https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/the-folly-of-banning-futures-trading-in-commodities
A primer for policymakers on commodities trading
RN Bhaskar
The government never tires of telling people that it wants to empower farmers. It says it wants to empower commodities trading in futures, and commodity exchanges.
This was the claim made by earlier...
https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/opinion-rural-markets-will-decide-indias-revival
Government policies have hurt India's rural economy
RN Bhaskar
Rural markets are in a froth. Another farm agitation appears to be brewing (https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/why-a-farmers-agitation-2-0-begins-to-roll-out-in-delhi-11097951.html). It could be messier than the first (https://asiaconverge.com/2020/12/farmer-agitations-fueled-by-corruption-politics-and-power/).
And the reasons are not hard to find. The gaps between...
https://www.freepressjournal.in/business/indias-economy-hurry-hide-those-blemishes-writes-rn-bhaskar
Indian economy -- Out damned spot!
RN Bhaskar
Last week was full of chest thumping for India as it hosted the G20 Summit in Mumbai. The city did everything to make itself look prettier than it is. Slums were hidden from...
https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/policy-watch-slums-i-there-is-big-danger-ahead-pandemic-and-the-possibility-of-mass-extermination
Slums-1
Pandemics and mass extermination are dangers for India
This article is the first of a three-part series on slums, cities, and economic growth.
RN Bhaskar
The clock’s ticking has become more ominous than ever before. The silent cries of the dying,...
https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/making-the-poor-even-poorer
Making the poor even poorer
RN Bhaskar
On Independence Day came the news that the finance minister planned to soon review the exemption-free new tax regime with a view to making it more attractive for individual income taxpayers, sources said. Eventually,...
Turmeric gets a shot in the arm
RN Bhaskar
Turmeric farmers should see better prices both in domestic and export markets soon. This is because of the efforts of the government’s KVKs (Krishi Vigyan Kendras) and NCDEX (which funded the setting...
https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/india-contaminates-its-demography
Great opportunity; bad demography
RN Bhaskar
In a brilliant paper by Morgen Housel (Three Big Things: The Most Important Forces Changing The World by, 31 August 2022 -- https://collabfund.com/blog/three-big-things-the-most-important-forces-shaping-the-world/) one comes to learn, indirectly of course, how India has contaminated its...
India exim: Cut the hype. India is bleeding
RN Bhaskar
Politicians love to focus on their achievements, but remain silent about their shortcomings. This is also true of India’s recently announced Foreign Trade Policy for 2023 (https://www.business-standard.com/economy/news/govt-releases-foreign-trade-policy-2023-eyes-2-trn-export-target-by-2030-123033100329_1.html). The policy itself is...
https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/policy-watch-slums-2-how-slums-distort-normal-economics-in-india
Slums 2
Great scheme for politicians and graft-seekers
RN Bhaskar
Anyone who has seen pictures of the large-scale deaths in slums caused in the Bhopal gas tragedy (https://www.indiatoday.in/india/photo/bhopal-gas-tragedy-in-pics-363786-2010-06-08) knows what an irresponsible approach towards human settlements can do. On the night of...
https://www.freepressjournal.in/analysis/the-g7-wants-to-ban-russian-gold-hah
So is it the turn of gold markets now?
RN Bhaskar
Are the G7 countries doing what India describes through an adage? “Vinashakale vipreet buddhi” is a saying which – loosely translated -- means “During the time of destruction, man takes...
