The Debate on GST
The debate so far on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has been largely concerned with the question of compensation to the states for the losses they may suffer owing to the transition to a GST regime. The losses to…
Why the Fight for a GST?
The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014, that, if passed, would introduce a Goods and Services Tax (GST) system in India, faces a still uncertain future because of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. The…
The Internet in “Digital India”
Among the initiatives launched with much fanfare by the NDA government is the one titled “Digital India”, which is slated to use high speed internet as a core utility and provide citizens entitlements, documents and a host of services on…
Great Dream of Prosperity
Over much of the last decade and more, the stock market had provided advocates of reform a convenient indicator of economic health. This was because there were long periods during that decade when real economic growth tallied with stock market…
Looking Back at Debt Relief for the Germans
In the ongoing Eurozone drama, the sovereign debt held by Greece is the crux of the issue. That hapless economy has seen its debt to GDP ratio increase from around 120 per cent in 2010 to nearly 180 per cent…
A Greek Tragedy that could have been Avoided
The endgame nears in Greece. The latest rejection by the Eurozone Finance Ministers of any extension of the proposed bailout plan was followed by the decision of the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (subsequently supported by a majority vote in…
The Destruction of Education
The NDA government’s appointment of hack loyalists to important positions in the sphere of education has rightly raised concerns about the damage being done to the education system. But this is not the sole source of danger to the system.…
The Beleaguered Indian Farmer
India’s beleaguered farmers are facing another threat to what is now a tenuous livelihood. That threat is the real prospect of a poor Southwest monsoon that would substantially reduce agricultural production over crop year (July to June) 2015-16. In its…
Skating on Thin Ice
The Modi government completed one year in office on May 26. This year saw a continuation of the industrial stagnation which has been a feature of the Indian economy for quite some time now. The year-on-year rates of industrial growth,…
One Year of Modi Government: Social sector
It is widely believed that one important reason for the remarkable victory of Narendra Modi and the BJP in the April 2014 general election in India, was the ability to tap into the aspirations of a dominantly youthful population that…