Breaking Views News - Page 13

Choo mantar: cheap food disappears below poverty line

NAC wants some APL families to also get subsidised food. But guess what? They may already by getting it since 21.5 percent of the grains meant for BPL households actually accrue to APL folks.

China throws big money to defuse a debt 'time-bomb'

Why this is a big deal, even if it shows up only the tip of the iceberg.

Maruti strike: 'Union will be independent, we won't give up'

Five years ago, this belt was barren. In just a couple of years, it has sprouted factories. That is the ground where trade unions operate. It is a constituency that is tempting for them.

Indian economy is caught in the classic wage-price spiral

The government is planning to raise food support prices, and rural and urban wages are rising. This means as wages and prices chase one another, the only alternative is to slow down the economy drastically.

Inflation has eaten up half the returns on the Sensex

Rising inflation in 2010-11 has not only seriously diluted returns on the Sensex, it has also negatively impacted an already lopsided performance of the 30 individual Sensex stocks.

How India can emerge a winner in this 'supercycle'

India induces great despair on a daily basis with its many failings. But the long view is rather more hope-inducing. Cheers!

'Incredible India' slips to 68th position in tourism survey

In terms of the number of world heritage sites, India ranks 7th in the world. Yet, in the global travel & tourism competitiveness index, it ranks 68th among 139 countries surveyed by the World Economic Forum.

Dollar is in the driver's seat; crude and silver on the skids

The recent dollar uptrend is far from over, which should put commodity bulls on notice. Next week investors must wait for a correction in the dollar index to the 74.50 level before going long.

Ideal candidate to head IMF: An Eastern economic visionary

The IMF needs to reinvent the game, not provide 'jobs for the boys'. It needs someone who transcends politics and lays out the economics of the new global order.

Hindu population set to fall below 80 percent in Census 2011

In keeping with the long-term trend of the Hindu population declining consistently over the past 100 years, Census 2011 will likely see the Hindu population drop below 80 percent. Higher child mortality among Hindus and relative longevity among Muslims are also contributory causes.

Yes, we can! Let's make Subbarao the IMF chief

A headless IMF would vastly benefit from the services of our man at the RBI.

Why the Buddha never smiled

As we mark the 13th anniversary of Operation Shakti, in which India conducted five nuclear test explosions, and the 37th anniversary of Smiling Buddha, when Indira's India first went nuclear with a test explosion at Pokharan, we find ourselves in the gutter with a bloody nose and several stinking questions.

Kill the girl child, let the woman live

Even as India continues to kill off its girl children even before they are born, those that are born tend to live longer.

Time to let rupee rise as exports add to strength

The debate on whether a stronger rupee serves India better needs to be revived. Businesses want a weaker rupee to help exports, but the export sector is developing resilience. Ambedkar's view that a stronger rupee will help the poor is now worth considering.

Kashmir's killing fields are also in the womb

Kashmiris are doing much of the killing themselves - in the womb. The state tops the list of those reporting a dramatic increase in female foeticide.

FBI case against Rajat Gupta is not as solid as it looks

Is the case against Rajat Gupta all that strong? The only evidence against him is through wiretaps - which were authorised for dealing with organised crime and not white collar crimes.

Rajat Gupta to surrender in Wall St insider trading case

Gupta, who rose from a lower-middle-class home in Kolkata to head McKinsey, faces criminal charges in Wall Street's biggest insider trading case.

Judge Saini raps govt, corporates and delivers 2G bombshell

CBI Judge OP Saini set the trial date as November 11. In a 700-page plus order, the CBI court charged former Telecom minister A Raja, Kanimozhi and former telecom officials with criminal breach of trust that could amount to life imprisonment.

India needs 100 Lavasas, but we'll crucify all who say so

India is urbanising at a rate where we will need 15 new cities every year for the next 20 years. Despite some illegalities, Lavasa is a pilot project to learn from.

The house that Ambani built... but refuses to call home

When Mukesh Ambani built his 27-storey mansion in Mumbai, critics carped about how he could live in such brazen splendour surrounded by so much poverty. Well, it turns out that a year after his grand housewarming party the tycoon doesn't actually live in Antilia. He just serves canapes there.