-TheWire.in Were the budget estimates for corporation and income taxes in 2016-17 a good coincidence or were they supposed to have been be qualified with a note? New Delhi: For the first time in at least ten years, the budget estimates (BE) of India’s corporate tax and income tax revenue receipts have exactly matched their corresponding revised estimates (RE) – give or take a couple of decimal points. A key part of every...

-The Indian Express Post-demonetisation, a reversal of the slowdown would require enhanced public spending. It doesn’t appear to be forthcoming. Given the economic uncertainty around the world and the demonetisation-induced domestic downturn in the Indian economy, preparing this year’s Union budget was never going to be an easy task. But the Modi government seems determined to make its task harder. It has managed to generate expectations — that will almost inevitably remain...

-The Hindu The idea of a basic income is not new. The first known suggestion on an unconditional universal basic income for all adults regardless of other income sources was from Thomas More. Centuries later, in 1918, Bertrand Russell discussed a basic income sufficient for necessities as central to the social model combining the advantages of anarchism and socialism that he argued for in Proposed Roads to Freedom. “A certain small...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: In the eleven years between 2004-05 and 2014-15, political parties of all colours, including ones which swore by transparency, got contributions worth more than $1 billion (Rs 6,800 crore) from unknown sources, a study by an independent think tank says. The historic financial `performance' of these parties which raked in more than Rs 11,000 crore in total income (this includes the Rs 6,800 crore) during this...

-The Hindu Association for Democratic Reforms says the income of national parties from unknown sources increased by 313% The total income of national and regional political parties between 2004-05 and 2014-15 stood at Rs. 11,367 crore, with the highest of Rs. 3,982 crore being the Congress’s share. However, 69% of the income of these parties was from unknown sources, according to an analysis done by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The income...