BUSINESS
IMF paper supports the case for distributing free food
Surjit Bhalla’s paper will certainly have its share of criticism, but what cannot be denied is that the government’s free food programme during the pandemic has played a stellar role in keeping millions out of abject poverty
BUSINESS
Sri Lanka’s downhill journey and lessons for India
The lessons for India from the Sri Lanka fiasco are that rulers need to be humble, follow the conventional advice given by officials, in particular the central bank, and above all else stay wedded to fiscal discipline
BUSINESS
The way out of a K-shaped recovery
The economic recovery so far has not reached the bottom economic layer of India's population. Policy options that create more jobs for them need to be explored
BUSINESS
General Strike | The unionised public sector employee is part of the ‘haves’ and not ‘have nots’ of society
General strike re-enacts a drill but will achieve little
POLITICS
CUET is a good idea, but faces hurdles due to hurried introduction
Teachers fear that performance in the class XII board exams will be greatly devalued as students will cease to care for them, knowing that how well you do in them matters little
BUSINESS
Microfinance gets a leg-up with new regulation
A new set of regulations for microfinance seeks to promote the sector’s growth while imposing more responsibility on lenders as well
POLITICS
Drones take forward both security and prosperity
India is already behind countries like the US, Japan, China, Brazil and ASEAN members in drone technology and usage, but what it has correctly done is ensure that technology development and regulation go hand in hand
BUSINESS
A road map for the greening of Mumbai
India’s financial and business capital has just given itself a Climate Action Plan (MCAP) which seeks to save itself from the ravages of climate change by targeting net zero emission levels by 2050
POLITICS
The ‘Delhi model’ of development that won Punjab for AAP
The key elements of this model are better public services, good quality schools and hospitals, women’s safety and empowerment, doorstep delivery of services like rations, free power and water supply
POLITICS
Election results will be good for private investors
The public had a chance to choose between a political line of thinking that opted for more welfare spending at a time of pandemic induced distress and core Hindutva, and it has chosen the latter. This should make private investors happy
BUSINESS
The Green Pivot: Green hydrogen a giant step towards energy security for India
Hydrogen is emerging as very useful in storing and transporting renewable energy over long distances so that regions surplus in renewable energy can help meet the needs of deficit regions. This will help decarbonise heavy industry, long haul freight, shipping and aviation
BUSINESS
Mumbai, Lucknow, Patna, Ahmedabad: Cities that will bear the brunt of climate change
The latest climate change report breaks new ground by focusing on cities where more than half the global population lives
BUSINESS
By invading Ukraine, Putin puts India in a spot
The Indian economy will be badly affected by the war and the sanctions, nipping the recovery in the bud
HEALTH-AND-FITNESS
Why India must achieve full vaccination coverage quickly
As new age groups are added to the eligible population, it's essential to move quickly to attain full coverage and bring the pandemic to an end
BUSINESS
Ease supply shortages, put more money in the hands of the poor to raise demand
Without robust demand growth, companies will not invest and rightfully so. Private consumption is still below 2019-20 levels
BUSINESS
Rail Budget high on investment, low on realism
There is nothing in the budget which indicates that the national carrier is addressing its major handicap – having to spend over half of its earnings on staff costs and pensions
BUSINESS
‘Jobs for locals’ is poor economics and unlikely to work
Reserving jobs for locals is not going to work and may end up harming them if businesses decide to move out of the state. Instead, the state should do its utmost to equip its residents with the skills needed to get jobs anywhere in the country, or even abroad
BUSINESS
Why hasn’t the government made enough budgetary provisions to vaccinate everybody?
Is the token allocation in the Budget aimed at keeping the fiscal deficit low?
POLITICS
Should we have simultaneous elections at the Centre and states?
There are good arguments on both sides but regional parties may be at a disadvantage if the ‘one nation one election’ rule comes into force
BUSINESS
For efficient Budget making, follow US open system
Instead of the current opaque budget-making process, India should adopt the far more democratic US system
BUSINESS
Railways: Budgeting amid huge uncertainty
The Railways spends over half what it earns on staff expenses and pensions. The committee on restructuring it has described this as extremely high and unmanageable
BUSINESS
Budget 2022: Urban job guarantee scheme holds the key
Raghuram Rajan, former governor of RBI, has proposed extending the rural employment guarantee programme, which assures at least 100 days’ work to anyone who seeks it, to urban areas
BUSINESS
Budget gives a chance for urgent course correction on healthcare
The pandemic has exposed the glaring gaps in India’s health infrastructure. While involving the private sector in tertiary care is fine for primary and secondary care, public resources must be augmented
BUSINESS
Learning to live with the virus
Once everybody is vaccinated, we can treat COVID19 like the common flu
