-Hindustan Times The note, which has been reviewed by HT, paints a grim picture of the global economy going forward, does not rule out something like the Great Depression of the 1930s, and sees a rise in poverty, unemployment and debt. The Covid-19 pandemic will transform the global economic order for worse, with a “market subverting” China emerging as the alternative pole to the US, says a background note of the Niti...

-Hindustan Times Floods, cyclones, colder winter, unexpected rains, India has seen them all. 2020 has been strange and difficult in so many ways that it seems almost criminal to add one more to the mix — the weather. Floods, cyclones, colder winter, unexpected rains, India has seen them all. High rainfall at a time when rainfall is declining India received a total of 1,286.6mm rainfall until December 27 this year. This is the ninth...

-Hindustan Times The anti-CAA protests, the defiance of migrants, and now the farmers’ stir show that the everyday practice of democracy is a powerful corrective in the face of arbitrary and unilateral State decisions Three events defined India’s political landscape in 2020. The protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the migrant labour crisis that unfolded as workers defied lockdown orders and asserted their rights, choosing to walk home in the face...

-Hindustan Times Its absence make farmers less receptive to pro-market reforms which add to income uncertainty At the heart of the debate on farm laws is the issue of the level of farm incomes. Income volatility is a key dimension important for farmers’ welfare, understanding their anxieties, and the success of a pro-market reform. The two main risks associated with farming are production risks and price risks. While production-related risks that come...

-Hindustan Times Despite enhanced commitments across spheres, the government has spent less this year than it did last year Typically, when a crisis hits, the expectation is that the Centre — which has more revenue-raising abilities than states — will take the lead in preparing a fiscal road map, loosen its purse strings and raise expenditure significantly. The Covid-19 pandemic is unprecedented in its scale and impact. But this is also when...