Budget 2014: Dear FM, don't just woo FDI, make it feel welcome
The important issue is not about permitting FDI, the critical thing is to make it feel welcome.
Budget 2014: How Modi, Jaitley can 're-energise' India
From diesel to kerosene to cooking gas, the benefits of rationalizing energy subsidies are plenty. Prices will tick up in some items, but there will be a massive lessening of fiscal pressures, lowering generalized inflation.
Modi bites the bullet of railway fare; now he must reform the train
Prime Minister Modi has to shake up the railway bureaucracy, which frankly does not care.
After the price shock, PM Modi should now win rail travellers' gratitude
Now Prime Minister Modi has to shake up the railway bureaucracy, which frankly does not care.
Just decontrol diesel – it's only 86 paise short!
Though prices of petrol and diesel were revised several times in small increments, they were never set free.
Here's how oil cos can cut their diesel sale losses from Rs 2.80 to 86p per litre
If oil companies can supply diesel at Rs 44.42 a litre at Indian ports for export, they can also supply it for sale domestically at that price (with adds on for marketing costs, dealers' commission, inland freight and taxes)
India's paranoid economic history: A war room fights phantom imports!
Nobody quite remembers when the WAR ROOM was quietly wound down and abandoned. India's ordinary citizens had fought this economic war on their own. No government artillery was needed.
India's paranoid economic history: The gold story
What our governments did not realise was that you can ban something but you cannot outlaw desire.
India's paranoid economic history: The steel story
Because of the pain it endured, Tisco has become one of the lowest cost producers of steel in the world. It ranks among the top ten companies in the globe with a capacity of 29 million tonnes. India's own steel-making capacity is now 95 million tonnes. Another 15 million tonnes will be installed by next year .
India's paranoid economic history: The steel story
Ironically, steel production began in the private sector in British-ruled India when Tisco was set up by the Tatas in Jamshedpur in 1907. But independent India aborted that incipient revolution.
India's cement industry shows all that is wrong with our economic policy apparatus
Today, India's cement industry has become the second largest producer and exporter in the world. Just imagine if the industry had been decontrolled and properly regulated since the 1950s.
India’s paranoid economic history: The cement story
Draconian controls on the cement industry were first clamped during the Second World War, across distribution channels, purchase prices and quotas for open market sales.
If India wants to create more jobs, we need to get serious about manufacturing
Unfortunately, while there is little political consensus on relaxing labour laws, both the NDA and UPA governments have done little to create it. The ministers heading labour ministries have not been reformers, nor have they been political movers and shakers.
How UPA brought back Big Government: Under Pranab, it was 1980s redux
After a small reversal during the NDA regime, UPA has seen the return of Big Government. This has elbowed private industry, raised inflation and brought down growth
After Deng-isms, some Teddy-isms for our next Prime Minister
Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt was also called the "trust buster", smashing America’s "robber baron" monopolies with ruthless reforms.
Some Deng-isms for our next prime minister
China was an abysmally poor country at the end of Mao’s reign in the 1970s.
Time to wake up from a patriotic lullaby
India’s military machine is being degraded for better sovereign credit ratings.
Compensation for disabled veterans: The one thing Kejriwal got right
There is one “Kejriwal decision” that I deeply admire - the award of Rs 1 cr in compensation for the death of Constable Vinod Kumar while on duty.