BUSINESS
New criminal laws will move things forward, up to a point
The three new laws seek to speed up the trial and conviction process, sanitise evidence gathering and allow the option of community service for minor offences
BUSINESS
An outline for judicial reform needs a close look
An extension in retirement age of judges will ensure those with greater experience and appropriate calibre stick around longer and help reduce the huge number of cases pending before the higher judiciary
BUSINESS
Reintroducing import licensing for laptops is a step backward
India cannot be a high-cost island but needs to be part of the global supply chain with low tariff barriers and minimum border controls by way of licences and phytosanitary restrictions
BUSINESS
US credit rating downgrade no big deal
The reaction of the markets to the downgrade is likely to be temporary, given the widespread expectations of a soft landing for the US economy
BUSINESS
Ease of doing business is fine, but is drug safety at risk?
What has been glaringly missing in the wake of the deaths of children in Africa is a major announcement by the government of India spelling out how it is going to overhaul the entire drug regulatory mechanism
BUSINESS
The mantra to boost exports – globalise to localise
State governments and the private sector should work together to create a competitive domestic ecosystem by removing unnecessary regulations, helping with technology transfer and supporting services, training workers, sharing information, investing in R&D and offering fiscal incentives
BUSINESS
Rice and wheat export bans are knee- jerk reactions, best avoided
If India turns out to be an unpredictable supplier, then traders both in India and abroad will start hedging their positions on Indian suppliers
BUSINESS
Private sector can partner multilateral development banks
Multilateral development banks can create special funds and issue paper to investors to channel private capital into developmental efforts in various areas
BUSINESS
State approval for Dharavi redevelopment shifts attention to the project plan
The approval comes in the backdrop of a changing political landscape. Dharavi’s residents and industries will be keen to know what the future holds for them
INDIA
Don’t fight floods, learn to live with them
Instead of measures such as embankments to keep rivers out of settlements, more prudent measures such desilting can be taken up to limit flood damage
BUSINESS
Help farmers throw away the MSP crutch
The road ahead needs to be defined by better farming practices which deliver higher productivity and margins so that farmers can earn more and thereby improve their standard of living
BUSINESS
Safety commission report on Balasore accident damns railways
The report pins the blame for the lapses on human error at multiple levels in the signal and telecommunications department of the railways during signalling circuit alteration at the north signal goomty of Bahanaga Bazar station.
BUSINESS
The Green Pivot: Credit can be a game changer, if it can be made to work
If you offer material incentives, then there will certainly be those who will seek to cut corners by claiming credit through ‘greenwashing’
BUSINESS
National action plan needed to tackle flood damage to economy
Floods in general which cause serious economic damage are themselves the result of rapid unplanned economic growth which has taken place in tandem with a rising population
BUSINESS
Smart meters: Ticket to reduce household power bills, achieve net zero emission
With smart metering, that is using meters which not only record how much power is being consumed but also when, the government aims to regulate consumption and reduce power costs by encouraging consumption when generation costs are low
BUSINESS
World Bank study has some nuggets for India’s subsidy problem
According to the report, measures to cut subsidies need to be carefully sequenced. This will avoid the price shock that will be delivered if a key subsidy is removed all in one go
BUSINESS
From yoga to software to winning Oscars, India’s soft power marches on
Aside of yoga, Indian efforts to arrive as a global soft power have taken a new turn for over a quarter century now with the rise of Indian software and the prowess of its techies
BUSINESS
Manipur burns at the altar of identity politics
The writ of the state government doesn’t seem to run in Manipur, with violence by armed gangs continuing
BUSINESS
Will fine-tuning the PLI scheme help?
A more fundamental question is whether such schemes are the most effective way of strengthening manufacturing prowess
BUSINESS
Welcome the brave new world of GenAI, but manage the creative destruction
Nasscom, the association of software and services companies, has come up with guidelines that will help develop a framework for using GenAI responsibly
BUSINESS
Bonn talkathon and India’s to-do list to address climate change
Detailed negotiations like those taking place currently at Bonn typically involve countries taking positions and countering the to-do lists that they direct at each other
BUSINESS
Odisha Train Tragedy: Disastrous accident signals railways is going downhill
Kavach, an automatic train protection system rolled out last year was not deployed in the Balasore accident event. Also, an existing anti-collision device has not been adopted by the railways
BUSINESS
Can you have data-driven good governance with outdated data?
While there is no doubt that good data leads to good governance, the fact is that a lot of Indian data is out of date, and the government hasn’t even been able to conduct the census
BUSINESS
Aavin vs Amul: Cooperative competition on display
Healthy competition among co-operatives must be encouraged, as long as the farmer’s interest is protected
