Author: Ram Manohar

The return of the big cat

Source: This post is based on the article “THE RETURN OF THE BIG CAT” published in Live Mint on 23rd Oct 2021. Syllabus: GS3 – Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment. Relevance: Wildlife conservation Synopsis: As India firms up plans to bring in the African cheetah, experts consider the risks of introducing a… Continue reading The return of the big cat

Inflection point for the West-led global order

News: Russia has recently launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The article says, the balance of power is in flux. Now, the future of the West-led global order will be defined by how effectively it responds to the crisis in Ukraine. How Russia is determining the contours of global order? One, Russian troops were preparing… Continue reading Inflection point for the West-led global order

India’s stand on Ukraine is shaped by its national interest

News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin underlined that India will for now stick to a path of strategic ambivalence on the Ukraine crisis. Why India should maintain strategic ambivalence on the Ukraine crisis? All the stakeholders are equally important for India. For instance, Russia remains India’s biggest and time-tested… Continue reading India’s stand on Ukraine is shaped by its national interest

The perfect storm: On Russia’s Ukraine gambit

News: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and possible sanctions by the US will impact India adversely. What is the impact on the Indian economy? This could deter Indian interests, be it in terms of trade financing, investment flows, and even banking transfers. Visible impacts Oil prices surged to an eight-year high of around $105 a barrel.… Continue reading The perfect storm: On Russia’s Ukraine gambit

Russia-Ukraine crisis underscores lack of integrated energy policy in India

News: The conflict between Russia and the Western powers over Ukraine will have adverse impacts on India’s energy security. The crisis is a wake-up call for India to address its energy policies in totality, by energy price reforms, prioritizing resources to sectors, such as energy storage, and stopping vote banks from hijacking fuel pricing. Why… Continue reading Russia-Ukraine crisis underscores lack of integrated energy policy in India

The Russia effect: Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has bleak implications diplomatically & economically. India won’t escape them

News: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and possible sanctions by the US will impact India adversely. What are the probable adverse impacts on other countries? Implications for Europe: If the US supports Ukrainian resistance groups, Europe will see a conflict that can drag out for months, or more, with all kinds of possible consequences. Implications for… Continue reading The Russia effect: Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has bleak implications diplomatically & economically. India won’t escape them

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is marked by a big Chinese failure

News: Russia invades Ukraine. The author of this article argues that the war in Ukraine is a failure of Xi Jinping’s foreign policy, and a big setback for China’s geopolitical ambitions. Putin has cleverly dragged Xi Jinping into a position that the Chinese president surely did not desire. The author has enumerated the following reasons… Continue reading Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is marked by a big Chinese failure

A roadmap for India’s natural farming ambitions

News: In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to natural, chemical-free, organic, and zero-budget farming. On the lines to develop chemical-free farming, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, has been given a larger allocation of Rs 10,433 crore. In this context, eight suggestions are given by experts to scale up chemical-free farming.… Continue reading A roadmap for India’s natural farming ambitions

New Delhi’s stance on Europe’s crisis is just about right

News: At the Munich Security Conference recently, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar was asked why India keeps pointing fingers at China’s violation of the sovereignty of smaller states while not condemning Russia’s incursions into Ukraine. Western officials have sought to rope India in as part of a unified worldwide opposition to Russia’s incursions into Ukraine. But… Continue reading New Delhi’s stance on Europe’s crisis is just about right

Flashpoint Ukraine

News: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and possible sanctions by US will impact India adversely. What are the probable adverse impacts on India? Inflationary impact: the significant upward pressures on oil prices, exacerbated by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ recent unwillingness to raise output. It will accentuate inflationary impulses and increase risks for the… Continue reading Flashpoint Ukraine

Is the time right for India to get a third aircraft carrier?

News: The idea of buying a third aircraft carrier may have to be delayed due to the current economic situation. There is a broad consensus in the strategic community on the Indian Navy having two aircraft carriers, one for each of the two seaboards. There also exists a broad consensus on acquiring the third carrier… Continue reading Is the time right for India to get a third aircraft carrier?

