Without policy efforts to deal specifically with issues such as reduced incomes and unemployment, the global economic crisis will be far from over. FOR most economic commentators, 2010 begins on an optimistic note. Just a year ago, there was much gloom about the world economy. The worst financial crisis since the Great Depression had broken out in full fury; asset markets in the United States, Europe and then most developing...

The Centre on Monday partially blamed the ban imposed by the Uttar Pradesh government on processing of raw sugar for the sudden spurt in the sugar price, which had touched Rs. 50 a kg in Delhi markets, but could not say when the situation would ease. Speaking to journalists here, Union Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said imported raw sugar was lying at the Kandla port for the last...

Packaged sugar now costs Rs 46 a kilogram in the retail market and there are no signs of prices levelling off. With loose sugar also costing Rs 43-44 a kg, the poly-packed product is inexorably moving towards the Rs 50 a kg mark, with the government appearing helpless in containing the spiralling prices. The steady rise in sugar prices since the second half of last year is a consequence of...

The national biofuel policy announced by the government last week is well-intentioned but is not really practical. It aims for achieving a 20 per cent blending of biofuels with petrol as well as diesel by 2017. Given that even the 5 per cent ethanol doping target — raised to 10 per cent last October — is yet to be achieved makes the target quite unachievable. The sugar industry, which is...

We live in the age of institutionalised corruption. From politicians to judges, from senior bureaucrats to policemen, from corporate tycoons to petty officials, everyone it seems has a price. As journalists, our profession demands that we enquire, interrogate and expose corruption. So, when a Madhu Koda is jailed we rejoice that the law has caught up with a former chief minister. When allegations against a judge lead to impeachment, we...