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Two unrelated old images are being shared claiming that people in Gaza Burnt a donkey painted with Israeli flag - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 16, 2023
A circulating photo collage features two images—one depicting a donkey painted with the Israeli flag and the other showing a donkey set on fire. This collage is being shared with the claim that individuals in Gaza painted an Israeli flag on the donkey before subsequently burning the animal. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Palestinians in Gaza painted a donkey with the Israeli flag before subsequently burning the animal.
Fact: These are two entirely unrelated photographs. The first was captured on 23 September  2011, in a West Bank settlement during a Palestinian demonstration. The second was taken on 06 August 2014, near Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, depicting Palestinians burning a donkey after the animal had been mortally wounded by airstrikes. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Both these images are not related to the current situation in Gaza strip. Both pictures are old and unrelated. Conducting a reverse image search on the photo of a donkey painted with an Israeli flag led us to the same image uploaded on Alamy, a stock image portal.
The description accompanied by the image reads “Palestinians display a donkey painted as an Israeli flag during a demonstration to support the Palestinian bid at the United Nations for statehood recognition on 23 September 2011, in the West Bank village of Kfar Kadum.”
The photograph was captured on 23 September 2011, by photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh, working on behalf of the international news agency AFP.
Numerous news agencies previously reported the same image in 2011, accompanied by the identical description mentioned earlier (here & here). However, there is absolutely no mention or evidence indicating that the Palestinians ultimately burned or killed the animal in question.
On the other hand, the second image of a donkey set ablaze dates back to 2014. A reverse image search of this image led us to a similar image uploaded on Getty Images, a stock image portal. The description associated with the image reads “Palestinians burn the donkey, who was killed earlier by an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on 06 August 2014.”
Hence, this proves that both these images are not connected, as the incident involving the burning of the donkey was documented in the Gaza Strip, occurring three years after the demonstration in a West Bank settlement where a donkey was painted in Israeli colors in 2011. There is no evidence to suggest that the painted donkey was ultimately killed by Palestinians. Conversely, the reported burning of the donkey in 2014 occurred after the animal had been fatally wounded by an aerial bombardment, as per news reports. It is also clear that both these images are not related to the present situation in Gaza.
To sum it up, two unrelated old images are being shared claiming that people in Gaza Burnt a donkey painted as an Israeli flag.

created: November 16, 2023


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Two unrelated videos are edited to make it look like Akshay Kumar crying at the sad state of a baby on life support - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 30, 2022
A video is being shared on social media where Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar is seen crying; a video clip of a baby on life support is on the right side of this video. Let’s fact-check this video through his article.
Claim: Video of Akshay Kumar crying at the sad state of an infant on life support.
Fact: Both the video clips in the viral post are unrelated. In August 2022, Akshay Kumar attended as a guest on SET India’s Superstar Singer Season 2. He cried while watching a video of a Raksha Bandhan message from his sister. The video of an infant on life support has been in circulation on the internet since May 2019. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We performed a reverse image search on the screenshots of the video and found several YouTube videos of the infant on life support. Some of them have a Tik Tok watermark on them. These videos from 2019 can be seen here, here and here.
Upon searching the internet with relevant keywords, we found that the video clip of Akshay Kumar was from August 2022.
Akshay Kumar went as a guest on SET India’s Superstar Singer Season 2 to promote his film Raksha Bandhan. He became emotional and cried while watching a video message from his sister Alka.
To sum it up, two unrelated videos are edited to look like Akshay Kumar cried looking at a baby on life support.

source: news-factly

created: September 30, 2022

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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Types of Train Accidents
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 23, 2017
While the number of Train Accidents has significantly reduced in the last 14 years, derailments have gone up in the last few years. The proportion of derailments in the total accidents was 75% in 2016-17, the highest in 14 years.


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Typhoid patients being treated under tents near Maharashtra-Gujarat border is passed off as from Pakistan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 21, 2021
In the light of the increasing cases of COVID-19 in India and across the globe, a post accompanying an image of patients lying on the floor with bare minimum medical facilities is being circulated across social media platforms with a claim that the image shows the situation in Pakistan. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Image showing patients lying on the floor with bare minimum medical facilities in Pakistan.
Fact: The image actually shows patients being treated for typhoid in villages near the Maharashtra-Gujarat border. These patients are being treated under tents with bare minimum medical facilities as the hospitals are filled with COVID-19 patients. Multiple regional news outlets have reported this. This image has nothing to do with Pakistan. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Reverse search of the image shared in the post led us to a Marathi regional news video on YouTube dated 20 April 2021 which reported visuals similar to the image in the post. As per this video, these visuals are from villages that are on the Maharashtra side of the Maharashtra-Gujarat border and also patients are suffering from Typhoid and not COVID-19.
Taking a cue from the YouTube video, Google search with relevant keywords led us to a Hindi news article that published images similar to the visuals in the post. As per this article, the images show patients suffering from Typhoid, which has hit 10-12 bordering villages and they are being treated under tents as the hospital beds are filled with corona patients.
Further search led us to a Gujarati regional news article which published the same image as in the post. Even according to this article, the image shows patients being treated for typhoid near Gujarat-Maharashtra bordering villages. All these establish the fact that the image is from India and not Pakistan.
The same image is being shared on social media attributing it to Gujarat, although the image shows patients from villages that are mostly on the Maharashtra side of the Gujarat-Maharashtra border.
To sum it up, image of typhoid patients being treated under tents near Maharashtra-Gujarat border is passed off as from Pakistan.


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Typing '@highlight' in a Facebook comment does not reveal the strength of the profile - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 2, 2024
A viral claim suggests that by typing “@highlight” in a comment and if that text is displayed in blue, one can determine the strength of their Facebook profile. This article aims to fact-check the validity of this claim.
Claim: Typing “@highlight” within a comment and if that text is displayed in blue, one can determine the strength of their Facebook profile
Fact: Facebook has not implemented any feature to assess the strength of a profile. Previously, a similar claim circulated widely, suggesting that typing ‘@highlight’ in a comment would reveal who regularly views one’s profile. However, Facebook clarified that it does not allow users to track profile viewers. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To begin with, Facebook has not implemented any method to assess the strength of profiles in this manner. If such a feature existed, Facebook would likely have documented it in the information center. However, no such details are available. Additionally, typing “@highlight” within a comment did not provide us any insights into profile strength.
Facebook has provided guidelines to enhance user account security, such as avoiding common words, phone numbers, or dates of birth as passwords. Additionally, it recommends enabling two-factor authentication for added security measures. You can access the guidelines Facebook has issued for securing accounts here.
Previously, a similar claim gained traction, suggesting that by typing “@” in comments and then clicking “highlight,” one could see who regularly checks their profile. However, this rumour was debunked as false. Facebook clarified that “Facebook doesn’t let people track who views their profile.” Additionally, third-party apps also do not offer this capability, according to the platform. Multiple fact-checkers like Snopes debunked the viral claim at that time.
Regarding the “@highlight” comment feature, Distractify.com reported that it “allows users to highlight a particular post by increasing its size and visibility on Facebook.”
To sum it up, typing ‘@highlight’ in a Facebook comment does not reveal the strength of the profile.

created: February 2, 2024


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UAE Crown Prince wasn’t wearing a headscarf with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on it. It's a photoshopped image - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 29, 2019
On social media, an image of UAE Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahya wearing a ‘Jai Shri Ram’ headscarf when Modi met him is doing the rounds. Let’s try to check the veracity of that image.
UAE Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahya wore a ‘Jai Shri Ram’ headscarf when Modi met him.
Fact: The image was taken when Modi was conferred with UAE’s highest civilian award ‘Order of Zayed’. The press coverage of this event shows Prince wearing a plain ‘white’ headscarf. So, the image is a photoshopped one. Hence, the claim is FALSE.
When the image in the post is subjected to Google reverse image search technique, search results were obtained about UAE Crown Prince conferring Modi with the country’s highest civilian award ‘Order of Zayed’. The original image of the one posted on Facebook was found in the article of a UAE newspaper ‘National’ that reported about the event.
When referred to the ‘ANI’ coverage of this event, it can be clearly seen that UAE Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahya was wearing a plain ‘white’ headscarf during the event. So, the image of UAE Crown Prince wearing a headscarf with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ printed on it is a photoshopped one.
To conclude, UAE Crown Prince wasn’t wearing a headscarf with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ printed on it when Modi met him. It is a photoshopped image.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series on Parliament?