A new measure of inflation is brewing on the horizon

News: A radical shift in paradigm with respect to the calculation of the Consumer price index has recently been initiated in the United Kingdom, by the British journalist, cookbook author, and anti-poverty campaigner, Jack Monroe. The “Vimes Boots Index” as the name of a price index, she planned to document inflation in prices of basic… Continue reading A new measure of inflation is brewing on the horizon

The Tobin funnel and post-covid stimulus withdrawal dilemmas

News: The Government has recently signaled that India will exit its extraordinary fiscal and monetary policies of pandemic times, gradually. Why there is a need to exit the pandemic-induced extraordinary policy? The pandemic has affected all the economies and made the governments spend more. The central banks also injected extra liquidity into financial systems. Such… Continue reading The Tobin funnel and post-covid stimulus withdrawal dilemmas

Amending the FRBM Act

News: The finance ministry has excused itself from providing a projection of its fiscal consolidation plan. What is the issue? In the recent budget, the Union finance ministry committed to reducing the government’s fiscal deficit from 6.9 percent of gross domestic product or GDP in 2021-22 to 6.4 percent in 2022-23. Further, the deficit is… Continue reading Amending the FRBM Act

Trust and Loan – on Central loans to states

News: In the Union budget 2022-23, Finance Minister has provided for Rs. 1 lakh crore in loans to state governments to enable them to increase their capital expenditure. These loans will be interest free and repayable after 50 years. Why such an arrangement raises questions regarding Centre-state fiscal relations? One, the first and foremost issue… Continue reading Trust and Loan – on Central loans to states

Questions on MGNREGA budget estimation

News: The disappointing allocation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the FY 2022-23 budget has created a buzz. Government’s allocation for MGNREGA has been much lower than what State governments ask for and civil society actors had recommended. For instance, The initial allocations in the past two FYs have been just about… Continue reading Questions on MGNREGA budget estimation

Manufacturing exports can gain from India’s empowerment push

News: The recent released Budget 2022-23 carries forward the government’s vision of empowering Indians and enabling economic activity.  This article discusses how manufacturing can help India in empowering people and increase the growth rate. How manufacturing exports can help India’s empowerment push? First, the weakening of manufacturing in many developed nations has caused social divisions… Continue reading Manufacturing exports can gain from India’s empowerment push

Method to the Make-in-India plan: Decoding our import tariff policy

News: According to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Tariff Profile for 2021, India has one of the highest average tariffs of 15% in the Asia-Pacific region. This article discusses the need to align Make-in-India with trade policy. How Make-in-India plan and trade policy is evolving? First, the government wants to boost “Make in India”, reduce… Continue reading Method to the Make-in-India plan: Decoding our import tariff policy

Address the challenges of doing ESG ratings at the onset

News: Recently, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has come out with a paper on how credit-rating agencies (CRAs) should go about ESG exercise. The article says there is need of proper assessment before allowing CRAs to become ESG rating agencies. How Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing is becoming the ‘next big… Continue reading Address the challenges of doing ESG ratings at the onset

Corporate governance is a pot on high-heat again

News: SEBI has recently announced that company boards need not compulsorily split the posts of chairperson and managing director between two individuals. This choice is “voluntary” now. This was a roll-back of a directive issued in 2018. Why this decision of SEBI needs to be analyzed in the context of corporate governance? One, in India… Continue reading Corporate governance is a pot on high-heat again

India’s structural opportunity in a new age of financial repression

News: This article discusses the changes going on in the global monetary system and how India can attract capital in this scenario. How the global monetary system is changing? To handle huge levels of debt, the developed world and China need to inflate away their debts. The developed world has discovered it’s new normal in… Continue reading India’s structural opportunity in a new age of financial repression

On an equal footing

News: The growth potential of India cannot be achieved without giving equal opportunity to every State. This article discusses the deprivation faced by many states and suggests few power sector reforms. How low-income States (LIS) are deprived on many fronts? One, LIS have low accessibility to credit, low investments, low power availability and accessibility, and… Continue reading On an equal footing

The farm deal that needs to be reworked

News: This article discusses the vital issues related to agriculture that the government needs to keep in view while formulating the country’s strategy for future negotiations on agriculture-related matters in various WTO forums. Why AoA of WTO needs to be reviewed? One, Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) under the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its amendments… Continue reading The farm deal that needs to be reworked

Fixing farm insurance

News: Recently, Maharashtra has indicated that it might exit PMFBY because the farmers are dissatisfied with it. What are the issues existing with PMFBY? First, it is the government’s flagship crop insurance scheme. But there are numerous issues even after modifications. Six states have exited from it, while Punjab, a leading agricultural state, never joined… Continue reading Fixing farm insurance

