-Hindustan Times Traditionally, Union budgets have mattered for people at large because of two reasons: prices of goods and income Tax rates.There is some merit in the argument that inflation is a bigger dampener on economic sentiment in India than low growth rates There is some merit in the argument that inflation is a bigger dampener on economic sentiment in India than low growth rates. Traditionally, Union budgets have mattered for people...

-The Telegraph At the GST Council meeting in September it was decided to correct the inverted duty structure for textiles and footwear The GST Council on Friday decided to defer the hike in textile duty to 12 per cent from 5 per cent that was due to take effect from January 1 and referred the matter for review to the group of ministers on rate rationalisation. The panel, the highest decision-making body for...

-National Herald Hindi films have rarely had songs on inflation. But of the few that have, the 1974 flick Roti, Kapda aur Makaan and the 2010 release Peepli Live stand out. Roti, Kapda aur Makaan had the superhit song …bhaaki kuch bachcha to mehangai maar gayi (…whatever was left, inflation took it away). The Peepli Live song went like this, …sakhi saiyan to khub hi kamaat hain, mehangayi daiyan khaaye jaat hai (O,...

-TheWire.in A claim of an 8.4% real GDP growth rate has little relevance even as rural India battles plummeting wage levels, depleted incomes and widespread unemployment. With the release of the GDP figures for the quarter ending September, the government machinery has been in full swing advancing the narrative that economic growth is indeed back on track. However, sorely missing from these narratives is the inconvenient factoid on the currently dismal state of...

One is almost certain to hear this from an economist that if something is available at free of cost or at a subsidised rate thanks to government intervention, then people tend to overuse or overconsume such goods/ commodities. So, the best solution is to create a market for such 'almost freely available' or 'highly subsidised' goods or commodities. Once people start paying to use or consume such goods/ commodities, they...