-The Business Standard The sorry implications of the LPG price rollback  Following the government’s decision to increase the price of diesel and introduce a cap on the number of subsidised gas cylinders available for household use in September, there was a reasonable amount of hope that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had learned some lessons. First, that it was essential to reduce the fuel subsidy bill, the most obvious component of the...

-The Times of India Congress will hold a massive rally on Sunday to defend its decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail, in what will showcase government's new assertiveness on reforms and the backing extended by the Congress brass in the face of populist criticism that giant retailers will harm farmers' interests and pop and mom stores. The party has, especially its units in Delhi and neighbouring Haryana, have pulled out all...

-The Times of India Within hours of raising cooking gas prices, the government late on Thursday asked oil marketing companies to put on hold the Rs 26.50 hike, calling into question the seriousness of the deregulation plan and casting a doubt over the UPA's commitment to fiscal reforms. The U-turn came after a volley of protests by the opposition and days before Himachal Pradesh goes to polls, with Gujarat elections to follow....

-The Economic Times There is a ray of hope for consumers facing difficulties in getting timely delivery of cooking gas cylinders as the oil ministry may increase the supply of subsidised LPG cylinders and iron out glitches in the supply system to calm tempers ahead of crucial assembly elections. The new oil minister, M Veerappa Moily, discussed the matter with top executives of state oil firms and senior bureaucrats on Tuesday, government...

-The New York Times Blog The strength and direction of the Indian economy may be up for debate, but one remarkable fact is not: There has been massive growth in the number and wealth of billionaires in India since the economic liberalization measures in 1991. The phenomenon has often been compared to the United States’ experience in the latter part of the 19th century. This was a period evocatively described by Mark...