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Gaurav Choudhury

Consulting Editor

Network18

Ajay Banga could pivot changes in World Bank’s development paradigm with the India model

BUSINESS

Ajay Banga could pivot changes in World Bank’s development paradigm with the India model

The new grammar of political reforms and governance is an evolving rule book that will have implications on how economic progress gets translated into social equalities, an area that Banga may like to spend some time on in the World Bank 

IPEF: India should trade cautiously on the clean economy pillar

BUSINESS

IPEF: India should trade cautiously on the clean economy pillar

Decarbonisation conditions warrant careful examination and scrutiny from India’s negotiators. India faces the challenge of balancing its economic growth ambitions while still being on the correct side of the climate change fence

Air India’s Boeing, Airbus orders are a big deal for the West. Because it’s about jobs, stupid

BUSINESS

Air India’s Boeing, Airbus orders are a big deal for the West. Because it’s about jobs, stupid

From the days of protesting jobs being taken out from the US to offshore centres in India to now cheering an order by an Indian company that creates jobs in America and Europe, the axis of economic might seems to have decisively turned

Budget 2023: FM pins hopes on textbook play of capex multiplier

BUSINESS

Budget 2023: FM pins hopes on textbook play of capex multiplier

There are, however, headwinds that need factoring in. These include: a rebound in the Chinese economy, persistently shaky global financial conditions, uncertainties and shifting geo-political developments, disorder in global trade, and knock-on effects on inflation due to rising crude oil prices

Economic Survey: Time to canter amid visible signs of private sector 'crowding in'

BUSINESS

Economic Survey: Time to canter amid visible signs of private sector 'crowding in'

The survey explicitly states the government’s intent to walk the talk on frontloading investment in infrastructure that will go on to trigger cycles of private sector investment

Budget 2023: FM Sitharaman would do well to avoid a ‘populist’ budget

BUSINESS

Budget 2023: FM Sitharaman would do well to avoid a ‘populist’ budget

Budget 2023 presents an opportunity to fix gaps in capital gains and individual income tax structures. Sound fiscal policy management can also be politically prudent without being blinded by rank short-termism of electoral calendars

How long can states sustain on Centre’s fiscal support and perpetual loans?

BUSINESS

How long can states sustain on Centre’s fiscal support and perpetual loans?

New sources of risk such as a return to the old pension system, and mounting overdue of power discoms could push many states to a fiscal precipice

World @ 8 Billion | For India, it is about rising median age

BUSINESS

World @ 8 Billion | For India, it is about rising median age

Population ageing will have implications on economic growth rates, labour force participation, and brands. For the last three decades, the dominant mantra for brands has been: get the youth hooked. This may have to change

Consumer demand, high commodity prices, and better compliance behind surge in GST collections

BUSINESS

Consumer demand, high commodity prices, and better compliance behind surge in GST collections

It has taken five years, punctuated by two pandemic years, for revenues to stabilise. This now needs to be made less inflation-dependent, and also better balanced collections across states, where most states’ GST revenue growth consistently remains above the 14 percent mark

Policy easing can help startups battle funding winter chill

BUSINESS

Policy easing can help startups battle funding winter chill

It may be about time for the government to clarify on ‘beneficial ownership’ under Press Note 3 of the FDI policy, and ease some rules, for funds to flow in quickly, and enable capitalisation of India’s promising startup ventures 

National Logistics Policy | NLP can do to India’s logistics what UPI has done to payments

BUSINESS

National Logistics Policy | NLP can do to India’s logistics what UPI has done to payments

The pivot idea of the National Logistics Policy will be the seamless interoperability, through an overarching interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and multi-jurisdictional architecture backed by a robust tech backbone

At 13.5% Q1 GDP growth, economy noses ahead of pre-pandemic levels

BUSINESS

At 13.5% Q1 GDP growth, economy noses ahead of pre-pandemic levels

High oil prices and a weakening rupee have had a sobering effect, with value of imports recording a sharp jump in the quarter compared to the same period in 2021

