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THE HINDU

8 Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Editorial Delhi

A dark message to Delhi from Kangla Fort


I
n what could have been an anti­climax to a militants across the divide, continue to be a key as it strikes at the very root of the legitimacy of
melodramatic Shumang Leela act (a structural cause of this violence. the Indian state.
Economic encomium traditional form of theatre in Manipur), 38
Meitei legislators took a six­point public An abandonment of constitutional duty Dangers of a radical agenda
A glowing 10­year report card oath­taking at the Kangla Fort, Imphal, on Given the extensive reports of Arambais being The fact that this event was organised to convey a
January 24. Unlike the four­generic resolutions involved in violent attacks against several strong political message to New Delhi is clear as it
must not stoke complacency passed by the State Assembly, and reportedly Kham Khan Suan Kuki­Zomi­Hmar villages, the legislators’ decision happened within days of backroom attempts by a

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head of the Interim Budget for 2024­25 on endorsed by 34­odd State legislators (this Hausing to publicly partake in the Arambais agenda only three­member team of the Union Ministry of
Thursday, the Finance Ministry’s 10­year included a Meitei Pangal and five Nagas) three is Professor and reinforces the partisan image and the role of the Home Affairs (headed by A.K. Mishra, a retired
review of the economy with some for­ days earlier, the six­points oath (later endorsed by former Head, Meitei legislators in Manipur’s violence. There police officer and an interlocutor with
ward outlook, serves as a proxy to the annual the Chief Minister of Manipur, N. Biren Singh) Department of may have been applause following the Arambai Kuki­Zomi­Hmar SoO groups in Manipur), to
Economic Survey. The review signals GDP will made explicit its communal overtones by Political Science, Tenggol’s triumphant shout of ‘Manipur na yai persuade the Arambai Tenggol to either cancel or
grow close to 7% in 2024­25, with scope to go castigating the ‘Kuki’ for unilaterally fomenting University of phare (Manipur has done well’) in Kangla as they postpone the event. In its ambition to upstage the
‘well above’ 7% by 2030. From about $3.7 trillion violence since May 3. Hyderabad, and also retreated to their camps in motor cavalcades after 38­odd Meitei legislators (plus the Chief Minister
this year, India’s economy will expand to $5 tril­ Senior Fellow, Centre this event, but far from securing the interests of who later signed the pledge) as the bearers of
lion in three years, making it the world’s third lar­ Everything other than disarmament for Multilevel the Meiteis and protecting Manipur’s territorial democratic legitimacy, the Arambai Tenggol and
gest, and could hit the $7 trillion dollar mark by Federalism, Institute
The six­points oath called upon the Centre to do integrity, there are signs of a sense of insecurity. If this oath reinforced the communal and partisan
of Social Sciences,
2030, it reckons. Splicing India’s growth story in­ the following: abrogate the tripartite Suspension one is to go by the hostile responses on social agenda/interest of large segments of Meitei
New Delhi
to two phases — 1950­2014, and a ‘decade of of Agreement (SoO) that it signed with the State media, this event has also sharpened the non­state actors and their legislators in targeting
transformative growth’ since 2014 — the review and Kuki­Zomi­Hmar militants since 2008; emotional, demographic and territorial divide the ‘Kuki’ as the problematic ‘other’.
stresses that the state of the economy was ‘far implement the National Register of Citizens but between the Kuki­Zomi­Hmar and Meitei. Although the Arambai Tenggol is largely seen
from encouraging’ when Prime Minister Naren­ using 1951 as the base year; construct a The immediate fallout of this was evident as a private militia (started and sustained under
dra Modi ‘assumed power’. Growth was hobbled border­fence across the India­Myanmar border; during the event as three legislators, who the patronage of Leisemba Sanajaoba, the titular
by structural constraints such as tardy decision­ replace the Assam Rifles with other central included Meghachandra, the President of king of Manipur, and the powers­that­be), it also
making, ill­targeted subsidies and a large infor­ paramilitary forces; delete ‘Kuki’ from the Congress Pradesh Committee, were physically represents a calibrated organisational attempt to
mal sector, while inflation was unpalatably high. Scheduled Tribe list, and relocate ‘Kuki refugees’ assaulted by the Arambais for attributing the revive Meitei indigenous culture, tradition and
Post­2014 reforms have restored the economy’s in Manipur to Mizoram. violence to misrule by the Bharatiya Janata Party religion (Sanamahi). Much like the radicalisation
ability to grow healthily with “longer and stron­ If these were implemented, they would not in the State. The muzzling of dissent and violent of youths in Punjab in the 1980s under
ger” economic and financial cycles, and made In­ only further expose the vulnerability of the intolerance stems from this. That the Arambai Bhindranwale’s Damdami Taksal, the Arambai
dia the fastest growing G­20 nation, it argues. The Kuki­Zomi­Hmar groups but would also Tenggol brooks no dissent and might unleash Tenggol has succeeded in reorienting many
5606fece-d2fd-4255-885c-3b970201c076