Etching a trade line to bond beyond oil – On India UAE FTA

News: Recently concluded India-UAE free trade agreement will enable two-way investment flows and help achieve ambitious export targets. How the deal is significant for India? First, the UAE has emerged as an important economic hub within the context of the Middle East/West Asia. It will help in sustaining the growth and promote manufacturing. The UAE… Continue reading Etching a trade line to bond beyond oil – On India UAE FTA

Teachers mustn’t be blamed for India’s poor learning outcomes

News:There is need to address the systemic and societal problems that are at the heart of poor learning outcomes. Teacher is expected to be the sole agent of education, gradually she becomes demotivated and become the target of the blame. However, the roots to the problem lie in larger systemic and societal causes. The article… Continue reading Teachers mustn’t be blamed for India’s poor learning outcomes

A Case for Specialists

News: The recent regulatory breaches at the National Stock Exchange is an example of why India needs more regulatory expertise. In this article, the author argues for inclusion of more domain experts in policy making. Why there is need to consider protecting economics from politics and vice versa? One, there was continuity in policy implementation… Continue reading A Case for Specialists

A case for a more federal judiciary

News: The delicate balance between HCs and SC is tilting in favour of the SC. The article discusses the need to balance the power between High Courts and the Supreme Court. Federalism is a midpoint between unitarism, to which the States are subordinate and confederalism wherein the States are supreme and are coordinated by a… Continue reading A case for a more federal judiciary

The importance of caste data

News: Recently, the Supreme Court upheld the 27% quota for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the All-India Quota seats for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test. What does the judgement say? One, the judgement reiterated that reservations for backward classes were not an exception but an extension of the principle of equality under Article 15(1) of the… Continue reading The importance of caste data

The pathology of school closure in India

News: According to a United Nations report, India has become the country with the second longest COVID-19 pandemic-linked school closure in the world. Why Indian schools remain reluctant to reopen? First, misinformation such as ‘the third wave would affect children’ made by influential individuals have scared parents. Second, occasional incidents of children being hospitalised are… Continue reading The pathology of school closure in India

Gaming and banning: On ban on online games

News: Recently, legislative attempts to prohibit online gaming have failed under judicial scrutiny. What was the issue? First, the amendments brought to existing regulations on betting and gambling in Karnataka have been struck down by the State’s High Court. Also, last year, the Madras High Court invalidated similar amendments that targeted online rummy and poker.… Continue reading Gaming and banning: On ban on online games

The Yogi, The CEO & The Lesson – On Algo Scam

News: Recently, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued the final order on the “Algo scam” at the National Stock Exchange (NSE). What is “algo scam” and what has happened? Read more here: https://blog.forumias.com/governance-breakdown/ What does this reveal? One, even if the information shared wasn’t price-sensitive, had nothing to do with trading… Continue reading The Yogi, The CEO & The Lesson – On Algo Scam

The myth of the trickle-down

News: This article says trickle-down is a flawed approach and that’s why Indian policymakers must discover India’s own model of development and shed defunct economic theories. How budget 2022-23 is aligned towards a trickle-down theory? The budget has not announced any populist measure, and taxes on incomes and wealth have not increased. Also, economists believe… Continue reading The myth of the trickle-down

LIC disinvestment: Right and wrong

News: The Government of India (GoI) is disinvesting 5 per cent of the shares of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). However, the GoI will retain control of the company. Why LIC should be privatized rather than disinvested? First, the previous experience shows outcome of disinvestment in public sector banks has not been good… Continue reading LIC disinvestment: Right and wrong

Niti versus Nyaya: When policy provisions deny people justice

News: A recently released paper titled Jailed for Doing Business by Gautam Chikermane of Observer Research Foundation and Rishi Agrawal of Teamlease Regtech has documented the jail provisions faced by Indian entrepreneurs. This article discusses the difference between Niti and Nyaya while discussing the over-regulation in Indian economy. What does the research paper reveal? There… Continue reading Niti versus Nyaya: When policy provisions deny people justice

GST has been a win-win taxation regime for the Centre and states

News: Recently, India’s chief economic advisor claimed that GST had led to a faster increase in revenues for states such as Tamil Nadu than the sales tax, which was collected earlier. How GST is a win-win taxation regime? First, definitions play a key role in comparisons. The definitional issue is important because the state’s own… Continue reading GST has been a win-win taxation regime for the Centre and states

