-Outlook Defending the recent slew of reforms, Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid today said these steps were necessary to maintain a robust growth rate so that there was no dearth of funds for the social sector. "The UPA government had assumed power in the country with the promise of enabling the people to realise their full potential. To fulfil this promise, it was essential to banish what we call the Inspector Raj...

-PTI NEW DELHI: To protect BPL families from price shocks due to supply constraints, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is likely to consider tomorrow a proposal to relaunch a scheme to supply imported pulses at a highly subsidised rate for next six months. The CCEA may also take up a proposal to extend a scheme for distribution of imported edible oils at subsided rate to BPL families for one more year...

-The Business Standard Skimmed milk powder 'buffer' might raise prices  The government’s proposal that a buffer stock of skimmed milk powder (SMP) be created in order to minimise volatility in milk prices is so unsound a proposition that it should be shelved. The proposal, sent to the inter-ministerial group on inflation by the food ministry, involves keeping a reserve stock of SMP with milk-processing units by offering them a handsome subsidy. The...

-The Hindu In its report on the road map to fiscal consolidation, the three-member committee headed by the former Finance Secretary and 13th Finance Commission Chairman, Vijay L. Kelkar, has suggested a host of “bold reform” measures on ways of slashing the subsidy bill which, it admitted, would result in some short term pain and hardships. The committee’s recommendations also include sale of surplus land with public sector undertakings (PSUs), fast-tracking of...

-The Hindu The government’s claim that it will dampen inflation, bring higher prices for farmers and lower prices for customers may be somewhat exaggerated With the intention of signalling a strong commitment to reforms, the UPA government has announced a hike in the price of diesel and liberalisation of foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, justifying the measures as growth-enhancing and inflation-dampening. They have been termed bold by India’s corporate sector...