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review asserts that India’s 7% growth when the effectively erase their long­standing protective terror was also evident when its cadres unemployed Meitei youth to the cause of a
world is growing 2%, is ‘qualitatively superior’ to discrimination benefits. vandalised the residences of human rights activist sovereign Kangleipak under the veneer of
8%­9% achieved when the global economy grows In hindsight, had the above points been played Babloo Loitangbam and a retired police official, reviving Meitei’s fast­vanishing indigenous
4%, perhaps, hinting at a few years of the UPA as themes of a Shumang Leela act to showcase Thounaojam Brinda, when they implicated the religion, traditions and cultures such as
era. This is debatable as India’s economy is gener­ what could have transpired in the real world, Arambai Tenggol for its role in this cycle of traditional martial arts that focus on the use of
ally delinked from the world with domestic activ­ patrons of Shumang Leela would have been violence. sword, and a horse­mount dart as a weapon. In
ity driving growth more than exports. sorely disappointed by the inversion of its By giving in to the diktat of the Arambai doing so, the Arambai Tenggol has galvanised
Now that the twin­balance sheet problem in­ conventional themes, wherein brotherhood, Tenggol and Korounganba Khuman, its popular interest and support in quick time.
herited from the UPA days has turned into an ‘ad­ tolerance and justice, among others, are commander­in­chief (out of fear of being labelled However, given that it operates in an insurgent
vantage’, as the review stresses, it must translate sacrificed at the altar of collective self­love and ‘enemy’ and ‘traitor’ of the Meitei ‘community’), space where the ‘radical’ agenda and interest of a
into a wider private investment revival. That perceived sense of insecurity. the Meitei legislators have abandoned their motley of non­state actors including armed
would hinge on a broad­based consumption re­ Clearly, the legislators lost Tagore’s dream of primary constitutional duty and oath to protect groups which espouse a sovereign Kangleipak
bound rather than the K­shaped recovery the go­ ‘clear stream of reason’ and a fearless mind India’s Constitution. intersect and often either coalesce or reinforce
vernment vehemently dismisses. Four years of which should have animated their public action This dramatic event is also remarkable for its one another, the Arambai Tenggol is susceptible
7%­plus growth, post­pandemic, would be com­ even as they allowed themselves to be consumed symbolic and iterative significance. That an to manipulation and control by powerful social
mendable indeed. However, India needs to grow by the burning passion to protect the interests of armed militia chose Kangla Fort as the site for forces and political actors.
faster to create jobs at the scale its youth need the ‘Sanamahi’ and Meitei ‘community’. That this public oath­taking demonstrates its It is precisely here that one should be wary of
and ensure that a rising growth tide lifts most reflection and reasoned public action were determination to not only revive the glorious past the Janus­faced Arambai Tenggol. Allowing the
The Indian
boats, if not all. The review expects an ‘all­inclu­ missing from the legislators’ public action of Kangleipak (the local name for Meitei Kingdom) mighty Indian state to capitulate to this armed
sive welfare approach’ to help enlarge the con­ became apparent as the six­points oath failed to state needs to from its symbolic and traditional seat of power, militia, or other powerful social forces, just
sumption base by expanding the middle class. mention ‘disarmament’, which was one of the be aware of the but also project this as a fulcrum to revive Meitei because it is amenable to cultural and nationalist
But those dependent on handouts, such as the four resolutions passed earlier by the Assembly. implications of indigenous tradition, culture, and religion appropriation by some vested parties in their
800 million that need free food by the Centre’s This is glaring given that almost half of the 6,000 the recent (Sanamahi). The event is also significant for electoral pursuit cannot be used as a ruse to
reckoning, must progressively shrink for growth automatic rifles and over five lakh rounds of live oath­taking another reason — that elected representatives of a denude what the eminent sociologist Michael
to be meaningful and equitable. The report right­ ammunitions from various police armouries that event by 38 democratic state, whose primary oath of Mann in a different context calls the
ly mentions reforms in learning outcomes, were handed over to ragtag mobs are reportedly allegiance is to the Indian Constitution, are very ‘infrastructural power’ of the state — that is, the
Meitei
health, easier compliances for smaller firms, as still with the Arambai Tenggol, the armed militia pliable and can be blackmailed under duress to autonomous power to regulate state­society
priorities, with some critical changes at the ‘sub­ under whose diktat and supervision this legislators in capitulate to the partisan communal agenda of an relations. Otherwise, this public event could turn
national government’ level to accelerate growth. oath­taking event was held. Imphal, under unelected, and armed militant group. That out to be India’s Bhindranwale moment again.
It is also essential that flaws in reforms such as This, and the fact that much of the arms and the gaze of a elected legislators could be overshadowed in a
GST are fixed and some of the blunt policy tools ammunition continue to be in the hands of armed militia group democratic and constitutional state is disturbing The views expressed are personal
deployed, for instance, import licences and price
controls on deregulated products, that send con­

