The comptroller and auditor general has estimated that the government lost Rs 10.7 lakh crore by allotting coal blocks in 2004-09 instead of auctioning them. The government has contested the estimate as well as methodology of the CAG, and says […]
Coalgate: what about losses caused by Left Front? Read More »
Rapid GDP growth is the best antidote for poverty. That is the big message that comes blaring out of the poverty data for 2009-10. Record GDP growth of 8.5% per year between 2004-05 and 2009-10 has reduced poverty at a
Rapid GDP growth- best antidote for poverty Read More »
The government is corrupt and incompetent. People are, quite rightly, sceptical of its integrity. But it has not fudged the poverty data to exaggerate the fall in poverty, as alleged by innumerable politicians and TV anchors. I have long criticized
Poverty has truly fallen: it\’s no statistical fudge Read More »
The government is corrupt and incompetent. People are, quite rightly, sceptical of its integrity. But it has not fudged the poverty data to exaggerate the fall in poverty, as alleged by innumerable politicians and TV anchors. I have long criticized
Poverty has truly fallen: it\’s no statistical fudge Read More »
Most political pundits have explained the Uttar Pradesh assembly election results in sectarian terms. They say Mayawati’s BSP lost Muslim voters to the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Brahmins to the Congress and BJP. However , this is mere speculation. We
Fertilizer bungle: real reason for Maya’s defeat Read More »
Manpreet Badal, former Punjab finance minister and nephew of chief minister P S Badal, broke last year with the Akali Dal, complaining that his entreaties for fiscal discipline were being ignored, and would lead to disaster. He looks foolish today
The state election results surprised many. This column predicted that in 60% of states, incumbents that accelerated GDP growth would win. That model proved right in Punjab, Manipur and Uttarakhand – 60% of cases! The prediction for Uttarakhand was that
Will fear of early LS poll induce an election budget? Read More »
After over a month of suspense, the counting of votes will begin in two days for the elections to five state assemblies. Predicting elections is a mug’s game, especially in four-cornered contests of the sort witnessed in Uttar Pradesh. Anybody
State elections: Four incumbents may win and one lose Read More »
Fiscal consolidation is the need of the hour, and the finance minister should rationalise subsidies. The best way forward is to end price controls for items like urea and diesel, since these constitute the most irrational, lopsided way of allocating
Budget 2012: Price controls, open-ended subsidies throw budget allocations off-kilter Read More »
UP chief minister Mayawati has become famous -some will say notorious – for erecting dozens of giant statues in Lucknow of dalit icons like B R Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and herself. This is, of course, a grandiose political exercise. Yet
Behenji\’s Raj: Mayawati, the Lutyens of Lucknow Read More »
Sign up to get all the latest posts and news sent to your inbox.