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UAE did not announce any military aid to Israel amid the ongoing war with Palestine - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 7, 2023
A post is being shared on social media claiming that 8 UAE aircrafts carrying military aid and equipment have landed at different airports in Israel over the past few days. The post shared a screenshot of a tweet made by an ‘X’ user and alleges that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is providing military aid to Israel during its ongoing war with Palestine. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: UAE is offering military aid to Israel during its ongoing war with Palestine.
Fact: The post shared information from an old news report on the UAE dispatching eight C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft to Israel as part of the defence contracts signed between the two nations.  Lately, UAE condemned Israel’s ground operations in the Palestinian Gaza Strip and reportedly called for the conflict to be de-escalated. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
When we searched to check whether the UAE had sent any military aircraft to Israel during its ongoing conflict with Palestine, we could not find any news report confirming any such recent military assistance by the UAE to Israel. A few news sites recently published articles reporting that UAE and Saudi Arabia are planning to continue their diplomatic ties with Israel, despite surging opposition in the Arab and Muslim world to Israel’s military action in the Gaza Strip.
Lately, the UAE condemned Israel’s ground operations in the Palestinian Gaza Strip and highlighted the risk of a regional spillover from the Israel-Hamas war. UAE warned that the Islamist movements during the Israel-Palestine conflict can be a potential threat to the Middle East stability and reportedly called for the conflict to be de-escalated. However, there are no news reports on the UAE offering any latest military aid to Israel in the context of its ongoing war with Palestine.
When we searched for further details, we found that the post shared information from a 2022 news report on the UAE dispatching eight C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft to Israel as part of the defence contracts signed between the two nations.
The photo shared in the post was taken during Israel President Isaac Herzog’s visit to UAE in January 2022. Several news sites published the photo with the description, “President Isaac Herzog is received by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022.”
To sum it up, the UAE is not offering any military aid to Israel in its ongoing war with Palestine.

created: November 7, 2023


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UGC directs ‘Deemed to be Universities’ to drop the word 'University' in their name
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 15, 2017
The Supreme Court has recently directed the UGC to ensure that deemed to be universities do not use the word ‘University’ in their names. Will mere dropping the word ‘University’ make any difference?
The Supreme Court (SC) recently suspended the engineering degrees obtained by students between 2001 & 2005, in the distance mode from ‘Deemed to be Universities’. The court directed that the UGC & AICTE conduct a test for these students whose degrees have been suspended. In the same judgment, the court directed the UGC to ensure that the deemed to be universities do not use the word university in their name.
What are ‘Deemed to be Universities’?
Section 3 of the UGC act empowers the Central Government to declare any institution of higher education to be a deemed to be university. Typically, institutions which are doing work of very high academic standard in a specialized field comparable to a university are supposed to be granted the deemed status. The idea is that these institutions would slowly become universities.The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) & Indian Institute of Science (IISc), were recognized as ‘deemed to be universities’, way back in 1958, the first set of institutions to be recognized as such. The number of such institutions was small till the early 2000s after which it has seen an exponential growth. The number of such institutions that are privately managed have outnumbered the public ones as per the Tandon committee report.  Currently, there are 123 deemed to be universities.
Questions raised on quality & other issues in these institutions
Multiple questions have been raised in the past on the quality of education, standards and various other issues in the deemed to be universities. Some of these institutions were found to have started off-campuses without the approval of MHRD. Others were found to have serious deficiencies as pointed by a committee appointed by the UGC. Questions have also been raised in the Parliament about the high fee charged by some of these institutions for entrance examinations.
The Tandon Committee in its review report submitted in 2009 also highlighted the serious deficiencies in these institutions. The committee had in fact recommended that 44 such institutions do not deserve to retain their position as deemed to be universities. These 44 institutions later approached the SC which directed the UGC to examine the report and issue notices.
After many such issues were raised, the UGC issued the ‘UGC [Institutions Deemed to be Universities] Regulations’ in 2016 superseding the earlier regulations. The new set of regulations contain stringent eligibility criteria to ensure quality of education, periodic inspection for reviewing infrastructure, faculty, admission process, examinations process, research, etc.
Will dropping ‘University’ in the name make any difference?
Following the SC judgment, the UGC had issued a letter asking all such deemed to be universities to stop using the word ‘University’ in their name.The word ‘University’ in these institutions gave a wrong impression to parents/students that these are full fledged universities. Coupled with it, some institutions offering engineering degrees have used the word ‘University’ to for publicity in order to drive students to take their entrance examinations. While dropping the word by itself may not make much of an impact in quality of education & other issues, it will hopefully encourage parents & students  to know more about these institutions before making a decision to join them.

created: November 15, 2017


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UGC reiterates instructions for full fee refund in case of Admission Cancelation
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 25, 2020
It’s been a difficult year for the education sector. Parents & students are forced to choose the college/university amidst all these challenges.  In a reiteration of its earlier guidelines, the UGC has once again reminded universities to refund the full fee if the cancelation is done before the due date.
COVID-19, the subsequent lockdown to contain its spread, measures taken to reduce the infections, etc. had impacted various walks of life.  Many of them are inter-related and have a cascading effect, with one affecting another.
One of the major sectors that bore the brunt of the pandemic is the education sector. Ranging from admissions to conduct of classes, examinations, have all been fraught with numerous challenges. Other issues like loss of income, travel constraints, etc. also contributed to the travails of the education sector. Parents & students have not been able to make the right decision about admission into a particular college owing to the uncertainties due to the pandemic. Multiple instances of students changing their decisions & colleges refusing to refund the fee have been reported. It is in this context, the recent communication from the University Grants Commission (UGC) comes as a welcome relief.
UGC takes cognizance of the financial hardships and uncertainties around admissions
In its communication to the Vice-chancellors of all the Universities dated 17 December 2020, the UGC has reminded them about its earlier guidelines regarding the fees refund in case of cancellation of admission.
This reiteration was in reference to the guidelines issued during September 2020 stated “UGC Guidelines on Academic Calendar for the First year of Under-Graduate and Post Graduate Students of the Universities for the Session 2020-21 in view of COVID-19 Pandemic”.
In these guidelines, the UGC has recommended a refund of fees on account of cancellation of admission/migration of students in the first session of their Undergraduate or Postgraduate programme.
In wake of the uncertainties surrounding admissions into various educational institutions, there could be cases where-in the students might opt for a different educational institution at a later date. UGC took cognizance of this situation in the current scenario and has made provisions for facilitating any such changes specifically for this session. This was also done in recognition of the financial burden the parents have been going through due to lockdown and other related factors. As per these guidelines:
The new guidelines are related to the Academic Session in 2020-21
The UGC guidelines issued in September 2020, are a revision for an earlier set of guidelines issued in April 2020. In wake of the evolving COVID-19 situation in the country, UGC released the first set of guidelines in April’2020. These guidelines were titled, “UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in View of COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent Lockdown” and focused on the ongoing academic year i.e. 2019-20, and the conduct of the examinations.
In view of the increasing COVID-19 cases, the Universities were not able to complete the examinations by July 2020, as proposed in the initial set of guidelines in April 2020. Therefore, UGC requested the expert committee to revisit the earlier guidelines. As per the revised guidelines released on 06 July 2020, the Universities were asked to make efforts to complete all pending examinations and conclude the 2019-20 academic year by September 2020.
In August 2020, the Expert Committee was requested to come up with a calendar for the upcoming academic session i.e. 2020-21, more specific to the matters related to the First year of the UG & PG programme.
Apart from the aforementioned guidelines regarding the refund of the fees for cancellation of admission/migration, the guidelines issued in September 2020 provide directions on starting of the academic sessions for 2020-21 and acceptance of admissions, schedule of classes, vacations/breaks, conduct on classes in line with COVID-19 social distancing norms, etc.
UGC indicates punitive action against those violating these guidelines
Despite the guidelines issued in September 2020, clearly indicating full refund of the fees in case of cancellation of admission/migration, UGC has noted that there have been many complaints, RTI applications, public grievances regarding the non-refund of the fee by the educational institutions.
Taking cognizance of these complaints, UGC has sent a recent communication to all the universities on 13 December 2020, reiterating the guidelines regarding the full refund of the fees. UGC observed that most of the complaints are from private, self-financing universities and deemed to be Universities.
The guidelines are required to be strictly adhered to and refusal to refund the fee by giving their own interpretation of these guidelines will be treated as a violation by UGC. The universities found violating these guidelines will be liable for punitive action.
The punitive actions are mentioned in Clause 5 of UGC’s Notification on Refund of Fees and Non-Retention of Original Certificates, issued during October’2018. Factly had earlier written in detail about UGC’s refund rules.
The recent notification comes at a critical time when efforts are being made to begin the new academic session. The guidelines make the stand of UGC clear and in no uncertain times. This would immensely help parents to make a decision on the university for their children without having to worry about the non-refund of the fees.
The UGC could place in the public domain a few instances of where punitive action was taken to lend credence to these guidelines and deter any institutions from violating the guidelines.
Featured Image: UGC Admission Cancelation

created: December 25, 2020


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UGC releases a list of 21 Fake Universities - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 1, 2015
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released a list of 21 fake universities in 9 different states. It released a public notice to this extent. This list is as on June 2015.
What is the issue?
Section 22 of the UGC Act of 1956 makes authorizes only a University established by a Central/State act or an institution deemed to be university under Section 3 of the UGC act or an institution empowered by an act of parliament, to grant degrees.
Section 23 of the said act also prohibits the use of word ‘University’ by any institution other than a university established as per the above mentioned norms. The UGC has identified 21 such institutions that are unrecognized. It has warned the public that these are fake universities and are not entitled to grant any degree.
The List
Below is the complete list of the 21 identified universities.
The notice also says the matter of Bharatiya Shiksha Parishad, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh is subjudice.


