Emergency Relics | Time to repeal COFEPOSA and SAFEMA
With enough statutory measures in place for fighting the menace of smuggling and foreign exchange violations, there is no need to enact a newer diluted version of COFEPOSA and SAFEMA leading to further expansion of the bureaucracy.
Disruption is changing the broking industry beyond recognition
More and more brokers are shutting shop or diversifying
Why the amendments to the RTI Act are far from routine
The government should not do anything that could circumscribe the independence of Information Commissioners
Realty Bites | SC's Amrapali judgement: When homebuyers are failed by builders, banks and local authorities
Improper due diligence has not only led to a pile of up of non-performing loans but now, also puts in danger banks’ status as secured creditors. If this happens in case after case, the recent IBC amendment which reinforces their supremacy in case of recoveries will be a hollow victory.
Politics | Do not miss the opportunity the Kartarpur corridor offers
The domestic and international political one-upmanship is inevitable around a project of this scale but it should not even remotely offend Sikh sensibilities.
Politics | PM Boris Johnson’s first test will be to pull the UK out of the Brexit quagmire
India will continue to be seen as an important partner for the UK post-Brexit. Boris Johnson is fond of India and considers Narendra Modi a “political phenomenon”.
Dilemma of credit rating agencies: Biting the hand that feeds you?
There is a clear conflict of interest in the rating business as it involves quid pro quo. Blowing the whistle is easier said than done.
Karnataka | With Congress-JD(S) farce over, can BJP form a stable govt?
For the sake of the people of Karnataka it is hoped that the new BJP-led government will be stable and complete the remaining term.
Corporate corridor | What HUL’s results say or don’t about the slowdown in consumption demand
HUL’s soaps business was the main reason why growth slowed down and if its price cuts work, then it should recover in the second half of FY20.
Macro Matters | What the IMF said on Indian and US growth, interest rates and market risks
The IMF warns that triggers for risk-off episodes abound
Modi’s ‘Housing for All’ gets a wake-up call from NHB
Unless a solution is found, a new crop of non-performing loans will soon make their appearance
Private crypto ban: Has India gone overboard?
One comes back with a feeling that banning private cryptocurrencies is harsh. Historically, governments barely budged, citing all kinds of fears as they do today
Politics | Congress can take inspiration from Sheila Dikshit’s three terms as Delhi CM
During her three terms as Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit did not pander to the Left or the Right or cultivation of vote banks — she worked hard and provided an efficient government responsive to the citizenry.
Opinion | Petty graft could sabotage water and waste management, and the PM’s biggest schemes
Once waste management is introduced, and water contamination is taken care of, India will witness considerably reduced expenditure on health-related diseases.
Karnataka Crisis | No law can catch up with the decline in moral standards
More than the deficiency in the law, it is the degeneration in moral values of the current crop of politicians that is to blame for the trouble.
Startup Corner | ShopClues' woes point to a bigger malaise unfolding in venture world
The famed startup story is showing cracks. Once a leader in unbranded products, ShopClues is an example of how lack of foresight and complacency can affect a business
Is India’s competition watchdog finally coming of age?
The Competition Commission of India is going that extra mile. CCI’s recent order on Maruti Suzuki shows that it’s now willing to look beyond agreements and into the actual conduct of companies
Markets | Will banks soon be able to transmit lower interest rates to borrowers?
Bank deposit growth is looking up and the credit-deposit ratio is coming down
Recovery in commercial vehicle segment is unlikely to happen anytime soon
The growth of inland waterways and the dedicated freight corridor will impact long-term truck demand
Auditors log out: SEBI cracks the whip, but a lot more needed
The scrutiny is on. Auditors can no longer shirk their responsibilities by taking refuge under we-are-watchdogs-not-bloodhounds argument
Bretton Woods@75: A few surprises here, some similarities there
J M Keynes, a key architect of the modern monetary system, may have a mixed feeling if he were alive now. The global economic coordination is anything but smooth
Corporate corridor | Early FMCG results show some companies will keep the growth flag flying
The narrative of a FMCG slowdown may be true at the industry level but individual results show that some companies are not taking a slowdown for granted.
Kulbhushan Jadhav case| Why ICJ verdict is also a diplomatic victory for India
With more than two-thirds of the court which pronounced a verdict on Kulbhushan Jadhav made up of professional diplomats, the decision was overwhelmingly a diplomatic manoeuvre backed by arguments based on law.
Karnataka Crisis | It’s time we strengthened anti-defection laws
Elected representatives abdicating electoral mandate should come with some consequences that disincentivises, and if not, penalises unprincipled defections. A moratorium on standing for election or occupying any electoral post for a period of five years is a great place to start.
Policy | Model tenancy act is well intentioned but change unlikely soon
Land and urban development are state subjects and a new central law, once enacted, will be relevant only to the extent states decide to pass their own new laws on the subject in the light of the new central law.