A blurred mapping of internal female migration


voluted signals about India’s ‘open market with
predictable policies’ pitch, are reconsidered.

Vetting for vendetta


I
nternal migration is a crucial form of physical casual employment, indicating the places of employment, and those who did so,
Mechanism to scan cases for political and social transaction in India. The Periodic underestimation of the number of migrant earned only 56% of their pre­pandemic income
motive cannot address issue of cover­up Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which collects women involved in the various sectors that might levels.
data on employment and unemployment be categorised as causal (or even informal) such Regardless of the sparse number of migrant

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he Supreme Court’s suggestion for a me­ indicators in the country, has estimated it to be as agriculture, construction, and domestic help. women formally counted in the labour force,
chanism to eliminate the perception of 27% from June 2020 to 2021. Normative literature Second, definitional issues and women’s own female migration for labour/employment
vendetta behind the use of investigative (Rajan et al., 2020; Jesline et al., 2021) usually Ruchira Ghosh beliefs also lead to an underreporting of increased by 101% between 2001 and 2011.
agencies against political opponents is sound in documents it as a male­dominated narrative. is a PhD candidate at employment of migrant women. According to the However, they remain largely invisible, facing
principle, but may not address all aspects of the However, women, especially of working age, the University of definition of employment used by national significant hurdles and marginalisation.
problem. A case under formal investigation may comprise a greater share of the migrant pool but Massachusetts­ surveys, only those with some form of verbal or Consequently, this results in unaddressed
be scrutinised for its legal tenability or political there is little dialogue surrounding them. This is a Amherst written contract with their employer are struggles and a lack of targeted policies. From a
motive, but such a mechanism can do nothing concern given India’s falling Female Labour Force considered part of the labour force. political standpoint, women migrants are not a
about offences and allegations that are covered Participation Rate (FLFPR). It also raises the Consequently, women are largely classified as considerable vote bank, and, therefore, their
up for political reasons. During a recent hearing question of whether women face employment unemployed. needs are not addressed. Although recent polls
on a bribery case against an Enforcement Direc­ barriers due to post­migration conditions. However, what is often overlooked is that would disagree, political parties do not campaign
torate (ED) officer in Tamil Nadu, the ED sought women choose forms of employment that allow to gain migrant women’s votes. This has several
the transfer of the probe to the CBI. It also National surveys, inaccurate picture them to handle their domestic duties while detrimental outcomes, such as a lack of good data
charged that the State police was not sharing de­ National surveys such as the PLFS capture contributing to the household’s production or on female migrants and treating migrant men and
tails of FIRs it had registered on complaints information about female migrants but often Ahana Raina finances. Thus, working as unpaid family women as the same. This engenders
against Ministers, officials and others in instances convey an inaccurate picture. For instance, workers, in household enterprises, or being policy­making, which is poorly informed about
of corruption and illegal mining. The ED, pre­ surveys only ask the respondents regarding their is an MPA Candidate self­employed is common amongst them (S. the needs, motivations, and conditions of female
at the University of
sumably, wants to probe the money­laundering primary reason for migration. PLFS data suggest Rukmini, 2023). But they may view that as an migrants. Policies such as One Nation One ration
Washington­Seattle
aspects of these offences, whereas the State go­ that the leading reason for migration among extension of their domestic commitment instead card, e­Shram, and affordable rental housing
vernment believes these details will be used to women is marriage (81%), followed by migration of a form of employment which leads to them complexes are examples of this as they are
target its ministers and officials as the State is run of family members (10%), employment (2.42%), misreporting their employment status. mainly targeted towards the male migrant
by a party opposed to the ruling BJP at the and migration for education opportunities population.
Centre. The Bench’s idea that an independent, (0.48%). There is no provision to know the Human and social capital
pan­India mechanism to vet such cases appears secondary reasons/motivations such as climate Notwithstanding these arguments, if indeed entry Steps to take
reasonable. However, much of the criticism of shocks and food insecurity, which can be a to the formal labour force is challenging, one To remedy this, several steps should be taken.
the use of central agencies against political adver­ crucial driver of migration for women. important factor restricting their entry into the National surveys should compile more
