-The Hindu The government’s economic recovery hype is off track and this is not a time for fiscal conservatism Preliminary evidence that India’s economy contracted by 7.5% in the second quarter of financial year 2020-21 was, as news, both good and bad. Good because that figure is far lower than the 23.9% contraction registered in the first quarter of this financial year. Bad because a 7.5% second quarter contraction is high both...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Farmers’ protest questions reform that promotes efficiency of agriculture, not well-being of agriculturists -Pramod Kumar
-The Indian Express No doubt, with these laws, agricultural operations may become more efficient, but they threaten to lead to the marginalisation of the farmers. In other words, agriculture may flourish, but agriculturists could perish. The farmers’ agitation is unique in many ways. One, it is a coming together of 31 ideologically competing organisations. Two, it has successfully purged itself of the influence and interference of the established political parties as reflected...
More »A ‘duet’ for India’s urban women -Jean Drèze
-The Hindu Public works could provide valuable support to the urban poor, especially if women get most of the jobs The COVID-19 crisis has drawn attention to the insecurities that haunt the lives of the urban poor. Generally, they are less insecure than the rural poor, partly because fallback work is easier to find in urban areas — if only pulling a rickshaw or selling snacks. Still, the urban poor are exposed...
More »Centre will not repeal farm laws, will send written proposal on December 9 -Priscilla Jebaraj and Vikas Vasudeva
-The Hindu The sixth round of talks with all farmer unions will not be held on December 9. Union Home Minister Amit Shah told a select group of farmers’ leaders late on Tuesday that the Centre would not repeal the three contentious farm sector laws on a day that saw nationwide road blockades and peaceful protests in support of the demand for a rollback of the legislations. Mr. Shah said the Centre will...
More »A mirage sold as a panacea for the unorganised sector -Mohan Mani and Babu Mathew
-The Hindu The labour codes will only better India’s ‘ease of doing business’ ranking instead of improving conditions of employment In an interview with The Hindu in October this year, the Union Labour Minister claimed that the four labour codes would generate employment and secure the basic rights of the workers. He also claimed that the labour codes seek to universalise the right to minimum wage of workers and social security entitlements....
More »