-The Hindu   The urban future depends on making cities intelligent, and that applies equally to both new and old parts of the city Smart cities, the flagship project of the Bharatiya Janata Party's urban vision, have received a firm financial allocation in the Union budget. The government has provided Rs.7,060 crore to build 100 smart cities as satellite towns on the outskirts of large cities to accommodate the burgeoning urban population. Foreign...

-The Indian Express Modi government's potato policy will prove counter-productive. Onions and potatoes take centre-stage again. Having secured a mandate based on people's unhappiness with continuously high and painful food inflation, the government's inability to control prices is, understandably, sending shivers down the BJP's spine. Fulfilling the aspirations of urban voters and winning over a thoroughly exacting Delhi electorate, where re-elections are due, are essential to the BJP's game plan to succeed....

-The Indian Express Despite the bureaucratic mindset, there are also tremendous positive effects. As speculation mounts by the day that the Modi government is thinking of winding up the Planning Commission, this is an opportune moment to reflect on the relevance of the institution in the context of a rapidly changing Indian economy and society. One way of classifying institutions is in terms of the balance between their potential positive power (PPP) and...

-The Hindustan Times   Three NDA ministries are trying to pull the UPA's signature project, Aadhaar, in different directions, threatening to further slow down the plan to give all residents a unique identity number (UID). Sources told HT that three ministries - home, planning and information technology - were preparing to move the cabinet with their own plans for Aadhaar launched by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani. Aadhaar numbers have already been generated for 640...

-The Business Standard The confusion over Aadhaar's future has deepened and, to be resolved, will require ministerial intervention through the next week The turf battle over Aadhaar continues under the National Democratic Alliance government, too. Three ministries have prepared separate Cabinet notes, chartering contradictory courses for the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Consequently, the confusion over Aadhaar's future has deepened and, to be resolved, will require ministerial intervention through the next week. The...