal communities and environmental advocates are raising concerns over legal violations, displacement, and ecological degradation.
From 2022 to 2025, the state has sanctioned PSPs with a combined capacity of 8,700 megawatts, marking a significant expansion in hydroelectric storage development...

..under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution. Here, the transfer of land to non-tribals is explicitly restricted under the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Area Land Transfer Regulation of 1970. The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in the Samata case further upheld that government land in Scheduled Areas cannot be leased or transferred to private entities comprising non-tribals. 
Despite this, the state government has decided to hand over vast stretches of land to private developers — a total of 3,387 acres in both the Scheduled Areas and tribal-dominated Sub-Plan areas, including individual and forest lands — triggering widespread opposition from tribal organizations and legal experts...the legal process for project approvals in Scheduled Areas requires the informed consent of Gram Sabhas under PESA  1996 and the due involvement of the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) under the Fifth Schedule. Any scheme or project that impacts the livelihoods of tribal communities shall be placed before the APTAC, a constitutional body under the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, which advises the Governor on matters related to the welfare and advancement of tribals. 
To date, there is no public record indicating that such consultations have been adequately conducted. The role of the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP), tasked with fast-tracking approvals, has also drawn scrutiny for bypassing critical environmental and social safeguards.

'Yes Sir!' at https://youtu.be/Of2FkcII_8g   directed by Mudit Singhal: 

This film is about bringing social change, and a change in the mindset of people about caste discrimination which has been an unfortunate social reality and human rights issue in India for centuries.

Ramnarayan Tiwari, a Brahmin (dominant/privileged community/caste in India), is an office peon in a public sector undertaking, where recently, a Dalit (oppressed caste considered untouchables for centuries in India) has risen to become a big officer. Tiwari resents this. The officer’s bathroom’s drain has choked. The story is about how this reverse hierarchical order, and Tiwari’s caste prejudice towards the officer, counterbalance each other to solve the problem of the choked drain.

Vikalp@Prithvi - Online Screenings - April

Synopsis of 'Yes Sir!'

'Men in Blue' at https://youtu.be/AvxYJZWqkCQ 

Synopsis of 'Men in Blue' directed by Sachin Dheeraj:

Inspired by actual events, 'Men in Blue' explores the effects of human trafficking and labor exploitation in the United States. Resistance brews among the Indian immigrants who were stripped of their dignity when a reputed shipyard in Texas conscripted them as guest workers to repair the oil rigs and ships damaged after Hurricane Katrina.

https://www.kinostreetfilm.com/films/men-in-blue 

 From Start-up Mahakumbh to Ministerial Meltdown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT7dxUmep5g
Moneylife  Apr 10, 2025 At the Startup Mahakumbh, Union Minister Piyush Goyal launched a scathing attack on Indian startups, criticizing their focus on food delivery and e-commerce over advanced tech like AI and semiconductors. But his remarks sparked a fierce backlash—from entrepreneurs, industry veterans like Mohandas Pai, and even supporters of the government.

https://moneylife.in/article/maha-misfire-at-mahakumbh-piyush-goyals-rant-exposes-the-frustration-among-entrepreneurs/76838.html  the start-up eco-system has managed to do what the government could not – provide jobs to millions of unemployed youth... 
Another X post on 31st March.. highlighted China’s systemic advantages: a more established eco-system, government-backed domestic venture capital providing greater stability, a deeper domestic footprint and layered support for innovation and larger global footprint. Mohandas Pai was even more direct, asking what Mr Goyal himself had done to support deep-tech innovation. He listed structural challenges: the ‘Angel Tax’, restrictions on institutional investments, Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) harsh treatment of foreign investors and alternative investment funds (AIFs) and the unfriendly stance of the finance ministry towards start-ups

 What Piyush Goyal got wrong about Indian startups  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXNcKrH4u0I   Goyal questioned their innovation, pointing out that many build on existing infrastructure – food delivery, ride-hailing, and edtech – without creating new technology. While his critique holds merit, it overlooks systemic issues: red tape, low R&D investment, and a lack of government support. .. Pooja Prasanna highlights the disparity in the Indian startup ecosystem as compared to China – massive public investment, fewer regulatory hurdles, and a culture that nurtures bold bets. In contrast, Indian startups face bureaucratic barriers, making risk-taking unviable. Critics like Mohandas Pai and founders argue that real innovation needs patient capital and policy support, not public shaming. Despite challenges, India’s deep-tech sector is growing, with 4,000 startups and rising investment. 