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UGC requests Universities to ban Junk Food
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 6, 2016
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a letter to all the universities asking them to consider withdrawal of carbonated beverages and junk food from college canteens.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a letter  to the Vice-Chancellors of all the Universities to consider withdrawal of carbonated beverages and junk food from college canteens on the advice of Ministry of Women and Child Development. This follows a similar letter from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in January this year to all its affiliated schools to ban junk food.
Report of the working group on High fat food consumption
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) constituted a Working Group which submitted its report on ‘Addressing Consumption of Foods High in Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) and Promotion of Healthy Snacks in Schools of India’. The report comprehensively covered the issue and provided directions on how to control the endemic problem of consumption of junk food available especially in and around schools.
This also follows a Delhi High Court orders in 2015 directing the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to prepare guidelines for making available ‘Wholesome, Nutritious, Safe and Hygienic Food’ to School Children.
CBSE Circular in January 2016
The CBSE in its circular earlier this year had mentioned that consumption of food high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) is associated with many diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, chronic inflammation and hyperinsulinemia with a risk of cardiovascular diseases in later life.  The circular also mentioned that childhood obesity has been reportedly found to affect the cognitive and physical development of children adversely, causing an irreparable loss to the society.
The CBSE had directed schools to ban any junk food, constitute a school canteen management committee, conduct awareness generation events, promotion of nutritious food among other steps.
It is UGC’s turn now
The UGC has now written to the Vice-Chancellors of the Universities to consider withdrawal of carbonated beverages and junk food from college canteens. While the letter did not explicitly direct the universities to ban such food, it went onto explain that banning junk food in colleges would set new standards for healthy food and make the students live better, and learn better and also reduce the obesity levels in young learners, thus preventing life style diseases which have a direct link with excessive weight.
UGC has requested all the universities to implement various measures to sentitize students on the adverse effects of junk food apart from conducting orientation programs for staff and faculty. The UGC also asked universities to make information on markers like Body Mass Index (BMI) be available to students. It also asked the universities to create wellness clusters. The universities have also been asked to issue relevant instructions to their affiliated colleges.
Featured Image: Junk Food

created: December 6, 2016


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While UIDAI requests States not to deny benefits to those without Aadhaar, it’s easier said than done
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 30, 2017
The UIDAI issued a circular requesting states not to deny benefits to those without an Aadhaar and laid down an exception handling mechanism. But the task is easier said than done.
After a 11-year old girl passed away in Jharkhand allegedly due to denial of rations because their Aadhaar card was not linked, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) issued a circular to all the state governments & various departments/ministries about exception handling in the Public Distribution System (PDS) & other welfare schemes. The circular talks about non-denial of benefits in case the beneficiary does not have an Aadhaar  and that the benefit/subsidy should be extended based on an alternate identification document as per the relevant notification issued by the department. A cursory look at the notifications issued by various departments reveals that it is easier said than done.
What does the UIDAI circular say?
The UIDAI circular refers to Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act 2016 which says that the central government or any state government can use Aadhaar for authentication for extension of subsidy or benefit. It also says that for those without an Aadhaar, they have to furnish proof of having applied for Aadhaar enrollment. The section also states that individuals will be offered alternate means of identification for delivery of benefit or subsidy till the time Aadhaar is not assigned The circular then talks about the exception handling process in case the Aadhaar authentication fails or if the individual has no Aadhaar. In the case of PDS, the circular says that any member of the family can authenticate and receive the benefit.
What is the issue then?
While the circular lists the exception handling mechanism, it is easier said than done if one looks at the notification issued in February 2017 by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. The notification makes possession of Aadhaar or authentication mandatory for individuals who are eligible to receive subsidised food grains under the National Food Security Act. In cases where an individual does not have an Aadhaar, the notification states that the following documents be produced for providing food grains.
The notification further says that the above documents will be checked by an officer designated by the State government. This is where it gets problematic. In states where there are lakhs of PDS transactions in a single day, it is very difficult for states to designate officers for this purpose. Most PDS dealers simply refuse to provide food grains to the beneficiary instead of going through the exception handling mechanism.
Huge fluctuation in the number of PDS transactions in Jharkhand
Data on number of PDS transactions in Jharkhand points to this trend. Ever since Aadhaar was made mandatory for availing the food grains under the PDS in Jharkhand late last year, the number of monthly transactions has been fluctuating without any set pattern as per the data available on the Jharkhand government’s PDS portal. From just 8.68 lakh transactions in August 2016, the number of transactions slowly increased to 47.55 lakh in December 2016. In April 2017, there were only 37.65 lakh transactions. In August 2017, the transactions reached an all-time high of 52.41 lakh. The number of transactions in October 2017 (till 28th October) was down to 34.66 lakh. This fluctuation was seen across products (Rice, Wheat, Kerosene, Salt & Sugar). As on date, there are about 56.34 lakh cardholders in Jharkhand. While the exact reasons for such fluctuation are not known, authentication failures & denial of food grains to individuals like Koyla Devi could very well be one of the causes.
Authentication failure rate still high
While the authentication failure rates at an All-India level are not available, the data from the Pension disbursement scheme in Andhra Pradesh shows that both biometric & IRIS authentication failure rate is close to 10% every month (the data for October 2017 is accessed on 29th October from the website). This would mean that the authentication of more than 3 lakh pensioners is failing every month.
The UIDAI circular is supposed to lay down the exception handling mechanism in cases mentioned above. But with the kind of documentation required as per various notifications, it’s easier said than done.
Featured Image: Public Distribution System Aadhaar Card

created: October 30, 2017


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UK Court did not say Rahul Gandhi is one of the bank guarantors of the PNB scam accused Nirav Modi - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 17, 2022
A post is widely circulated on social media claiming that the London Court had stated Rahul Gandhi as one of the key conspirators who assured a bank guarantee for the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam accused Nirav Modi. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
The archived version of the post can be seen here.
Claim: The London Court confirmed Rahul Gandhi as one of the bank guarantors of PNB scam accused Nirav Modi.
Fact: On 25 February 2021, the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in the UK passed a judgement allowing the extradition of PNB scam accused Nirav Modi to India. The Westminster Magistrates’ Court did not state Rahul Gandhi is one of the bank guarantors of Nirav Modi in their judgement. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched to check whether the London Court had made any such observations about Rahul Gandhi’s involvement in the Punjab National Bank Scam case, we could not find any news report in this regard. If the UK Court had made any such statements, it would have been reported widely.
In March 2019, Nirav Modi was arrested in central London by UK authorities, reports of which can be seen here and here. On 25 February 2021, the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in the UK  passed a judgement allowing the extradition of PNB scam accused Nirav Modi to India. In the judgement, the Westminster Magistrates’ Court did not mention Rahul Gandhi’s name, linking him to the PNB scam case. Rahul Gandhi’s name was not mentioned in the list of conspirators who have supported Nirav Modi to defraud the Punjab National Bank. Recent news reports about Nirav Modi’s appeals against his extradition can be seen here and here.
In March 2019, while responding to a Rahul Gandhi’s tweet comparing the similarities between Nirav Modi and Narendra Modi, BJP alleged that the Allahabad Bank had approved a loan to Nirav Modi in 2013, a day after Rahul Gandhi had visited Nirav Modi’s bridal jewellery exhibition in Delhi. BJP alleged that the Allahabad Bank had approved the loan to Nirav Modi despite opposition from the Allahabad Bank’s Director.
Profound argument from a man who himself has a stolen surname.🤦♂
BTW, is it not true that in Sept 2013, you visited Nirav Modi's bridal jewellery exhibition in Delhi and the very next day Allahabad Bank approved loan to him, despite opposition from bank's director?
No comments? https://t.co/MS9jE9iiwr
On searching for further details regarding these allegations made by the BJP, we found an article published by the ‘First Post’ reporting the details of an interview with Dinesh Dubey, an ex-Director of the Allahabad Bank. While speaking to the ‘First Post’, Dinesh Dubey revealed the undisclosed details of a Bank Board meeting held in 2013 with an agenda to sanction the loan of 50 crores to the Gitanjali Gems owned by the maternal uncle of Nirav Modi. Dinesh Dubey said he had opposed the proposal and presented a dissent note arguing that Gitanjali Gems should first return the Rs 1,500 crores loan given to it earlier before sanctioning a fresh loan. Despite his opposition, Gitanjali Gems was reportedly granted a loan because of the pressure from higher government officials. Dinesh Dubey accused the Congress-led UPA government of turning a blind eye to the illegitimate loans sanctioned to Nirav Modi and his associates. But he did not mention Rahul Gandhi’s direct involvement in the Allahabad loan approval to Nirav Modi.
To sum it up, the UK Court did not mention Rahul Gandhi as one of the guarantors of the PNB scam accused Nirav Modi.


