The news of Modi – government seriously pursuing changing the date of presentation of Union Budget from the last day of February [a practice continued from the British era] to last day of January is music to the ears of every one who has lived with the pains and nuances of the extant dispensation. The last time India de-linked from the vestiges of colonial raj [though that was more symbolic] was also under NDA – government then led by Vajpayee. In 2000, it switched over to presenting the budget at 11 AM instead of customary 5 PM on last day of February [a follow-up to presentation of British budget earlier in the day]. Reform is in DNA of NDA Such...
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Category: Planning & development
Free basics – a ploy to dominate web space
A likely recommendation of Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of India [TRAI] rejecting differential pricing for data services and zero rating – a practice where internet service providers [ISPs] do not charge customers on data for select applications that they use [this was implemented by Airtel last year but forced to abandon following public outcry] – or ‘free basics’ another nomenclature for zero rating [started by Facebook about an year ago under its earlier incarnation Internet.org] has caused much consternation amongst telecom service providers [TSPs] and social networking platforms. In what could ruffle many feathers, Facebook chose the medium of a ‘discussion paper’ floated by TRAI inviting comments from public to launch a high voltage publicity campaign in support of its ‘free...
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Economic policies – NDA versus UPA
Some time back, Arun Shourie a senior minister in the then NDA [National Democratic Alliance] government under Vajpayee [1998-2004] and erstwhile member of BJP observed that the economic policies being followed by Modi – government are just a continuation of UPA [United Progressive Alliance] plus the “cow’ [a euphemistic reference to sacred animal worshiped by majority Hindu community in India]. Shourie’s view is shared by many thinkers. UPA – dispensation II [2009-2014] had pushed the country towards economic paralysis with all key indicators i.e. growth [manufacturing in particular], inflation, fiscal deficit, current account deficit [CAD], foreign exchange reserves and infrastructure etc showing dismal trend. In this backdrop and since, Modi is also following the same policies, they aver that outcomes...
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MUDRA Yojna – boost to ‘inclusive’ growth
About 16 months ago, people of India gave a massive mandate to prime minister N Modi on two major planks viz., (i) eliminating the scourge of corruption and (ii) fulfilling the aspirations of a mammoth 800 million people below 35 years. From the day one of taking charge, he has been working relentlessly to deliver on both the promises. For the first, he is cleaning up the governance systems whereas for second, he has fired all cylinders to propel “inclusive” development. The flagship “Make in India” mission started by Modi last year seeks to transform India in to a manufacturing hub of the world and increase the share of manufacturing in GDP [gross domestic product] from present around15% to 25%...
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Stepping on economic independence – Modi’s report card
Commentators across a wide spectrum have felt that prime minister N Modi speech on the 69th Independence Day was stereotyped, lacking in new ideas and did not cover a number of important issues such as foreign relations, relation with neighbouring countries [especially Pakistan], terrorism, internal governance, cooperative federalism, conduct of business in parliament and so on. Some have gone that far to say that the entire 85 minutes address was an extrapolation of his “Mann Ki Baat” [a few have branded this as an exercise in self-adulation]. These are perceptions of all those who for decades have got used to stereotyped addresses from prime ministers who technically though represent the people of India but in their dispositions behave like aliens,...
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Climb-down on Land bill [2015] – blow to development
Nearly 13 months ago on June 26, 2014, central government had convened a meeting of all state chief ministers where almost all of them had expressed serious reservations over the “Consent” and “Social Impact Assessment [SIA]” clauses in the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation & Resettlement [LARR] Act passed in 2013. They felt that these two clauses were major stumbling blocs in the way of acquiring land for development and infrastructure projects and pressed for necessary amendment in LARR [2013]. Modi – government which had taken charge only a month back [having got a resounding mandate to deliver on its development agenda] responded positively. It came up with amendments to exempt 5 critical areas viz., defence, rural infrastructure [including electrification], affordable...
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Land bill – legal conundrum
Thus far, Congress and other like minded opposition parties have leveraged the vulnerability of ruling BJP in Rajya Sabha [where the latter is in minority] to stall the land bill brought by Modi – government that seeks to amend the Land Acquisition Act [LAA] [2013] by exempting projects in 5 crucial areas of ‘strategic’ importance like defence or critical to development from “Consent” and “Social Impact Assessment [SIA]” clauses. Faced with a stalemate, in a recent meeting of the NITI [National Institution of Transforming India] Aayog Governing Council [GC], chief ministers of the BJP ruled states proposed that the state governments may enact their own legislation suiting their requirements. The central government concurred this being a pragmatic approach as individual...
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Development on ‘leased’ land – a dangerous idea
Even while the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act [LAA] brought by the then UPA – government in 2013 were being debated, some sections including chief ministers from Congress ruled states had expressed serious concerns over its efficacy in ensuring smooth acquisition of land. After the Act came in to force from January 1, 2014, those apprehensions came true as during the 18 months since then, only a few hundred acres of land has been acquired. Meanwhile, in a meeting convened by Nitin Gadkari [then in charge of rural development ministry] on June 26, 2014, majority of the states and union territories including from Congress ruled states viz., Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Haryana had pressed for deletion of the “consent”...
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Modi’s land bill won’t squeeze agriculture
Ever since the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (RFCTLARRA) or in short Land Acquisition Act (LAA) 2013 – passed by then UPA dispensation – came in to force from January 1, 2014 not even 100 acres of land has been acquired all over the country. Indeed, in mid-2014 majority of chief ministers (CMs) including from Congress ruled states had during consultations initiated by Modi – government emphatically stated that it was impossible to acquire land under LAA (2013) and that this was becoming a major stumbling block in the way of development. Sensing the mood and in the true spirit of cooperative federalism – inculcated by hon’ble prime minister in every aspect...
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Land acquisition held hostage to political opportunism
On March 18, 2015, the whole country witnessed an unusual spectacle of a united opposition in the parliament – led by Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi – marching on Raisina Hills towards President’s House. The parliamentarians were going to register their protest with the President, Mr Pranab Mukherjee against the amendments to the ‘Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act’ (herein after referred as Land Acquisition Act, 2013) being made by Modi – government which they allege is “pro-corporate” and “anti-farmer”. This is a serious charge against Modi who was voted to power last year with an absolute majority on the strength of his unflinching commitment to 125 crores people of this country – including...
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