 This Is What a Digital Coup Looks Like  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZOoT8AbkNE| Carole Cadwalladr | TED Apr 10, 2025  #TED #TEDTalks #Politics
“We are watching the collapse of the international order in real time, and this is just the start,” says investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr. In a searing talk, she details a fast-moving technological coup and the rise of the “broligarchy”: an unprecedentedly powerful class of tech executives (like Elon Musk) who are complicit in dismantling democracy and enabling authoritarian control across the world. She shares a guide on how to digitally disobey in this age of runaway corporate power, data harvesting and mass surveillance — and reminds you that you have more power than you think.

What is Arthakranti Proposal? Did you meet the Prime Minister to discuss your idea? https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/arthakranti-pratishthan-ngo-demonetisation-66226-2016-11-26  What is Arthakranti Proposal? Did you meet the Prime Minister to discuss your idea? We see the re-introduction of new currency (notes) only as a provisional measure. Demonetisation is a shock. Everyone is feeling insecure. Bringing in new notes will cushion that shock. We believe the government will get back to our original plan of demonetisation soon...We suggested that all taxes should be withdrawn and replaced with a single banking transaction tax (BTT). The next step was to demonetise high-value currency, followed by taking away legal sanctity of high-value cash transactions...

So, penetration of M-money or digital money and digital transactions are all very much in tune with our proposal. ..To begin with, the government may take out the personal income tax in the first phase. And it may introduce a 0.1 per cent or 0.2 per cent BTT. Once the Centre convinces the states, it can proceed further. That will be in tune with Arthakranti, but not the complete proposal. We want taxes to be withdrawn in a phased manner. The transition phase that we have designed is over a period of 18 months....

We want to abolish all taxes, except customs duty, which is needed to control imports. Government revenue should come from BTT.

https://www.punekarnews.in/meet-the-punekar-anil-bokil-who-advised-pm-narendra-modi-against-rs-500-and-rs-1000-notes/ What is in the Proposal ?

“Arthakranti Proposal has FIVE point of actions simultaneously.

(1) Scrap all 56 Taxes including income tax excluding import duty.

(2) Recall and scrap high denomination currencies of 1000, 500 and 100 rupees.

(3) All high value transaction to be made only through banking system like cheque, DD, online and electronic.

(4) Fix limit of cash transaction and no taxing on cash transaction.

(5) For Govt. revenue collection introduce single point tax system through banking system – Banking Transaction Tax (2% to 0.7%) on only Credit Amount

What will happen if All FIFTY SIX Taxes including income tax scrapped :

(1) Salaried people will bring home more money which will increase purchasing power of the family.

(2) All commodities including Petrol, Diesel, FMCG will become cheaper by 35% to 52% .

(3) No question of Tax evasion so no black money generation.

(4) Business sector will get boosted. So self employment.

What will happen if 1000/ 500/ 100 Rupees currency notes recalled and scrapped :

(1) Corruption through cash will stopped 100%.

(2) Black money will be either converted to white or will vanish as billions of 1000/500/100 currency notes hidden in bags without use will become simple pieces of papers.

(3) Unaccounted hidden huge cash is skyrocketing the prices of properties, land, houses, jewellery etc and hard earned money is loosing its value; this trend will stop immediately.

(4) Kidnapping and ransom, “Supari killing” will stop.

(5) Terrorism supported by cash transaction will stop.

(6) Cannot buy high value property in cash showing very less registry prices.

(7) Circulation of “Fake Currency” will stop because fake currency printing for less value notes will not be viable.

What will happen when Banking Transaction Tax (2% to 0.7%) is implemented : (1) As on today if BTT is implemented govt can fetch 800 x 2% = 16 lakh crore where as current taxing system is generating less than 14 lakh crore revenue.

(2)When 50% of total transaction will be covered by BTT sizing 2000 to 2500 lakh crores, Govt will need to fix BTT as low as 1% to 0.7% and this will boost again banking transaction many fold.

(3) No separate machinery like income tax department will be needed and tax amount will directly deposited in State/Central/District administration account immediately.

(4) As transaction tax amount will be very less, public will prefer it instead paying huge amount against directly/indirectly FIFTY SIX taxes.