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Umesh Pal’s murder accused Asad Ahmed has not yet been arrested - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 20, 2023
In the context of the recent developments in Umesh Pal’s murder case, a video of a news report by Republic Bharat is being widely shared on social media, claiming that one of the accused, former MP Atique Ahmed’s Son Asad Ahmad has been arrested by the police. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Asad Ahmed, one of the accused in the Umesh Pal’s murder case has been arrested.
Fact: As per the media reports, Asad Ahmed, who has been accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, has not yet been arrested. However, on 16 March 2023, Police have arrested Qayum Ansari in Nepal for allegedly helping Asad Ahmed and other shooters of Umesh Pal to escape to Nepal. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
After conducting an internet search with appropriate keywords, we were able to locate the original video, which was uploaded on Republic Bharat’s YouTube channel on 17 March 2023. According to the news report, Asad’s whereabouts have been traced to Nepal and the Special Taskforce Police (STF) are currently making efforts to apprehend both him and the other accused, Ghulam.
However, according to the latest media reports, on 16 March 2023, STF arrested Qayum Ansari in Nepal for allegedly helping Asad Ahmed and other shooters of Umesh Pal to escape to Nepal.
To sum it up, Asad Ahmed, who has been accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, has not yet been arrested.


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Unauthorized fitting of Crash Guard & Bull Bar on Motor Vehicles will attract penalty. Here's why
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 2, 2018
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has recently shot off a letter to all the state transport departments asking them to take strict action against unauthorized fitment of crash guard and bull bar on motor vehicles.
Many two-wheeler owners get an extra crash guard fitted to the vehicle while four-wheeler owners get a bull bar fitted. While fitment of such extra accessories by itself is not illegal, required permissions have to be taken and prescribed rules have to be followed in case a person wishes to fit such extra accessories. The central government has now asked states to take strict action against any such unauthorized fittings.
What does the Government’s letter say?
The letter from MoRTH to the State Governments says that the fitment of crash guard &  bull bar on the vehicles poses serious safety concerns to the pedestrians as well as occupants of the vehicle. The letter goes onto mention that such unauthorized fitting is a violation of Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (MV act) and even attracts penalty under Sections 190 & 191 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
What is Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act?
Section 52 of the MV act imposes certain conditions on the alteration in any motor vehicle. No alteration would be allowed and vehicle structure should not be in variance with what is originally specified by the manufacturer and contained in the registration certificate.
For any alteration such as modification of the engine, different type of fuel or source of energy, fitting of a conversion kit etc. have to be done as per prescribed procedure. Certain exemptions are provided for transport vehicles under the act.
In case any alteration is made without the approval of the registering authority, the same has to be reported within 14 days of making such an alteration with the prescribed fee. Alteration is defined as any variance to the specifications as contained in the Registration Certificate (RC).
What are the Penalties prescribed in the law?
The law prescribes penalty under two different sections of the MV act.  Section 190 that talks about driving a vehicle in an unsafe condition which includes violation of standards. Section 191 talks about alteration of vehicle without following the procedure.The penalty is prescribed as Rs 1000 for the first offence and Rs 2000 for every subsequent offence in the state of Telangana.
As a Vehicle owner, what is your job?
You must get in touch with the nearest registering authority in case you have made any alteration compared to what is contained in the registration certificate of your vehicle, especially addition of crash guards & bull bars. One can search for the details of the registering authority (as given in the RC) from the central VAHAN website.
Prescribed fee has to be paid for entering the alteration in the registration certificate as per the provisions of the relevant motor vehicle rules.
Featured image: Team BHP

created: January 2, 2018


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Unclaimed Deposits in Banks close to Rs 9000 crore
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 2, 2018
Unclaimed deposits at end of the year 2016 were close to Rs 9000 crore. This is more than 9 times the unclaimed amount at the end of 2005. Most such unclaimed deposits are because of the death of the depositors. RBI has issued multiple guidelines to claim the deposits of a deceased person in a bid to simplify the procedure.
Reserve of Bank of India (RBI) has issued guidelines which define a bank account as being inoperative/dormant if there are no credit/debit transactions for over two years. RBI has also directed banks to classify those accounts not operative for 10 years as unclaimed deposits. As per government data, such unclaimed deposits are close to Rs 9000 crore by the end of 2016.
Unclaimed deposits increase by 9 times 12 years
The unclaimed deposits increased from Rs 930 crore by the end of 2005 to Rs 8865 crore by the end of 2016, an increase of more than 9 times. Except for the year 2014, the amount has increased every year. The year 2014 was the only year when the unclaimed deposits decreased compared to the previous year. Between 2010 & 2013, the unclaimed deposits increased by over 3 times from Rs 1723 crore to Rs 5125 crore. While the amount has increased, the number of such accounts has not increased at the same rate.
Why are deposits unclaimed?
One of the major reasons for accounts to become inoperative and to subsequently fall in the unclaimed category is the death of the account holder. On some other occasions, people shift to a new place and the account in the old locality is not operated upon. RBI has issued detailed guidelines to banks on how to deal with such inoperative accounts. Among other things, RBI has directed banks to do the following
What is to be done if the account holder is deceased?
The RBI has issued multiple directions to banks to simplify procedure for the settlement of claims in case of deceased depositors. These directions contain instructions to be carried out in various scenarios.
For accounts with survivor/nominee: In the case of deposit accounts where the depositor had utilized the nomination facility and made a valid nomination or where the account was opened with the survivorship clause, the payment of the balance in the account to the survivor(s)/nominee of a deceased account holder is to be done except in cases where there is an order from a competent court restraining the bank from making the payment. Banks are also directed to exercise due care in establishing the identity of the survivor/nominee. Banks have also been asked to desist from insisting on production of succession certificate, letter of administration or probate, etc., or obtain any bond of indemnity or surety from the survivor(s)/nominee, irrespective of the amount.
For accounts without the survivor/nominee: In case where the deceased depositor had not made any nomination, banks are required to adopt a simplified procedure for repayment to legal heir(s) of the depositor. Banks, based on their risk management systems, can fix a minimum threshold limit, for the balance in the account of the deceased depositors, up to which claims could be settled without insisting on production of any documentation other than a letter of indemnity.
Premature Termination of term deposit accounts: In the case of term deposits, banks are required to incorporate a clause in the account opening form itself that in the event of the death of the depositor, premature termination of term deposits would be allowed. The conditions subject to which such premature withdrawal would be permitted should also be specified in the account opening form. Such premature withdrawal would not attract any penal charge.
Time limit for settlement of claims:  Banks should settle the claims in respect of deceased depositors and release payments to survivor(s)/nominee(s) within a period not exceeding 15 days from the date of receipt of the claim, subject to the production of proof of death of the depositor and suitable identification of the claim.
Claim Forms to be made available: Banks are advised to provide claim forms for settlement of claims of the deceased accounts, to any person who asks for one. Claim forms should also be available on the bank’s website prominently.
Simplified procedure: As per RBI’s direction, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has formulated a Model Operational Procedure (MOP) for settlement of claims of the deceased depositors. Banks are advised to follow this MOP.
Customer guidance and publicity:  Banks should place on their websites, the instructions along with the policies/procedures for this purpose.
Display list of Inoperative Accounts: Banks should also display the list of unclaimed deposits/inoperative accounts which are inoperative for ten years or more on their respective websites. The list published by the banks should also provide a ‘Find’ option to enable the public to search the list of accounts by name of the account holder.Similar procedure exists in the case of missing persons.
What happens to these unclaimed deposits?
RBI has established the ‘Depositor Education and Awareness Fund’ as per section 26A of the Banking Regulation act. Any amount remaining unclaimed for more than 10 years has to be credited to this fund within three months from the expiry of the said period of ten years. The fund is to be utilized for promotion of depositors’ interest.
However, the depositor would be entitled to claim any unclaimed amount even after the amount has been transferred to the fund. The bank would be liable to pay the amount to the depositor/claimant and claim refund from the Fund. Further, RBI has made it clear that the rate of interest payable by banks to the depositors/claimants on the unclaimed deposit amount transferred to the fund shall be 4% simple interest per annum.


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Under both Manmohan and Modi, the number of Indian Universities in the World’s Top 300 Universities was dismally low - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 20, 2019
A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that while 17 Indian Universities were in the top 300 universities in the world under the Manmohan Singh government, there is not even one Indian University in the top 300 under the Modi’s government. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Under Manmohan, 17 Indian Universities were in the World’s Top 300 Universities but, under Modi, there is not even one Indian University in the Top 300.
Fact: The available data suggests that Indian Universities were ranked in Top 300 even under the Modi’s government and there is no credible ranking data to suggest that 17 Indian Universities were ranked in World’s Top 300 under the Manmohan’s government. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The post does not mention the name of the rankings. Various world university rankings can be found on the internet. When searched on Google about Indian University not being in Top 300, recent news articles about none of the Indian Universities being ranked in the Top 300 universities in the world by ‘Time Higher Education 2020 World University Rankings’ can be found in the search results. So, let’s try to check the rankings of the Indian universities on two famous world university rankings – ‘Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings’ and ‘QS World University Rankings’.
‘THE’ World University Rankings:
On the website of ‘Times Higher Education (THE)’, it can be found that the Indian Universities were included in the World University Rankings from the year 2012. So, when checked about the rankings of Indian Universities from 2012 to the latest rankings in 2020, it was found that no more than two Indian Universities were present in each year’s rankings from 2012. In 2020, there was not even one Indian University in the Top 300.
‘QS’ World University Rankings:
The data of QS World University Rankings is available only from 2017 on its website. So, when looked for Indian Universities in the top 300, it was found that there are Indian Universities in the Top 300 under the Modi Government.
So, from both rankings, it can be concluded that Indian Universities were ranked in Top 300 even under the Modi government. The data for one of these rankings is available only from 2012, so the number of Indian Universities in the Top 300 before 2012 cannot be ascertained. Also, when searched about ’17 Indian Universities in the World’s Top 300’ on Google, no credible news reports were found. So, from the available data, it can be concluded that Indian Universities performed in the same manner even under the Manmohan’s government.
To sum it up, under both Manmohan and Modi, the number of Indian Universities in the Top 300 World Universities was dismally low.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series on Indian Rivers?

created: September 20, 2019


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Understanding Amendment to the Land Acquisition Act Ordinance - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 8, 2015
There has been so much talk about the recent amendment ordinance to the RFCTLARR Act (Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement) by the NDA government. Here is an attempt to explain the most important feature of the amendment to the Land Acquisition Act Ordinance.

created: January 8, 2015


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[Explainer Video] Understanding Cropping Seasons in India
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 6, 2018
This video explains the major cropping seasons in India (Kharif, Rabi & Zaid) and the the major crops grown during these seasons.