Many Indian states mirror costly debt slip-ups that rattled Sri Lanka

BUSINESS

Many Indian states mirror costly debt slip-ups that rattled Sri Lanka

Punjab spends 21.3 percent of its revenues on interest payments, Tamil Nadu 21 percent, West Bengal 20.8 percent, and Haryana 20.9 percent

Non-merit poll freebies are promissory notes at taxpayers’ expense

POLITICS

Non-merit poll freebies are promissory notes at taxpayers’ expense

It is critical to remain persistently focused on achieving inter-generational upward social and economic mobility and that is where the lens should be. Not on giveaways that follow an electoral calendar

Revival Package | BSNL needs the smarts, not just capital, to stay in the race

BUSINESS

Revival Package | BSNL needs the smarts, not just capital, to stay in the race

Data and smart offerings will be the vehicles for higher ARPU on the path towards profitability. This requires comprehensive professionalisation, and a mindset overhaul

Concentration risk should not spoil India’s UPI party

BUSINESS

Concentration risk should not spoil India’s UPI party

There is a peculiar problem of concentration that is emerging in the UPI ecosystem. Walmart-owned PhonePe and Google’s GPay currently dominate the market of third-party UPI apps 

GST @ Five | Elegant in promise, a work in progress in practice

BUSINESS

GST @ Five | Elegant in promise, a work in progress in practice

Five years since it has been in place, the GST continues to remain a work in progress. The primary pain points include multiple tax slabs, taxmen’s arbitrary interpretations, and the over-dependence of the GST compensation for states to plug revenue gaps

Worrying details could be hiding in sticky wholesale prices

BUSINESS

Worrying details could be hiding in sticky wholesale prices

A lot will depend on the fresh arrival of supplies of seasonal vegetables and the summer-sown kharif crop. All eyes are on the monsoon rains, and when they start lashing north-west India, the country’s grain bowl

GDP | Economy in slowdown mode. Monsoon rains critical to quick revival

BUSINESS

GDP | Economy in slowdown mode. Monsoon rains critical to quick revival

GDP grew 8.7 percent in 2021-22, but slowed to 4.1 percent in the fourth quarter. This slowdown comes at a time when people are battling persistently high cost of living with growing prices of both essentials and aspirationals 

Inflation is not what used to be. Temporary tax cuts may be needed to tame it

BUSINESS

Inflation is not what used to be. Temporary tax cuts may be needed to tame it

A rationalisation of taxes in a host of manufactured products can bring down prices quickly, and also help shift the terms of trade favouring farmers who have been paying a higher price for goods that they buy than the price they get for goods that they produce 

State finances need top priority as many dangerously stare down a debt hole

BUSINESS

State finances need top priority as many dangerously stare down a debt hole

Sunset of GST compensation next month, guarantees for power discom bonds, and extra borrowings for non-asset creating revenue expenditure could end up worsening state finances 

Cut out statistical fallacies. Counting the dead is serious business

BUSINESS

Cut out statistical fallacies. Counting the dead is serious business

Under-reporting of Covid-19 deaths by a multiple of 10 will eventually have to show up in the crude death rates of those years. This will require a door-to-door enumeration. This will be time consuming, but worth the effort for the sake of public health and data in India. Until then, all estimates are just that, estimates

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to lower VAT on fuel carries a message on burden of fiscal responsibility

BUSINESS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to lower VAT on fuel carries a message on burden of fiscal responsibility

The Prime Minister’s April 27 remarks need to be seen in the context of the high tax structure in petroleum pricing, which is a painful legacy issue in a rather flawed design of India’s energy economics 

Bureaucrats are right. Fiscally reckless freebies are a bad idea

POLITICS

Bureaucrats are right. Fiscally reckless freebies are a bad idea

Building flyovers across the cityscape does not solve the problem of traffic jams. It requires investment in good, efficient and dependable public transport. Likewise for effective welfare economics