India’s economic growth depends on protecting its fragile environment India’s economic development is inextricably linked to the health of its environment, with the monsoon season playing a pivotal role in sustaining livelihoods, agriculture, and national stability. The article highlights how environmental degradation and climate variability pose significant risks to the country’s economic progress, emphasizing the need for integrated strategies that combine weather forecasting, environmental protection, and sustainable development. Published on June 5, 2026, the piece underscores the importance of addressing environmental challenges to ensure long-term economic resilience and align with India’s vision of “Viksit Bharat” (self-reliant India). The environment is the foundation of all biotic and abiotic processes, including the monsoon system, which is central to India’s economy. Monsoons influence food production, water availability, energy generation, and public health, making their stability critical for economic growth. However, the article warns that ignoring environmental factors risks undermining India’s development trajectory. Traditional economic models often treat the environment as a separate entity, but this approach is flawed. As noted by American economist Herman Daly, economic and societal progress must occur within the boundaries of the environment, which cannot be exploited indefinitely. Monsoon variability, driven by both natural and human factors, has become a growing concern. Land use changes such as deforestation, urbanization, and infrastructure development have amplified the monsoon’s sensitivity to global warming.#india #university_of_maryland #iit_kanpur #raghu_murtugudde #kotak_school_of_sustainability
CBSE Ropes In IIT Experts, 4 PSBs To Fix Payment Portal After Class 12 Fee Glitch Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday directed technical experts from IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur, along with four public sector banks, to overhaul the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) payment gateway following a technical failure that caused incorrect fee deductions for Class 12 students applying for scanned copies of their evaluated answer books. The crisis emerged after portal errors on May 21 and 22, during which students were either overcharged or charged less than the applicable fee. CBSE controller of examinations Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj announced that excess amounts would be refunded through the same payment method used during the application process, while undercharged students would be informed separately about required balance payments. Scanned copies would be provided to all affected students without requiring fresh requests. Pradhan emphasized that student interests remained paramount and ordered CBSE to prioritize corrective measures to ensure a transparent and efficient system. The education ministry stated that the coordinated effort with the finance ministry and the four banks—State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, and Indian Bank—was expected to enhance digital transaction security, improve gateway stability, and streamline post-result services for students. The expert teams were tasked with assessing portal stability, server performance, and IT infrastructure, while addressing login authentication, user access systems, and payment gateway vulnerabilities. The incident highlighted the need for a complete overhaul of CBSE’s payment gateway system, as the scale of the disruption became apparent.#bank_of_baroda #cbse #state_bank_of_india #iit_madras #iit_kanpur
