-The Economic Times A couple of months ago, the UPA government cleared Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail. It is a politically risky step. But for once, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh showed both spine and spunk biting the bullet. Since then, both Left parties and the BJP have expressed serious reservations over the decision. The general view is that it will affect the lakhs of small, indigenous kirana stores spread across...

-Outlook Aamir Khan not only deviously censored any discussion of Ambedkar and Reservation, but seemed content to use the 1920s language of high-caste reformers This Sunday morning I received a call from a friend who alerted me to the tenth episode of Aamir Khan-anchored Satyamev Jayate since the focus was on caste and untouchability. I mumbled something about his spoiling my Sunday, but tuned in nevertheless. It began with Kaushal Panwar narrating...

Some Dalit businessmen plan to launch a Rs 500 crore venture capital fund — India’s first community-focused fund. The Central government’s new procurement policy will open business opportunities worth Rs 7,000 crore for Dalit and s (ST) entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs are now gearing up to tap this opportunity by launching their own venture capital fund and increasing their production capacities. The proposed Rs 500 crore venture capital fund will be the country’s...

Lack of adequate credit - the lifeblood for any company is threatening to derail fledgling attempts by hundreds of dalit entrepreneurs to overcome deep socio-economic barriers and break into mainstream business.  Without credit, such entrepreneurs would also struggle to cash-in on the Rs 7,000-crore business opportunity opened up by the central government's new dalit-friendly sourcing plan, unveiled last month.  Credit disbursements to dalit entrepreneurs through 20-odd schemes run by the Ministry of...

The massive Dalit conglomeration at Shivaji Park for the 55th death anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar mirrored the pragmatic approach to life with the GenerationNext stressing on economic empowerment. “I am no longer a prisoner of communal and secular politics. What is weighing on my mind is economic empowerment. Even our peers are less nagging and allow us political independence,” said 18-year-old Kishore Gaikwad. Gaikwad and 20 others from Nashik made the...