saries of the BJP stems from the view that similar In the same vein, data from these surveys labour force could be the need for more human information regarding their socio­economic
allegations against its party members and allies regarding migrant women’s labour force and social capital. In the PLFS data, 85% of the conditions post­migration as very little is known
across the country are seldom investigated. participation can be misinforming. According to women have less than 10 years of education, about it. For instance, the PLFS indicates that a
Corruption allegations abound in several the PLFS, approximately three quarters of which can create problems. While there is no minute percentage (approximately 7%) have
States against key political figures seen as friendly migrant women are unemployed, approximately Women, significant difference in the educational levels of access to social security benefits; there is no data
to the Centre, but the Opposition parties believe 14% of migrant women are in self and especially of migrant and non­migrant women, migrant for the rest of the populace. There is also a lack of
the CBI, ED and Income­Tax Department are wage­employed jobs and approximately 12% are working age, women are proportionally less employed than time­use data (Nadal et al., 2020; Charmes, 2019)
hardly active there. The Bench is right in observ­ in casual labour. This round of data collection comprise a the non­migrant women. Coupled with the lack of for migrants, as India has not made that the norm
ing that offenders should not be spared only be­ was during the COVID­19 pandemic, which might greater share of social networks, especially after they migrate, yet. Time­use data would significantly help
cause they claimed to be victims of vendetta. Its explain the low numbers, but does not India’s migrant these factors can significantly hinder their advance existing knowledge regarding
remarks disapproving of retaliatory arrests are al­ adequately underscore the problem of employment chances. unemployed female migrants. On a broader scale,
pool but there is
so salutary. However, despite the Solicitor­Gener­ underreporting of their employment status. Such barriers might also explain the dismal a change in narrative is required, starting with an
al’s argument that the courts could intervene in Anecdotal evidence and findings from the little dialogue recovery of women’s labour activity after the increased collection of female­specific data. It will
the case of vindictive action, it has to be noted respective works of researchers Sonalde Desai and flawed data pandemic. A study by Yale University on this illustrate the largely anecdotal problem and bring
that the ED’s power to summon and arrest and Ashwini Deshpande suggest that it is not on this issue observed that after the COVID­19­induced awareness about the plight of these women to
anyone, and the difficulty in obtaining bail in mo­ uncommon for migrant women to engage in important issue lockdown, 55% of women never returned to their encourage progressive policymaking.
ney­laundering cases, renders the Union govern­
ment quite invincible if it chose persecution in
the name of prosecution. An unsavoury instance LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
of how far politics over the use of central agen­
cies can sully institutions is the recent episode of Party hopping continues unabated. With The world of Test cricket pre­determined scoops. The world of cricket West Indies has taken the
a Calcutta High Court judge ordering a CBI probe It does not augur well for the biggest show of all, viz., The aggressive brand of Bazball has definitely witnessed two of the best cricketing world by storm.
into charges against the ruling party in West Ben­ the health of democracy in the general election due in cricket, which the English created a buzz and shown Tests, won by visiting Beyond the records, the
gal, and a Division Bench staying the order. The India if we have maverick a few months, one has to coach Brendon McCullum that an unconventional countries. In this batsmen’s West Indies victory was a
single judge chose to ignore the Bench’s order, politicians like Nitish Kumar wait and watch how many has espoused, seems to be approach can succeed in era, the wins on account of celebration of the spirit of
accusing its presiding judge of political motive. In who change loyalties at the more such turnarounds are working well for England Test matches in India. India bowling performances are a the game. It showcased the
a welcome move, the Supreme Court formed a drop of a hat. in store for the general (‘Sport’ page, January 30). needs to come up with a boost to Test cricket. power of belief, teamwork
Bench of its senior­most judges and transferred The anti­defection law may public (Inside pages, Test cricket purists must be strategy to counter this P. Ramu Selvam, and overcoming invincible
the whole case file to itself for disposal. The per­ have checked retail horse January 30). shaking their heads in unconventional approach. Palani, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu odds.
ception of vendetta can only be removed if all trading perhaps, but Sharada Sivaram, disbelief when they see Thomas Palocaren, R. Sivakumar,
agencies chose independence over subservience. wholesale horse trading Ernakulam, Kerala reverse sweeps and Vellore, Tamil Nadu The sensational win by the Chennai
CM A ND-NDE
YK
THE HINDU
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 9
Delhi
Opinion

