In planning, pursuit of profit was not seen as being in the social interest in the post-Independence years, but now profit is the sole motive. FOR two decades now the Government of India has pursued a policy of accelerated liberalisation, dismantling controls, diluting regulations and making the state a facilitator of private investment. It is not that the presence of the state has diminished during this period, but that its role...

The basic problem with the Approach Paper, as with its predecessor, is that its theoretical paradigm is wrong. WHAT used to be said of the Bourbon kings of France applies equally to the Indian Planning Commission: “They learn nothing and they forget nothing.” The Approach Paper to the Twelfth Five-Year Plan gives one a sense of déjà vu. It is hardly any different from the Approach Paper to the previous Plan...

Accuses the government of creating ‘false propaganda' that he gave up fast because of some "favourite ministers" Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare has taken on the government yet again; this time through his blog. The activist, in his first blog entry, has accused the government of creating ‘false propaganda' that he gave up his fast because of some “favorite ministers.” “I came to understand some government agents tried to propagate and create an...

Drawing a cartoon of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Madhya Pradesh, another Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled State, proved too costly for the cartoonist of leading Indore-based eveninger Prabhat Kiran. He landed behind bars for his “crime.” Harish Yadav (39) was arrested under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) for a cartoon...

The government of India's Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY)a¦ is now internationally recognised for its innovative approach to harnessing information technology to reach the poor, says the World Bank in the context of the smart card-based cashless health insurance scheme. The RSBY has now been picked up by UNDP as one of the 19 schemes worldwide for its publication, Sharing Innovative Experience: Social Protection Floor Success Stories. About 20 million...