-The Indian Express The Union budget should focus on enhancing credit flows to the small and marginal farmers, increase investment in health and education. The first advance estimates of GDP for 2020-21 are much better than the earlier market consensus and shows the inherent strengths of the Indian economy. The economy is expected to contract by 7.7 per cent implying a COVID-19 induced loss of Rs 9.61 lakh crore in real terms...

-Livemint.com/ PTI * 'Despite being the worst affected sector in Q1(due to lockdown), it is quite puzzling how manufacturing turned itself around in Q2,' says Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Group Chief Economic Adviser, SBI * There is evidence of inventory buildup that could act as a drag on future manufacturing growth, says Ghosh New Delhi: The surprise resilience shown by the manufacturing sector that restricted GDP contraction to only 7.5 per cent in September...

-Hindustan Times Paharganj, once a bustling, thriving market whose entire economy depends on foreign tourists, is a microcosm of the devastation caused by the ongoing coronavirus crisis in the capital’s tourism sector. Satyam Bhatnagar runs a handicrafts shop in Paharganj’s main bazar, a backpackers’ paradise that boasts of hundreds of touristy establishments such as money changers, Hotels, rooftop restaurants, tour operators, and handicrafts shops selling a range of stone and wood sculptures,...

-Vikalp.ind.in The sharp contraction of India’s GDP in 20-21 Q1 (April-June) of 23.9 per cent according to the quarterly estimates released by the National Statistical Organisation is a summary measure that need to be deconstructed to capture the ailing state of the Indian economy. The three sectors that suffered bigger contraction are respectively construction (-50.3%), trade Hotels and restaurants (-47%) and manufacturing (-39.3%). Notably these are also the sectors that provided...

-Press release by Working Peoples' Charter dated 21st September, 2020 Amidst the micro and macro-economic crisis of the last 5 years, the union government has aggressively pushed the agenda of labour law reforms -- purportedly to simplify India’s ‘complex’ labour legislations, improve the business environment, and augment growth and employment. These changes, driven primarily by the business fraternity, have been aimed at improving India’s ranking in the ‘Ease of Doing Business’...