Pulling Sri Lanka out of the abyss Gruha Lakshmi is not a freebie
It signifies a redistribution of resources by the government to a marginalised section

O
n January 9, 2024, the “satisfactory” meaning total IMF with higher fuel prices and
United National Party disbursement will be $670 million. variable fuel supply.
(UNP) proposed The EFF unlocked additional plier effect. Direct support
incumbent Ranil funding from the World Bank and Risks to Sri Lanka’s outlook STATE OF PLAY measures, including cash
Wickremesinghe as the national Asian Development Bank for Sri Lanka needs sustained transfers to households by the
presidential candidate for the budget support, social protection, economic growth of 5­6% in the Gourishankar S. Hiremath Union government during the
elections. This move may garner Ganeshan financial sector development, and medium term to escape from & K.S. Harikrishnan COVID­19 pandemic, led to a
support from some political Wignaraja infrastructure development. indebtedness. But its outlook is swift V­shaped recovery of the

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parties. In July 2022, six­time is Visiting Senior Progress is visible after 18 vulnerable to external and internal he introduction of the economy. The Gruha Lakshmi
Prime Minister Wickremasinghe Fellow ODI and months of stabilisation policies. risks. The first is geopolitical Gruha Lakshmi scheme is also poised to bol­
was chosen for his economic Professorial Fellow in Inflation fell to 4% in December competition between the U.S. and scheme by the Karna­ ster aggregate demand given
credentials by a parliamentary Economics and Trade 2023 but could rise with the China. For instance, an intensified taka government has reignited its target group’s relatively
majority to replace Gotabaya at Gateway House increase in Value Added Tax from U.S.­China trade war following the the policy debate about wel­ high marginal propensity to
Rajapaksa who resigned following 15% to 18% in January 2024. The possible victory of Donald Trump fare programmes for the eco­ consume. Consumption im­
mass protests over economic Sri Lankan rupee appreciated by in the U.S. presidential elections nomically disadvantaged and proves quality of life and also
mismanagement and rent­seeking. 12.1% against the U.S. dollar in could be devastating for inward fiscal prudence. The scheme crucial step in recognising the boosts economic activities.
In April 2022, Sri Lanka became 2023. Foreign exchange liquidity FDI and trade in Sri Lanka. guarantees a direct monthly value of unpaid work. As ur­ The scheme signifies a re­
the first Asian country in the 21st pressures eased. More import The second is debt cash transfer of ₹2,000 to wo­ banisation grows and the pop­ distribution of resources by
century to pre­emptively default capacity means shortages of restructuring. In November 2023, men who are the heads of be­ ulation ages, the burden of el­ the government to a marginal­
on debt, which amounted to over essentials and waiting lines have Sri Lanka concluded an initial low poverty line households derly care is expected to ised section of society, recog­
$50 billion. A devastating disappeared. The IMF projects a agreement with key bilateral in Karnataka. About 1.36 crore increase, especially for impo­ nising unpaid work. Nonethe­
economic crisis followed. The GDP return to growth of 1.8% in 2024 creditors, including India and the beneficiaries are registered. verished families. Income sup­ less, ensuring that resources
contracted by 7.8%, year on year compared with ­3.6% in 2023. Paris Club, to restructure $5.9 This means that the annual port from the state can alle­ to finance the scheme are aug­
inflation escalated to 69.8% in Furthermore, foreign direct billion in external debt. This was outlay of the scheme is more viate the strain on such mented from direct taxes,
September 2022, the Sri Lankan investment in infrastructure, due important for reducing interest than ₹32,000 crore. families. In this context, mo­ such as levies on high­value
rupee depreciated by 44.8% to Sri Lanka’s strategic location in payments and unlocking IMF Mainstream economics netary support to women can­ property and capital transac­
against the U.S. dollar, and usable the Indian Ocean, may also be financing in 2024. This deal does not recognise activities not be seen as a ‘freebie’; it is tions and excise taxes on pre­
foreign reserves fell to two weeks picking up. A joint venture project followed China’s separate debt primarily carried out by wo­ an entitlement for the care mium liquor, is crucial. Pru­
of imports creating shortages of between India’s Adani Group and restructuring agreement with Sri men at home as economic ac­ work that women do, especial­ dent administrative measures
medicine, food, and fuel. Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings Lanka. These agreements are on tivities. Unpaid work encom­ ly women who face multidi­ to trim unnecessary expendi­
5606fece-d2fd-4255-885c-3b970201c076