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Understanding the ‘Dual MRP’ issue
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 2, 2017
The issue of ‘Dual MRP’ is in the news again, thanks to an order of the district consumer forum in Hyderabad. The law is actually silent on the issue of dual MRP.
The issue of ‘Dual MRP’ is once again in the lime light, thanks to the decision of district consumer forum in Hyderabad. While dealing with a complaint about higher MRP for bottled letter in INOX multiplex, the district forum relied on an earlier order of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) where the NCDRC ruled that there cannot be two MRPs, except in accordance with the law. But it has to be noted that the law is silent on the issue of dual MRP.
The relevant law
All packaged commodities like bottled water are covered under sec 2(l) of the  Legal Metrology Act, 2009.  Every packaged commodity also has to comply with the provisions of Rule 6 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. As per Rule 6, the following mandatory information has to be declared on the package for the benefit of the consumer.
It is clear that the MRP is to be fixed by the Manufacturer/Packer/Importer. Nobody else can fix it.
While there is no principle of law or legal proposition to have different MRPs for the same product, there is no explicit prohibition also, under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 or the rules framed.
In fact, in the case before the NCDRC, explanation to II (c) of Sub-section 4 of Section 4A of the Central Excise Act, 1944, was mentioned. This particular explanation contemplates different sale price for the same product for sale at two different locations.
Then what did the NCDRC actually say?
The NCDRC in its order penalized Big Cinemas and not the manufacturer Pepsi. It held that the higher MRP was the making of Big Cinemas and not of the manufacturer Pepsi. It explicitly stated that MRP was not made / sanctioned by the Manufacturers.  The NCDRC order also mentions that Pepsi nowhere stated that they have two MRPs for bottled water and are conspicuously silent about it.
The Hyderabad district forum relied on the above order of NCDRC and penalised INOX multiplex. This is valid unless INOX can prove that the higher MRP was actually fixed by the manufacturer and not the retailer. It has to be noted that only the manufacturer/importer/packer has the right to decide the MRP and not the retail seller.
What is the government’s stand?
The Government of India on multiple occasions mentioned in the Lok Sabha  that state governments are competent for taking action in these cases and an advisory has been sent to the state governments regarding the issue. An advisory on the issue was sent to various states in September 2016. But not much has been done about it.
What is the way forward?
While it may sometimes be the case that the retailers are fixing a higher MRP and not the manufacturers, there is considerable confusion and ultimately it is the end consumer who is on the losing side.  The government would do well to amend the rules and categorically say that dual pricing is not allowed for packaged commodities. In the absence of such clear rules, the consumers will lose because not everybody can approach the consumer forum.
Featured Image: Dual MRP issue


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What is the expenditure incurred for conducting 'Lok Sabha' Elections?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 16, 2019
Election expenditure is often cited as one of the reasons for holding simultaneous elections. But what kind of expenditure does the conduct of election entail? Here are the details.
The Law Commission of India in its draft report on ‘Simultaneous Elections’ has cited reduction in election expenditure as one of the major reasons for supporting simultaneous elections. This view is also supported by those who are in favour of simultaneous elections. But what kind of expenditure do the conduct of elections entail? Here is a guide.
Who bears Election expenditure?
As per the guidelines of the Ministry of Law & Justice issued in October 1979, the entire expenditure  on the actual conduct of elections to Lok Sabha is borne by the Government of India. In the case of elections to the State Assembly when they are held independently, the expenditure is borne by the respective State Government. If the elections to the Lok Sabha & State Assembly are held simultaneously, then the expenditure is shared equally between the Government of India & the State Government. The Election Commission of India (ECI) bears expenditure for honorarium to the observers deployed during elections. It also has to be noted that this is applicable only on the expenses incurred for the actual conduct of elections.
What all are covered under Election expenditure?
As per the guidelines, the following items are treated as expenditure incurred for the actual conduct of elections.
Expenditure is also incurred on other items which are not treated as ‘expenditure for the actual conduct of elections’. Hence, the expenditure on these items has to be borne equally by the state & central governments. These include things like expenditure on regular election establishment and preparation & revision of electoral rolls.
Certain kinds of expenditure are not allowed as per the rules and the central government does not provide any funds for these items. Things like construction of buildings, garages etc., purchase of cars & other items without the approval of central government and capital expenditure of any kind are now allowed.
How much did the various Lok Sabha elections cost?
The ECI has compiled provisional expenditure figures of the various Lok Sabha elections till data. The total expenditure was equal to or less than Rs 10 crore for each of first three general elections. The expenditure was less than Rs 100 crore until the 8th general election in 1984-85. The expenditure crossed Rs 500 crore for the first time during the 11th general election in 1996 and it crossed Rs 1000 crore during the 14th general election in 2004. The expenditure for the last general election in 2014 (Rs 3870 crore) was three times more than the expenditure incurred for the 15th general election in 2009. But this amount is a pittance compared to annual allocation for major schemes, expenditure incurred on salaries of central government employees etc.The average expenditure per voter was less than one rupee till the 6th general election in 1977. The average expenditure per voter crossed Rs 10 for the first time during the 11th general election in 1996. The average expenditure per voter was around Rs 15 during each of the general elections in 1999, 2004 & 2009. Average expenditure per voter was the highest ever, more than Rs 45, during the 16th general elections in 2014.

created: January 16, 2019


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Understanding ‘Electoral Bonds’
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 26, 2019
The government notified the ‘Electoral Bonds’ scheme that enables anyone to make anonymous donations to political parties. But will this scheme improve transparency in political funding?
After announcing ‘Electoral Bonds’ in 2017-18 budget, the government notified the ‘Electoral Bonds’ scheme. Will this scheme enhance transparency in political funding or arrest the flow the unaccounted or black money into political parties?
What is an electoral bond?
It is a bond issued in the nature of promissory note which shall be a bearer banking instrument. It neither carries the name of the buyer nor the payee.
A bearer instrument is one where no ownership information is recorded and the holder of the instrument is presumed to be the owner. The one (eligible political party in this case) in possession of the electoral bond is entitled to encash the same.
Who can purchase an electoral bond?
The bond can be purchased by any of the following categories of persons or organizations. In the case of a person, he/she should be a citizen of India while in case of organizations, it should be incorporated or established in India.
An individual citizen can buy the bond, either singly or jointly with others.
Who can encash an electoral bond?
Only those political parties who fulfill the following criteria are eligible to encash the bond.
The bond can be encashed by an eligible political party only through a bank account with the authorised bank. Currently, only State Bank of India (SBI) is the authorized bank.
The bonds will be available in the denomination of Rs 1000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 Lakh, Rs 10 Lakhs and Rs 1 Crore.
When will the bonds be issued & what is their validity?
The bonds can be purchased for a period of 10 days each in the months of January, April, July and October every year. These 10 days will be specified by the government. The government can also specify an additional 30 days for the purchase of the bond in the year of the general election to the Lok Sabha.The bond will be valid for 15 days from the date of issue. The bond will be invalid after the 15-day period and no payment will be made to any political party if it is deposited after the 15-day period. The bond deposited by any political party to its account will be credited on the same day.
The amount of bonds not encashed within the 15-day validity period will be deposited by the authorised bank (SBI) to the Prime Minister Relief Fund.
What is the procedure to purchase the bond?
Will the bond amount be exempted from Income Tax?
The contribution made by an individual/company through an electoral bond will be exempt from income tax as per Sections 80GGC/80GGB of the Income Tax act.  Further, the contribution received by any eligible political party in the form of electoral bonds will be exempt from income tax as per Section 13A of the Income Tax act.
Do these bonds arrest the flow the black & unaccounted money/cash into Political Parties?
There is no doubt that these bonds have to be bought through the banking system and after fulfilling the relevant KYC norms. In that sense, the bonds cannot be bought through cash or unaccounted money.
But even after the recent amendments, donations below Rs 2,000 can still be received in cash. Hence political parties could just make more receipts for higher cash donations to break them up into donations of less than Rs 2,000 so that there is no trail of the donor.
In essence, the flow of unaccounted cash/black money into the political parties is unlikely to stop because of electoral bonds.
What happens to Transparency in Political Funding?
Political Parties are not required to disclose the name of the person/entity donating to a party through electoral bonds. Since the bonds are bearer instruments and have to be physically given to the political parties for them to encash, parties will know who is donating to them. It is only the general citizens that will not know who is donating to which party.
Hence Transparency in political funding will not be enhanced because of electoral bonds. In fact, the bonds increase the anonymity of political donations.
What happens to Corporate Funding to Political Parties?
The recent amendment to the companies act removed the ceiling of 7.5% net profit that can be donated to political parties. Companies are now free to donate their entire net profit to political parties. Further, the entire donation could be in the form of electoral bonds.
Not just that, the requirement to disclose in the profit & loss account, the name of the political party to which a donation has been made is also removed. Only the total amount of donations to political parties has to be disclosed without the name of the political party.
Hence, Corporate Funding to Political Parties is now completely Opaque
The net impact of electoral bonds is decreased transparency of political funding & greater anonymity with no guarantee of arresting the flow of unaccounted money.

created: February 26, 2019


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Understanding FIR (First Information Report)
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 2, 2017
What do you know about the First Information Report (FIR)? Here is an explainer.