(5) There will be no tax evasion and govt will get huge revenue for development and employment generation.

(6) For any special revenue for special projects, govt can slightly raise BTT say from 1% to 1.2% and this 0.2% increase will generate 4,00,000 crores additional fund.

India second-most targeted by NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware in 2019, new court filing shows  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTT7N-WDhZw   revelations from a recent U.S. court filing exposing India's position as the second-most targeted nation by NSO Group's Pegasus spyware in 2019.  how 100 Indian WhatsApp users, including journalists, politicians, and activists, were impacted by this invasive surveillance tool.

 Modi अमेरिका में रंगे हाथों पकड़े गए, भारत में है सीलबंद लिफाफा! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PLUVJrFOOo    Hemant Atri | Ashish Chitranshi The News Launcher Transcript :"J:\fortransfer\pegasus-disclosurein US.html"

https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/09/court-document-reveals-locations-of-whatsapp-victims-targeted-by-nso-spyware/ 

How US Court Found Pegasus Maker Liable For Attacks On 1,400 WhatsApp Users https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-court-finds-pegasus-spyware-maker-liable-over-whatsapp-hack-explained-7299703 WhatsApp head Will Cathcart said that "surveillance companies should be on notice that illegal spying will not be tolerated." 

JPC On Waqf Bill Violated Parliamentary Procedures' :

  https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/jpc-on-waqf-bill-violated-parliamentary-procedures-tmc-mp-mahua-moitras-plea-in-supreme-court-289070 

TMC MP Mahua Moitra's Plea In Supreme Court Gursimran Kaur Bakshi 10 Apr 2025  

The petitioner states that the draft report of the JPC was circulated to the members of the Committee only on January 28, a day before it was to be considered final for adoption on January 29. It is averred that this made it "practically impossible to read [the report]".    It is an inviolable rule that upon the Chairperson's approval of the draft report prepared by the Secretariat, copies of such a report are supposed to be 'circulated to members of the Committee well in advance of the date fixed for the consideration of the draft report by the Committee.' (Speaker's Direction 69(1); Kaul and Shakdher, Practice and Procedure of Parliament (2016) p 853).

Further, the petition claims that the dissent notes submitted by the members belonging to the Opposition, who were a part of the JPC, were "unreasonably" and "arbitrarily" redacted from the final report represented before the Parliament on February 13.     The Chairperson failed to demonstrate that the redacted submissions and notes used unparliamentary language. The redaction of the dissenting viewpoints and submissions undermined the Parliament's prerogative to consider all the views contained in the report prior to arriving at its independent conclusions during the deliberative process. (Kaul and Shakdher, Practice and Procedure of Parliament (2016) p 854). 

Adani-Maharashtra roadmap for Dharavi: state clears move to shift over 50,000 people to waste dump https://indianexpress.com/article/express-exclusive/adani-maharashtra-roadmap-for-dharavi-maharashtra-clears-move-to-shift-over-50000-people-to-waste-dump-9937449/  State agencies pass the buck, project SPV says will seek green clearance before starting construction, Adani Group declines to comment
Written by Pratip Acharya

Adani के Dharavi Redevelopment Project से लाखों सासें मुश्किल में! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlTokRdG7Kc The News Launcher  
Apr 11, 2025

Of the 600-acre sprawl of slums and factories that make up Dharavi, 296 acres have been earmarked for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) that aims to transform Asia’s biggest slum into a modern urban hub with improved housing and amenities. I

While almost 1.5 lakh “eligible beneficiaries” will get “in situ rehabilitation”, meaning free housing units at Dharavi itself, the government announced that nearly 50,000-1 lakh of the 4 lakh “ineligible beneficiaries” will be given rental units at “nominal” rates at the Deonar dump.

For the remaining “ineligible” residents, the government has earmarked land at Kurla Dairy, Wadala and the salt pans between Kanjurmarg and Mulund.

Records obtained by The Indian Express show that on September 27, 2024, the BMC handed over 124 acres within the larger 311-acre Deonar landfill to the state government for the rehabilitation project. Since then, no waste has been dumped in the site.

 Gautam Adani पर एक्सप्रेस का बड़ा खुलासा , Dharavi के हजारों लोग भेजे जाएंगे कूड़े के ढेर पर https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhi2czW6NzM Ajit Anjum