The Times of India

It’s actually a boon to moneylenders . For two decades, microfinance institutions (MFIs) have spread fast in Andhra Pradesh, reaching millions of poor women and filling the space once dominated by moneylenders. But last week, the state government issued an […]

Now that the Commonwealth Games have commenced, glitches and all, we can assess them more soberly than the high-pitched media sound bites of recent weeks. Many critics complain that the Games show India in a terrible light. In fact, they

Last week, this column highlighted major economic improvements for dalits in Uttar Pradesh, based on a research paper by Devesh Kapur and others (Rethinking inequality : Dalits in UP in the market reform era). But the real dalit revolution has

Are you among those who think record GDP growth has done nothing for dalits ? Think again. A seminal paper, \”Rethinking Inequality : Dalits in UP in the Market Reform Era\” by Devesh Kapur, CB Prasad, Lant Pritchett and D

After his passionate defence of displaced tribals in Orissa, analysts have started talking about Rahul Gandhi\’s left turn. Whoa!  Rahul is more pragmatic opportunist than left-wing ideologue. Remember Indira Gandhi\’s left turn in 1969? Supposedly for Garibi Hatao, she nationalized

After his passionate defence of displaced tribals in Orissa, analysts have started talking about Rahul Gandhi\’s left turn. Whoa!  Rahul is more pragmatic opportunist than left-wing ideologue. Remember Indira Gandhi\’s left turn in 1969? Supposedly for Garibi Hatao, she nationalized

To project jobs, Ohio Governor Strickland has banned outsourcing by companies getting state government funds. This has raised a storm of protest in India, but it\’s a storm in a tea cup. Our IT exports to the US federal and

Activists demanding food as a fundamental right view the state as saviour, unperturbed by pervasive state failure in sector after sector. The public distribution system (PDS) is a public scandal. Activists say if only all states create as good a

Politicians and activists constantly propose new rights — the right to work, to education, and now to food. The word \”rights\” is being twisted to mean entitlements, and there is a big difference. Rights are freedoms from oppression by the

Politicians and activists constantly propose new rights — the right to work, to education, and now to food. The word \”rights\” is being twisted to mean entitlements, and there is a big difference. Rights are freedoms from oppression by the