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Understanding Government of India's Income - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 14, 2016
The video explains the various sources of Government of India’s income in detail (Tax Revenue, Non-Tax Revenue & Capital Reciepts)
This video is made in association with Inshorts, India’s highest rated news app. You can download the Inshorts app on Play Store & App Store


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Understanding India’s Climate Action Plan (INDC) - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 6, 2015
1st October was the deadline for submitting the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) by various countries in the run up to the COP21 in Paris this December. India has submitted its INDCs at the last minute. While it has not committed to reduction of Green House Gas emissions, it has listed a host of other steps to mitigate the challenge of Climate Change.
According to the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to meet the 2°C temperature increase target, the world has an emission budget of only 1,000 billion tonnes of CO till 2100. With Kyoto Protocol coming to an end by 2020, UNFCCC has urged countries to come up with ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions’(INDC) by COP21 so as to negotiate and come up with a legally binding document to cut down emissions.
India has submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) at midnight on 1st October to The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)., making it one of the last countries to submit its climate action plan in run up to the climate change conference – Conference of Parties (COP21)—that will be held in Paris this December. A total of 146 countries, representing 87 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions have submitted their INDCs to UNFCCC before the deadline.
Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr.Prakash Javadekar said “even though India is not part of problem, it wants to be part of solution”. India has historically not been responsible for the emissions, has per capita emissions of 1.6 tons/person and ranks 135th – standing along with most of the least developed countries. But with total CO emissions of 1.97 billion tons, it is currently the 3rd biggest emitter making India’s stand a very complex case.
Why Emission Intensity?
It has been historically observed that Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and development of a country increase proportionally. India has a Human development Index of 0.586 and it needs to develop for better quality of living, but at the same time not emit as much as the developed countries since India is highly vulnerable to climate change. So India in its INDC has not made a commitment on reducing its emissions like most of the developed countries have, but has pledged to reduce its Carbon intensity, which means that the emissions would increase for its development but the intensity will be low. In simple terms India will be very efficient unlike the developed countries which have their development models designed on consumption.
India had in the past declared a voluntary goal of reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 20–25%, over 2005 levels, by 2020, despite having no binding mitigation obligations. A slew of policy measures were launched to achieve this goal. As a result, the emission intensity of India’s GDP has decreased by 12% between 2005 and 2010. India has further pledged in its INDC that it will increase its target to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level.
Ambitious Renewable Energy and Enhancing Forestry cover commitment
India has also committed to increase its share in renewable energy to 40% in installed capacity by 2030. Its current share of renewable energy is around 13% (36 GW) making it a very ambitious goal. India says that the ambitious goal will be attained by the following
India has also agreed to enhance its forest cover from 24% of the geographical area in 2013 to 33% of its geographical area in long term. And it also mentions that its forest cover will absorb 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030 making it a major sink for absorbing Carbon Dioxide
Finances
Overcoming all these challenges comes at a cost. Based on estimates made by NITI Ayog (National Institution for Transforming India), India will need USD 2.5 trillion (at 2014-15 prices) for meeting India’s climate change actions between now and 2030, which will partially be generated domestically and the rest is expected to be supported by the developed countries which have pledged to provide USD 100 billion a year till 2020 as a part of Green Climate fund (GCF). India will need around USD 206 billion (at 2014-15 prices) between 2015 and 2030 for implementing adaptation actions in agriculture, forestry, fisheries infrastructure, water resources and ecosystems. It is projected that the economic damage and losses in India from climate change to be around 1.8% of its GDP annually by 2050. Also, mitigation activities for moderate low carbon development would cost around USD 834 billion till 2030 at 2011 prices.
Some other important statements India has made through the INDC were to increase the usage of Fly ash to improve air quality, Promotion of Zero liquid discharge and use of treated effluent for irrigation, Amendment to Municipal Solid Waste Management rules, improving pollution monitoring systems to name a few. The Indian INDC also talks about various programmes that are currently run by the government like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Smart cities mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY), existing national missions and addition of new missions for water and waste to energy, green highways program, National Mission for Clean Ganga etc.
What does all this mean?
India is on the edge of a cliff, with it having to mitigate its emissions, adapt to the problems of climate change it faces and at the same time develop. Because of its delay in development, it is both a victim and the culprit of the problem of climate change. This is the precise reason why it cannot commit to an emission reduction pledge or to an emission peaking year. Expectations from India have anyways been low because of its need for development and India’s INDC has been applauded as fair and its renewable energy program as ambitious by many. Even otherwise, India has always stated that as it is a growing economy and has major developmental challenges to deal with, it expects the countries which have historically emitted Greenhouse gases to come forward and commit more ambitious goals and make a change in their living standards if need be.
Some of the key highlights of the India’s INDC are

created: October 6, 2015


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Understanding India’s Climate Action Plan (INDC) - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 6, 2015
1st October was the deadline for submitting the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) by various countries in the run up to the COP21 in Paris this December. India has submitted its INDCs at the last minute. While it has not committed to reduction of Green House Gas emissions, it has listed a host of other steps to mitigate the challenge of Climate Change.


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Understanding India's Paramilitary forces - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 21, 2016
The Central Armed Police Forces ( commonly referred to as Paramilitary forces) play an important role in border security as well as internal security. Along with the Defence Establishment, they play an important role in National Security. This video is an effort to explain the role played by the Seven Central Armed Police Forces that come under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
This video is made in association with Inshorts, India’s highest rated news app. You can download the Inshorts app on Play Store & App Store


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Understanding LPG Price Breakdown - Infographic - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 15, 2015
Here is the breakdown of your domestic LPG cylinder pricing, how much does it cost the OMCs (Oil Marketing Companies), how much does the government pay you back etc.
Source: Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell as on April 1st 2015


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Understanding Mid Day Meal Scheme
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 3, 2017
Do you know how the Mid Day meal scheme works? Here is our short explainer video.
Information Source: http://mdm.nic.in/

created: January 3, 2017


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Understanding the NDPS Act
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 20, 2016
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was passed in 1985 in a bid to criminalize the cultivation, possession of narcotic drugs. The act has been amended thrice so far.
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act came into force on November 14, 1985, and has become the statute under which all cases relating to possession, consumption, and sale of ‘Narcotic drugs’ are prosecuted. However, it is necessary to understand that this Act has evolved over the years, and has been amended thrice (1988, 2001 and 2014) which has changed its scope and direction. The Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was passed in 1988 and was brought in to ensure full implementation and enforcement of the NDPS act. This article traces the roots of the NDPS, highlight the kinds of cases that are booked under the NDPS and explain the various anomalies that exist in the NDPS with relation to State legislations.
History of NDPS
Before 1985, there was no law which criminalised the possession and use of drugs, and so the social convention prevailed. Religious and mythological history had references to the usage of drugs, and throughout India marijuana and its various derivatives were sold freely, and were viewed in the same light as alcohol, and consumed, albeit in different forms. It is believed that one of the reasons behind the NDPS coming into force is the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs which was an international treaty drafted in 1961. The Convention aimed at preventing the production and sale of specified narcotic substances. It was far broader in its scope than previous treaties because it covered newer drugs that did not exist when the previous treaties had been drafted. However, the Convention is not in itself applicable to any nation, but instead recommends nations to adopt similar measures. Such laws were amended by the US in the form of the Controlled Substances Act and by the UK through the Misuse of Drugs Act. India did not buckle under international pressure, particularly from America, and kept the sale of marijuana for nearly 25 years. However, as the War on Drugs gained momentum and India’s economic position weakened, Rajiv Gandhi-led administration had to finally buckle under the pressure and the NDPS Bill was introduced on August 23, 1985, and assented by the President on September 16, 1985.
The NDPS Act of 1985
The NDPS Act contains 5 Chapters, with each chapter dealing with a certain subject with respect to the statute. The first chapter serves as a Preliminary chapter, introducing and defining the various narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and finally highlighting that the Central government has the power to omit or add other substances to the list under the NDPS Act.
The second chapter highlights the relevant Authorities and Officers that have been created under the NDPS Act. It also sets the guidelines for the Central government to appoint a Narcotics Commissioner, to set up a Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Consultative Committee and to fund a National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse.
The third chapter lays out the Prohibition, Control and Regulation of the previously mentioned substances. It prevents the cultivation or production of the coca plant, opium poppy or any cannabis plant by anybody, while reserving these rights with both the Central and State governments if they wish to do so, by creating rules later. Furthermore, all Inter-State and International smuggling of such substances have been prohibited. Finally, this chapter looks at the regulation on other controlled substance that can be used to create narcotic drugs and also has clauses which illustrate cases under which opium poppy, coca plant, and cannabis plant can be legally cultivated.
Chapter four deals with the Offences and Penalties under the NDPS Act. It describes with punishment duration the various possible crimes that can be tried under this Act, such as possession of such substances, for commercial or recreational use, cultivation or preparation of such substances and smuggling of such substances.
The fifth chapter looks at the Procedure of how the cases are to be dealt with, and also set the guidelines for the officers empowered under this Act.
Criticism & Amendments
Over the years, this Act has been criticized as a hasty piece of legislation that had been introduced under pressure and pointed key flaws in its functioning. Since there is no clear definition of what is to be done with naturally found plants like cannabis, people have been able to get away legally for consuming bhang, because even that isn’t mentioned in the Act. Furthermore, the Act has been criticised for not giving the necessary leeway to the medical usage of these substances, a change that was finally made in 2014. The 2014 amendment created a list of ‘essential narcotic drugs’. As mentioned before, since States have been given the power to allow the cultivation of narcotic substances, Uttarakhand has moved towards legalizing marijuana. However, farmers will only grow this for industrial purposes, generally to makes fibres, and not for recreational purposes. Moreover the Uttarakhand government has also been accused of coming down hard on drug users and handing out similar punishments, as if they were drug suppliers. While there definitely are some flaws that can be worked on, the statute has had an impact on modern Indian society and is very important to any debate regarding drugs.


