Fact vs fiction about advantages and strengths can be quite jarring for India
By R.N. Bhaskar
India makes tall claims. However, a look at hard numbers shows how it has spurned natural advantages that it had. The country cannot prosper if...
China develops Africa both as Plan B for itself and for the world
RN Bhaskar
The future of the world will lie in making Africa grow. That is what China has been doing all along. That is what India should be...
India and China warm up to each other. Russia could be the marriage-maker
RN Bhaskar
The last two months have been turbulent for India. In a way, this is a microcosm of what the world has witnessed during the past two...
The govt continues to push other types of Census, but nor for its human population
RN Bhaskar
On 24 JUN 2024, the government announced (https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2028221) that it would soon begin work on the 21st Livestock Census. The Livestock Census is conducted...
The case of the missing ecommerce regulator
By R N Bhaskar
It was in 2010 that the concept of an ecommerce regulator was hinted at, which then became a clamour. The reasons were both logical and understandable. Ever since the announcement...
Megaphones extolling India’s economy are not in sync with ground realities
By RN Bhaskar
At one level, India’s economy appears to be in good health. That is, if one believes all the things that are being spouted by the government.
At another...
Government norms for ranking vocational institutes are shortsighted, even harmful
By RN Bhaskar
Ever since the Union Budget got announced barely a month ago, there has been a lot of buzz around the offices of the Directorate General for Vocational Education. ...
Mumbai’s traffic police has huge gaps in its service delivery
RN Bhaskar
Mumbai has a glorious record of having an efficient police force. But, over the years, the starch in the upright image of the force is getting crumpled. Even past...
The India infrastructure hype
RN Bhaskar
Last week, the government announced that it would be embarking on another large investment outlay for infrastructure. As a media report (https://indianexpress.com/article/india/govts-big-infra-push-nod-to-road-projects-worth-rs-50655-crore-9491780/) put it, “In a big push to infrastructure spending, the Union government Friday...
India’s Budget 2024 and Economic Survey suggest trouble ahead
By RN Bhaskar
The Economic Survey was tabled before the Parliament on Monday 22 July 2024. The next day, the finance minister tabled her Budget proposals. If one goes by the hype...