5606fece-d2fd-4255-885c-3b970201c076
seeks to develop the $700 million similar terms, extending deadlines passes domestic chores such mensional and time poverty. tures can provide additional
Stabilisation policies West Container Terminal at and lowering interest rates. But as cooking and washing, while In a patriarchal economic resources to ensure timely
Mr. Wickremesinghe’s Colombo Port. The U.S. ominously, private bondholders, care work involves caring for system, women are often paid and uninterrupted cash
government, with members of the Development Finance Corporation who held about 40% of external the elderly and children. The low wages, which they reluc­ transfers. Therefore, a tran­
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has committed $553 million. This debt (end 2022), are concerned participation of women in re­ tantly accept due to their li­ sparent and well­thought­out
(SLPP) led by Mahinda Rajapaksa, will expand the capacity of the about the extent of the ‘haircut’ on munerative economic activity mited bargaining power. Un­ road map for resource aug­
implemented an orthodox set of port and improve transhipment debt they could face. They say is abysmally low, while their conditional cash support not mentation is indispensable.
stabilisation policies. These trade with a growing Indian there has been little engagement burden of unpaid work is sub­ only helps women decontrol While fiscal prudence is ne­
included raising interest rates to economy. with them due to the focus on stantially higher than men. Ac­ their labour power from the cessary, it must not come at
control inflation, removing fuel In a geopolitical twist, China’s talks with official creditors. cording to the Time Use sur­ system to an extent, but possi­ the expense of the welfare of
subsidies, increasing taxes, Sinopec Group, which will also Third, political risks could vey conducted by the National bly provides some cushion to the marginalised.
passing a law to improve the manage 200 fuel filling stations in derail the EFF and growth beyond Statistical Office, 57.3% of resist accepting reservation It is naïve to consider Gruha
independence of the Central Bank Sri Lanka, has committed $4.5 2024 — presidential elections are male respondents were in­ wages by enhancing their bar­ Lakshmi as a panacea for gen­
of Sri Lanka and initiating billion to an oil refinery in the due in September and general volved in employment and re­ gaining power. der inequality. There is a need
privatisation of state­owned controversial, low­profit elections in 2025. A doubling of lated activities compared to Empirical evidence sup­ to universalise such support to
enterprises. The government also Hambantota Port. Foreign poverty to 25% of the population 18.4% of women. In contrast, ports cash transfers to house­ women in recognition of their
sought Indian aid, intensified exchange constraints and an since the default, and growing 81.2% of women bore the bur­ holds in stimulating aggregate unpaid and care work. A com­
negotiations with the International inefficient state­owned Ceylon dissatisfaction with the UNP and den of unpaid domestic ser­ demand and putting the eco­ prehensive institutional fra­
Monetary Fund (IMF) on an Petroleum Corporation led to fuel SLPP, appears to be leading to vices for household members nomy back on a growth trajec­ mework at the national and
Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and shortages and hardships for the Sri support for the left­wing populist compared to 26.1% of men. tory rather than providing sub­national levels and coop­
also foreign debt restructuring Lankans during the crisis. FDI by National People’s Power. And Further, the burden of un­ sops and bailout packages to erative federalism are indis­
talks with private bondholders China’s Sinopec in petroleum Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the paid and care work is dispro­ the corporate sector to revive pensable to address gender in­
and bilateral creditors. Under Ranil refining and distribution may help opposition, who is the head of the portionately higher for eco­ it. For instance, according to a equality in the economy and
In March 2023, the IMF Board Wickremasinghe, improve Sri Lanka’s energy centre­right Samaji Jana nomically poor women who study by IFPRI­Indian Council ensure redistribution.
approved a EFF worth $2.9 billion economic security provided the energy Balwegaya, says he wants to are also engaged in wage for Agricultural Research, PM­
over 48 months, emphasising market is open to all investors and renegotiate the IMF agreement. work, as they lack the resourc­ KISAN, a direct benefit transf­ Gourishankar S. Hiremath teaches
fiscal and governance reforms.
progress is visible a strong competition policy is Mr. Wickremasinghe deserves es to outsource care activities. er scheme of the Union go­ economics and K.S. Harikrishnan is a
The first review by the IMF Board after 18 months adopted. If not, Sri Lanka could be credit for pulling Sri Lanka back Thus, they are trapped in a cy­ vernment, enabled farmers to UGC Senior Research Fellow at the
in December 2023 rated Sri of stabilisation vulnerable to problems of a from the abyss. Only time will tell cle of poverty. The Gruha meet expenses other than Indian Institute of Technology
Lanka’s performance as policies private monopoly under Sinopec whether he can win the election. Lakshmi scheme represents a agriculture and had a multi­ Kharagpur. Views are personal