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Understanding Petrol Pricing in India - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 3, 2016
The following video helps you understand how Petrol is priced in India through various stages including various taxes.
Note: The data is as on Feb 1st, 2016 in Delhi at IOCL Pumps.
It won’t be exaggeration to say that the Price of Petrol & Diesel affect almost every Indian directly or indirectly. Such is the importance of these two that any increase or decrease in their price is widely discussed. Ever since de-regulation, the prices change every fortnight based on the changes in the price of crude oil and changes in tax rate. While people at large follow pricing of these two commodities, they do not understand the structure of pricing, the components that add up to the final price. The above video is aimed at demystify the Petrol pricing.
The Retail Selling Price (RSP) of Petrol
Retail Selling Price (RSP) of Petrol is determined based on a lot of factors. The average price of Crude Oil of the Indian Basket is calculated every fortnight. This price is calculated in dollars per Barrel. The price in Indian rupees is also dependent on the average exchange price for that fortnight.
Crude Oil to Petrol
The Crude Oil is transported and refined to extract Petrol. The cost & freight charges, refinery charges are added to the price of Crude oil. This is called the Refinery Transfer Price (RTP). In other words, this is the price paid by OMCs (Oil Marketing Companies) like IOCL, BPCL & HPCL to the refineries. OMCs retain some margin and sell it to the Dealer (the owner of the Petrol Pump).
Different Taxes
There are broadly two different taxes, the Central Excise Duty (imposed by the Central Government) and the State VAT (Value Added Tax). These two taxes are added to the Price that is charged to dealers. The current excise duty is Rs 21.48 per litre of petrol. VAT varies from state to state. In Delhi, the VAT percentage is 27%. The dealer commission is also added to the price after imposition of the Central Excise. (tax rates as of 1st Feb, 2016)
All these prices add up to the final Retail Selling Price (RSP) of Petrol that reaches the consumer. There are differences in the price in various states because of the different VAT rate. The price also varies between a pump owned by different OMCs. These minor differences are because of the variations in margins & dealer commission.
This entire process is explained in the above 75 second video.
Here is an Infographic explaining the petrol price breakup starting from the price of crude oil till it reaches to the end consumer including the various components of pricing. Note: The data is as on March 1st, 2015.

created: February 3, 2016


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What is the B-Form?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 23, 2018
There is a host of forms one needs to fill for contesting the Lok Sabha or Assembly election in the country. One of these forms is called the Form-B or more commonly known as the B-Form. But, what is this form all about? Why is so much importance attached to this form?
There is every chance that you must have heard about  the B-Form during elections. This is probably the most important form for any person planning to contest elections on a political party ticket. But what is a B-Form or Form-B?
Filing the Nomination
Once the elections have been notified by the Election Commission, interested candidates file their nomination. Nomination Paper has different formats for different elections.
Similarly there are other forms for contesting the Legislative Council elections and some special forms for certain Assembly constituencies in Sikkim.
An Affidavit has to be filed along with the Nomination Form
The affidavit in form 26 has to be filed along with the nomination papers. The affidavit contains the following information of the candidates
The candidates are required to fill up all columns in this form and no column can be left blank. If there is no information about any of the items, remarks such as ‘NIL’ or ‘Not Applicable’ or ‘Not Known’ has to be indicated in those columns. If a candidate fails to fill the blanks, the nomination paper is liable to be rejected by the Returning Officer at the time of scrutiny of nomination papers.
For more details on form-26 and the details to be filled in that form, go through this detailed story.
Then what is the B-Form?
In the relevant nomination form, candidates indicate if they are put up by a political party or contesting the election as an independent.
Those candidates, who indicate that they are put up by a political party, are required to submit two other forms in addition to the forms above, to prove that they are indeed put up by a political party.
A candidate will be considered an independent and will not be allotted the reserved symbol of the party unless his name is mentioned in the B-Form. Hence a lot of importance is attached to the B-Form and it is often given at the last minute to avoid rebels etc.
For instance, in the B-Form of Janasena president & Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan, no substitute is named.
In the following B-Form issued by the Congress party for a Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana, a substitute is named.

created: October 23, 2018


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What is the B-Form?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 23, 2019
There is a host of forms one needs to fill for contesting an election in the country. One of these forms is called the Form-B or more commonly known as the B-Form. But, what is this form all about? Why is so much importance attached to this form?
There is every chance that you must have heard about  the B-Form during elections. This is probably the most important form for any citizen planning to contest elections on a party ticket. But what is a B-Form or Form-B?
Filing the Nomination
Once the elections have been notified by the Election Commission, interested candidates file their nomination. Nomination Paper has different formats for different elections.
Similarly there are other forms for contesting the Legislative Council elections and some special forms for certain Assembly constituencies in Sikkim.
An Affidavit has to be filed along with the Nomination Form
The affidavit in form 26 has to be filed along with the nomination papers. The affidavit contains the following information of the candidates
The candidates are required to fill up all columns in this form and no column can be left blank. If there is no information about any of the items, remarks such as ‘NIL’ or ‘Not Applicable’ or ‘Not Known’ has to be indicated in those columns. If a candidate fails to fill the blanks, the nomination paper is liable to be rejected by the Returning Officer at the time of scrutiny of nomination papers.
For more details on form-26 and the details to be filled in that form, go through this detailed story.
Then what is the B-Form?
In the relevant nomination form, candidates indicate if they are put up by a political party or contesting the election as an independent.
Those candidates, who indicate that they are put up by a political party, are required to submit two other forms in addition to the forms above, to prove that they are indeed put up by a political party.
A candidate will be considered an independent and will not be allotted the reserved symbol of the party unless his name is mentioned in the B-Form. Hence a lot of importance is attached to the B-Form and it is often given at the last minute to avoid rebels etc.
For instance, in the B-Form of Janasena president & Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan, no substitute is named.
In the following B-Form issued by the Congress party for a Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana, a substitute is named.


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Understanding the Indian Film Certificate - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 11, 2016
How well do you know the Film Certificate? Here is a video explaining all the parts of an Film Certificate issued by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) or more commonly known as the Censor Board.

