The Modi government has an unerring instinct for bungling in economic matters. It has come out with a “fiscal stimulus” for tackling the current economic slowdown that will actually make matters worse. After successive interest rate cuts which were predictably…
The reduction in the corporate tax rate by the BJP government, which would entail a transfer of Rs.1.45 lakh crores from the public exchequer to the corporate sector, has been generally seen to be insufficient for overcoming the slowdown in…
In another instance of lack of clarity in economic decision making, the NDA government seems to be drifting into signing on to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement potentially involving 16 Asia-Pacific partners. Under discussion for 7 years now,…
That the Indian economy is currently experiencing a slowdown is more than evident, both with the deliberations in different private circles and with official statements signalling a series of remedial measures , mostly focussed on the ailing financial sector! However, as…
The government has finally admitted that the Indian economy is on a steep downturn. For some time now, even the business community, which tends to shower all praise and disapprove any criticism of the reformist Modi dispensation, has expressed concern…
Only a few weeks ago, the central government was talking grandly about India reaching a $5-trillion economy and refusing to recognise the severe slowdown India is going through. (This is not such a grand ambition when compared with China, which…
The Modi government has moved so rapidly to dismantle so many institutional and regulatory structures that have underpinned Indian democracy that it is easy to lose track. Among the many such moves that are likely to have long-term adverse consequences…
On August 30, as the media waited for the release of the second quarter growth figures that would reveal severe growth deceleration, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman sought to pre-empt any adverse response with a major policy announcement. Ten public sector…
That the Indian economy is currently experiencing a slowdown has been rather evident, both with the deliberations in different private circles and in the official statement announcing a set of remedial measures on August 23. Downtrends in the economy are visible in…
On July 29 the terms of reference of the Fifteenth Finance Commission were suddenly modified by a Presidential order. The Commission is now being asked to examine whether a separate mechanism for financing expenditure on defence and internal security should…