A Blueprint to Revive Farming

News: The recently released Budget 2022-23 has increased the agricultural credit target to Rs 18 lakh crore for 2022-23 from Rs 16.5 lakh crore for the current fiscal, with an allocated subsidy of Rs 20,870 crore. What is the need to increase Agri-credit? First, both the budget speech and the Economic Survey 2021-22 recommended crop… Continue reading A Blueprint to Revive Farming

India’s semiconductor dream

News: Recently, the government has decided to extend the PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) scheme to encourage semiconductor manufacturing in India. Why countries are focusing more on manufacturing of semiconductors? One, the overdependence of the world on East Asia for fab manufacturing, rising price of silicon, China-U.S. trade war and the pandemic has exposed the fragility of… Continue reading India’s semiconductor dream

A dipping graph in occupational safety and health

News: Recently, the Safe in India (SII) released CRUSHED 2021, which shows a grim reality of occupational safety and health in the auto sector. This article says that there is a need for a comprehensive review of labour inspection and the labour statistical system in India, as the Government is in the process of framing… Continue reading A dipping graph in occupational safety and health

Breakthrough in nuclear fusion, and why it is significant

News: Recently Scientists in the Joint European Torus (JET) facility, United Kingdom have said that they have achieved a new milestone in producing energy from nuclear fusion.  Why it is significant?  One, it is major breakthrough because all current nuclear reactors are based on the fission process. In fission process, the nucleus of a heavier… Continue reading Breakthrough in nuclear fusion, and why it is significant

Living up to rocket boys’ dreams

News: The recent series named Rocket Boys on SonyLIV explores the friendship between the two legendary scientists — Homi J. Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai. One is the father of the Indian nuclear programme and the other is the pioneer of India’s space research. This article discusses how far India has succeeded in fulfilling their aspirations. What… Continue reading Living up to rocket boys’ dreams

Big golden mahseer to small kudremukh barb, freshwater fish are richly diverse

News: In this article, Vidhyadhar Atkore while speaking to Times Evoke explained the river biodiversity and threat faced by it due to human interference. He has studied four major river basins, the Malaprabha, Mhadei, Tunga and Bhadra systems in Karnataka. What are some significant findings? One, the free-flowing riverine systems have nearly 50% more endemic… Continue reading Big golden mahseer to small kudremukh barb, freshwater fish are richly diverse

Taking a byte out of cyber threats

News: The cycle of cyber-attacks and the distrust will threaten the foundations of democratic society.  The world was made aware of the threat posed by cyber weapons with the advent of the Stuxnet Worm in 2010. It resulted in damage to Iran’s centrifuge capabilities.  In 2012, a bank of computers belonging to the Saudi Aramco… Continue reading Taking a byte out of cyber threats

Time to end employer criminalisation

News: The recent budget has prioritized Ease of Doing Business (EODB) 2.0. The article says that criminalization of employers has affected productivity of Indian economy, hence there is need to relook the jail provisions and simplify the laws. Why there is need to reconsider employer criminalization? One, the excessive criminalisation of employers has painful consequences… Continue reading Time to end employer criminalisation

An MSP scheme to transform Indian agriculture

News: The article suggests a different way of designing a minimum support price (MSP) to transform Indian agriculture. How the current price stabilization policy for food grains has evolved? The Essential Commodities Act in 1955 was passed to counter price rise due to speculative private trading, and then MSP came in the 1960s. Then, a… Continue reading An MSP scheme to transform Indian agriculture

A change of course on privatisation

News: Recently released India’s Budget 22-23 has signalled that the government will proceed cautiously on privatisation. The article says that the retreat on privatisation is a pragmatic economic policy. Why the Budget has changed the course of privatisation? The Budget has set a modest target for privatisation of Rs 65,000 crore. Also, much of the… Continue reading A change of course on privatisation

Income tax on our rich should’ve been rejigged

News: This article discusses the view of former Reserve Bank of India governor C. Rangarajan on taxation. The article says tax rules should be made easier for better tax collections. India needs direct tax reforms because tax relief is not enough. How the government missed the opportunity to simplify the tax rate? Pandemic has increased… Continue reading Income tax on our rich should’ve been rejigged

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