created: February 11, 2016


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Understanding the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 7, 2018
Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act was passed in 2007 to enable senior citizens abandoned by their children to claim maintenance. But how does this act work?
In 2007, the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act was passed to provide maintenance support to elderly parents and senior citizens. The Act establishes the Maintenance Tribunal to provide speedy and effective relief to elderly persons. Section 19 of the act also mandates the establishment of an old age home in every district and provides for the protection of life and property of the elderly.
Parents can opt to claim maintenance either under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 or under this Act – they cannot opt for both.  If a person has an application under Section 125 pending before the court, a request can be made to the court to withdraw the application. After the withdrawal, the person can file an application before the Maintenance Tribunal under this Act.
What is Maintenance?
Maintenance is defined in the Act as including “provision for food, clothing, residence and medical attendance and treatment”.
Who Can Claim Maintenance?
Parents means biological, adoptive and step parents. The age of parents is irrelevant to claim maintenance.
Grandparents includes both maternal and paternal grandparents.
A senior citizen is an Indian citizen who is 60 years of age or older.
The only condition for claiming maintenance under this Act is that the persons must be unable to maintain themselves from their own earnings and property.
Who is Legally Obligated to Pay Maintenance?
Adult Children and adult grandchildren, both male and female, are responsible for paying maintenance to parents and grandparents. An application can be filed against any one or more of them.
Senior citizens who do not have children or grandchildren can claim maintenance from a relative who is either possessing their property or who will inherit their property of the senior citizen after their death. The relative must not be a minor and must have sufficient means to provide maintenance. If more than one relative is entitled to inherit the property, then maintenance must be paid by relatives in proportion to their inheritance of the property.
How much Maintenance Must be Paid?
The Act mandates that the maximum maintenance paid will be Rs 10,000 per month. The maintenance amount is determined by the needs of the claimant and the aim is to provide maintenance for the person to lead a normal life.
Filing Maintenance Proceedings:
The application for maintenance must be filed before the Maintenance Tribunal in any district where
If the person herself cannot file the maintenance application, then any other person or organisation authorised by her can file the application on her behalf. Additionally the Maintenance Tribunal has the power to take action on its own without any request by the parties.
The Act states that no party to a proceeding before the Maintenance Tribunal will be represented by a lawyer. However, parents or senior citizens can avail the services of the State Government appointed Maintenance Officer to represent their interests during proceedings before the Maintenance Tribunal.
Enforcing the Maintenance Order:
Once an order is passed by the Maintenance Tribunal, a copy of the order must be provided free of cost to the person who will receive maintenance. If the other person is ordered to pay a sum, such amount must be deposited within 30 days of the announcement of the Tribunal’s order.
The failure to pay maintenance without sufficient reason will result in a warrant for collecting the due amount. If the person does not pay maintenance even after the warrant is executed, the person is liable to imprisonment for a maximum of 1 month or until the amount is paid, whichever is earlier. The application for enforcement of maintenance must be filed within 3 months from the date on which it became due. Otherwise the application will be dismissed.
The order can also be revised to alter or cancel the maintenance amount if there is any material change in circumstance of the claimant, misrepresentation (an innocent, unintentional, false statement) or mistake of fact (wrong belief about a fact).
Protection of Senior Citizens
Any person who is responsible for the protection and care of a senior citizen and intentionally abandons the senior citizen completely is liable to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 or be imprisoned for 3 months or both.
Additionally, senior citizens can file an application before the Maintenance Tribunal to declare the transfer of property void. The following conditions apply:
If senior citizens have the right to receive maintenance from an estate and the estate is transferred, either partly or wholly, then the right to maintenance can be claimed from the person to whom the property has been transferred when:
Responsibility of the State Government:
The State Government must ensure that all government hospitals and hospitals partly or fully funded by the government arrange separate queues for senior citizens and provide beds for all senior citizens. Additionally, every district hospital must have special facilities for senior citizens. Every district must have at least one old age home for senior citizens who are poor and needy. These old age homes must be able to accommodate at least 150 poor and needy senior citizens.
Old Age Homes by the State Governments
More than 58 crore rupees has been released by the Government of India supporting the Old Age homes in states since 2013-14. More than 21000 beneficiaries were covered by about 900 old age homes in various states who received assistance.
Featured Image: Parents and Senior Citizens Act

created: February 7, 2018


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Understanding the Public Distribution System (PDS)
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 11, 2017
Do you know how the Public Distribution System (PDS) or commonly known as the Ration Shop system works? Here is our short explainer video.

created: January 11, 2017


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Understanding the SOP for cases of Missing Children
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 19, 2017
With more than 1 lakh pending & reported cases of missing children, the government has now come up with a model SOP for cases of missing children. This model SOP is to be followed by all the states and defines the process & responsibilities of various stake holders.
There are more than a lakh pending cases of missing children each year as per the data from the ‘National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)’. At the end of 2015, close to a lakh children who were reported missing are yet to be traced. While the government had launched a ‘Track Child’ portal in 2012 to integrate the efforts to track missing children, a uniform SOP is still missing.  Following the directions of the Supreme Court, the government has now developed a ‘Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)’ for cases of missing children.
The Background
The SC while hearing a PIL by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (WP (Civil ) 75/2012) directed the Ministry of Women & Child Development to come up with a SOP for cases of missing children since there were many SOPs developed by states. The government was asked to come up with a model SOP with the help of TISS so that uniform procedure could be followed through out the country.
The new model SOP is in consonance with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules 2016 according to a government press release. The SOP mainly deals with the tracking of missing children and their rehabilitation after recovery. It defines roles and responsibilities of various stake holders like the Police, Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) etc.
Filing Complaints
Rule 92 (1) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules 2016 defines a missing child as “a child whose whereabouts are not known to the parents, legal guardian or any other person or institution legally entrusted with the custody of the child, whatever may be the circumstances or causes of disappearance, and shall be considered missing and in need of care and protection until located or his safety and well- being established.”
Any of the following persons can file a complaint when a child is missing
The complaint can be either filed with the police or the emergency helpline number of the police or the child line (1098). Once it is reported to the police, the details have to be entered into the centralized portal along with a photograph of the missing child.
What is the role of the Police?
The model SOP clearly defines the role of the police in handling cases of missing children. Police is supposed to do the following
Risk assessment is also the job of the Police
The police also have to fill in a risk assessment form (as per a format) after taking into consideration various parameters of the missing child. The risk assessment is done to help the police understand
If the missing child is not traced within 4 months, the investigation has to be transferred to the anti-human trafficking unit of the police.
What after a child is found?
The model SOP also details the process to be followed when a child is found by the Police. When a missing child is found, he/she has to be produced before the Child Welfare Committee or the Juvenile Justice Board or the Children’s court. Various scenarios are defined in the SOP. A recovery form also has to be filled by the police.
Featured Image: SOP for cases of Missing Children


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Understanding Traffic Rules - Accident Law for bystanders
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 4, 2017
This is the 4th video in the series on ‘Traffic Rules’ in partnership with Nyaaya (www.nyaaya.in).
What is the law for bystanders who are witness to an accident?


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Understanding Traffic Rules - Accident Law for Vehicle Owner
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 22, 2017
This is the 3rd video in the series on ‘Traffic Rules’ in partnership with Nyaaya (www.nyaaya.in).
What is the law for the owner of the vehicle that caused the accident?


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Understanding Traffic Rules - Law for Accident Victims
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 5, 2017
This is second in the series of our videos on ‘Traffic Rules’ in partnership with Nyaaya (www.nyaaya.in). So what is the law for Accident Victims?


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Understanding Traffic Rules - Law on Drunk Driving
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 15, 2017
We are launching a new video series on Traffic rules in partnership with Nyaaya (www.nyaaya.in). Here is the first one on Drunk Driving.


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Christians have the highest Unemployment Rate both in Urban & Rural areas - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 22, 2016
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) released the results of the employment and unemployment survey conducted in 68th round during July 2011 to June 2012. Christians had the highest unemployment rate in both rural & urban areas. Almost half the Muslim households were self employed in urban areas. Hindus had the lowest unemployment rate of 3.3% in urban areas.
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) released the results of the employment and unemployment survey conducted in 68 round during July 2011 to June 2012. The survey was carried out in more than 1 lakh households and covered more than 4.5 lakh persons. According to the results of this survey, Christians have the highest unemployment in both Rural & Urban areas.
Half the Rural Households are Self Employed
As expected, almost half the households in rural areas were self employed either in agriculture or non-agriculture. A majority of them were self employed in agriculture. While about 9% of Hindu & Muslim households were salaried, 16% of Christian households were salaried in rural areas. A little more than 1/3 of the rural households were employed as casual labour. While the percentage of households employed as casual labour was more or less equal for Hindus & Muslims, a lesser percentage of Christians were employed as casual labour. The employment trend in both Hindu & Muslim households was more or less similar in rural areas. However, there was considerable difference in the salaried class of Christians & Sikhs compared to Hindus & Muslims.
Almost half the Muslim households are Self Employed in Urban Areas
While the employment trend of both Hindus & Muslims was more or less similar in rural areas, the trend in urban areas was completely different. Only 1/3 of the Hindu households were self employed in urban areas while half of the Muslim households were self employed. The percentage of self employed households was least for Christians. The greatest percentage of salaries households were Christian with 45.8%. Hindu households were a close second in the salaried class with 43.9%. On the other hand, only 27.7% of the Muslim households were salaried. 15% of the urban Muslim households were employed as casual labour while only 4.1% of Sikh households were employed as casual labour. While there was some sense of uniformity in employment trend in the rural areas, there were vast differences in the urban areas.
The Unemployment rate of Muslims & Christians on the rise
The unemployment rate for Hindus was more or less constant at 1.5% from 2004-05 to 2011-12. The corresponding rate for the other groups varied greatly from 2004-05 to 2011-12. Christians had the highest unemployment rate of 4.5% in 2011-12 and Sikhs had the lowest unemployment rate of 1.3%. Sikhs were the only religious group whose unemployment rate decreased consistently from 2004-05 to 2011-12. For both Muslims & Christians, the rate went down from 2004-05 to 2009-10, but again increased in 2011-12.
The trend in unemployment rate was very different in the urban areas. While Christians still had the highest unemployment rate of 5.9% in 2011-12, it was lowest for Hindus at 3.3%. Hindus were the only religious group in the urban areas whose unemployment rate consistently went down from 2004-05 to 2011-12. The unemployment rate of Christians almost doubled from 2009-10 to 2011-12.
Image Source : www.narendramodi.in

created: February 22, 2016