Most teens use social media, but lack skills to protect themselves F RO M T H E A RC HI V E S

While more than 90% use social media, only about 50% know how to block their profile or make their account private
FIFTY YEARS AGO JANUARY 31, 1974

(Chart 2A). Rupee Accord: Moynihan sure


DATA POINT There were wide variations
among those who could browse in­ of U.S. Congress approval
Rebecca Rose Varghese formation too: while 93% in Jam­
& Vignesh Radhakrishnan mu and Kashmir’s Anantnag could Washington, Jan 30: The U.S. Ambassador to
do this, less than 50% could do so India, Dr. D.P. Moynihan, is confident that the

A
mong Indian teenagers in in Odisha’s Sambalpur and Megha­ Indo­U.S. rupee agreement initialled in Delhi last
rural areas who can’t even laya’s East Khasi Hills (Chart 2B). December, would win the approval of the
read a paragraph of text, In Nagaland’s Kohima district, Congressional Committees now considering it,
over 30% can still browse the Inter­ only 12.5% teenagers knew how to even though two Congressmen, who are
net and close to 50% can find a vi­ use Google Maps while more than traditional foes of all forms of aid, told the
deo on YouTube, says the latest 55% in Punjab’s S.A.S. Nagar could House Sub Committee on South Asia before
Annual Status of Education Report do this (Chart 2C). which the U.S. envoy testified yesterday that
(ASER) Rural. The report provides Notably, variations among dis­ they would oppose the “give away” programme,
several such insights into the digi­ tricts were the narrowest when it which would in effect write off the bulk of the
tal prowess of high school and col­ came to accessing YouTube: with U.S. rupee balances in India.
lege students in India. close to 70% or more teenagers in One of the critics of the Indo­U.S. deal asked,
In the ASER survey, students in every district managing to do this “What has India ever done for us, except show
the 14­18 age group were asked to (Chart 2D). enmity? Didn’t Mrs. Gandhi tell us to get the hell
read a paragraph. Those who The data show that digital litera­ out of there?” Another gave notice of a “sense of
could read the words but not the cy has penetrated deep into many Congress” resolution which would voice
sentences were said to belong to rural areas but a few areas are still disapproval of the rupee accord.
the ‘word level’. Those who could catching up. However, worryingly, Congressional sources, however, doubted
read the paragraph but not a many teenagers have still not whether such a resolution would gain the
bunch of paragraphs were categor­ learned to protect themselves approval of the House even though only last
ised as belonging to ‘Grade 1 level’. from the dangers of the online week the lower House had killed a Bill which
Those who could read many para­ world. While more than 90% of would have allocated $1.5 billions to the
graphs were said to belong to them from across districts used so­ International Developmental Association. These
‘Grade 2 level’. The survey was cial media during the survey week, sources also said that if such a resolution is
conducted in 28 districts from Sep­ only 52.3% knew how to block a adopted, it would have no binding effect on the
tember to November, 2023. profile and only 47.8% knew how agreement already entered into by the
Chart 1 shows the share of stu­ to make their account private. Governments of the two countries, though the
dents aged 14­18 with different There were wide variations in ensuing confrontation between Congress and
leading levels who could do digital these skills too. Just 33% in Tripura the Executive could create an embarrassing
