As policymakers gear up for their biggest battle against inflation, worrying signs about India’s boom-boom growth story emerged. The first warning signal went up today with the government’s statistical office announcing that the index of industrial production (IIP) — the broadest measure of plant and factory performance —had grown by a piffling 2.7 per cent in November against a market consensus of 6.6 per cent. The index stood at 317.9 —its lowest...
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Fear of Freedom by Ruchi Gupta
So why is the UPA hell-bent on killing its unique success story: the NREGA? Here's the inside narrative of the conspiracy. It took 47 days of a protest sit-in at Jaipur to make the state budge(1). It's notable that the objective of this protracted protest was not to coerce the Rajasthan government for an extra share of the state's resources, but to hold the government accountable to the Constitution and its...
More »Plan panel mulls ways to spur Dalit capitalism by Pallavi Singh
The government has begun discussions with Dalit entrepreneurs on what can be done to promote business ventures set up by members of their community. As a part of its discussions with various groups before it finalizes the 12th Plan for 2012-17, the Planning Commission has sought suggestions from the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dicci), a business group, on what can be done to spur Dalit capitalism, how these...
More »NAC won't give up on food security proposals by Smita Gupta
One more effort to make government reconsider objections The Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council (NAC) has decided to stick to its recommendations made on the draft National Food Security Bill at its meeting on October 23 last, though these have been rejected by a government committee led by C. Rangarajan, who heads the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council. The committee was constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to examine the feasibility of...
More »Government's commitment to food security questioned by Gargi Parsai
Right to Food Campaign demands a universal PDS “It is a dishonest proposal of the government” The Right of Food Campaign has charged the Central government with lack of commitment in providing food and nutrition security to citizens with its reported decision to revise the issue prices of wheat and rice for the Above Poverty Line (APL) category of beneficiaries in the Public Distribution System (PDS). “This is the first step to finish...
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