Cautiously Optimistic

March 1, 2011 | Author: csjpgoa

The Economic Survey 2010-11 is positive on the macroeconomy without glossing over the challenges. The economy’s resilience is seen in its ability to withstand two shocks in quick succession. The ripple effects of the global economic crisis (2007-09) that devastated world growth, trade, and finances have persisted in the form of the European fiscal crisis. On the domestic front, the farm sector that saw a negative growth in 2008-09 was further hit by erratic monsoons, severe drought, and unseasonal rains in two successive years. Despite this, the economy is poised to grow at rates seen during the pre-crisis period. Read more »

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India Launches Major New Study For Valuation Of Its Natural Capital And Ecosystem Services

February 28, 2011 | Author: csjpgoa

The MoEF has initiated a major new programme to value the immense wealth of natural resources and biodiversity in India. Collaborating with The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study, the Ministry has begun the process of valuating its natural capital and ecosystem services in terms of economic value. Read more »

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Survey outlines reform agenda for accelerated growth

February 26, 2011 | Author: csjpgoa

The Economic Survey 2010-11 has advised the government to carry out nearly a dozen reforms pertaining to various sectors of the economy and stressed that action in this regard would be necessary to achieve the 9 per cent GDP (gross domestic product) expansion projected for 2011-12 and further acceleration in economic growth in the years to come. Read more »

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Survey Projects 9% Growth Next Fiscal

February 26, 2011 | Author: csjpgoa

Barring inflation which continues to remain the government’s “priority” concern, the Economic Survey 2010-11 on Friday painted quite a rosy macroeconomic scenario projecting a robust GDP (gross domestic product) expansion of nine per cent (+/- 0.25%) next fiscal — reverting to the pre-global crisis growth levels even in the wake of downside risks emerging from the current spike in oil prices owing to turmoil in the Arab world. Read more »

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The ABC Of The 2G Scam

February 25, 2011 | Author: csjpgoa

THE INCREDIBLY fast expansion of mobile telecommunications in India has been accompanied by a series of scandals that are a consequence of poor regulatory oversight and deliberate manipulation of policies to favour a select clutch of companies. The biggest and most brazen of these scandals relate to the undervaluation of a valuable national resource — electromagnetic spectrum or radio frequencies used by mobile phone service providers — by the Department of Tele – communications (DoT) under former Minister for Communications and Information Technology A Raja. Read more »

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Rehabilitation Before Displacement

February 24, 2011 | Author: csjpgoa

Although the 2007 National Policy for Rehabilitation and Resettlement lays down the principle of ‘minimising displacement’ there have been no visible attempts to implement it. The policy fails to examine the process of displacement, which is taken for granted. The draft makes no attempt to question the need for displacement in the first place, or to seek out and actively promote non-displacing or least-displacing alternatives Read more »

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Paying The price for someone else’s Displacement

February 24, 2011 | Author: csjpgoa

Rough estimates point to 60 million displaced persons and project-affected persons in India. That’s four times the estimated 15 million refugees exchanged between India and the two wings of Pakistan at the time of Partition. The majority of the development-displaced are tribals and landless dalits who live on or off common property resources. And scarcely 20% have been rehabilitated.

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