tasks on a smartphone. Among knew how to block a profile (Chart situation.
those at the ‘word level’, more 2E) and less than 30% in Jhark­
than 30% managed to find a You­ hand’s East Singhbhum knew how
Tube video, browse information to make their profile private A HUNDRED YEARS AGO JANUARY 31, 1924
on the web, and set an alarm on (Chart 2F). A bigger concern is
their smartphone. Among those that the share of girls who knew France and Rumania
belonging to ‘Grade 1 level’, more these skills was much lower com­
than 55% could do all these tasks. pared to the share of boys in many Paris, Jan. 30: A long and authoritative
Interestingly, most students, districts despite the fact that girls statement issued here now makes it clear that
across reading levels, found it chal­ form a majority of the victims of Rumania has finally renounced her intention of
lenging to find travel time on Goo­ online abuse. asking the French Government for a loan of
gle Maps. Table 3 shows the share of hundred million francs. It is explained that
These conclusions were made teenagers who could block/report inevitable delay in the French Parliament’s
for all the 28 districts put together. a profile and make their profile voting loans compels Rumania to seek other
If the data are analysed at the dis­ private, across genders, in select means of tiding over her difficulties and most of
trict level, there are wide varia­ districts where the variation was her orders for war material have been given to
tions. For instance, more than 95% noticeable. Only 46% girls in the 17­ Rumanian industries. This will be advantageous
of teenagers in the rural parts of 18 age group in Bihar’s Muzaffar­ to both Rumania and France, to the former on
Ernakulam in Kerala were able to pur knew how to block a profile, account of her depreciated exchange and to the
set an alarm on their smartphone, whereas over 73% boys knew how latter because it gives her an opportunity to
while less than 50% in Cooch Be­ to do this. Only 57% girls in Rajas­ practice another economy at the moment she is
har in West Bengal and Gariaband than’s Bhilwara knew how to make endeavouring to find means of balancing her
in Chhattisgarh knew how to do their profile private compared to budget. It is emphasised that France­Rumanian
this. The India average was 66.4% 80% of the boys. elections are in no way affected.
CM A ND-NDE
YK
Delhi www.thehindu.com Wednesday, January 31, 2024
● ●

10

Text&Context 0
NEWS IN NUMBERS
India’s rank in tourist Tankers taking longer Amount seized by ED Rate of global GDP India’s rank in
arrivals to Maldives routes after Red Sea from Jharkhand CM growth forecast by the corruption
after row attacks Hemant Soren IMF perceptions index

5 100 36 3.1 93
From being the top tourist group Yemen’s Iran­backed lakh in cash. This seizure was in percentage. The global out of 100 nations. The report
visiting Maldives, Indians have Houthis have been related to a money growth forecast was raised by was published by
slipped to the fifth position in the targeting vessels in the laundering case linked to an 0.2 percentage points from an Transparency International,
last three weeks, according to official data. Red Sea since November to show their alleged land scam. The ED also seized a earlier estimate on account of greater­than which ranks 180 countries and territories
Maldives received over 1.74 lakh tourists support for Hamas in its war against Israel. BMW SUV and some “incriminating” expected resilience in the U.S. and large by their perceived levels of public sector
till January 28 this year, of which 13,989 This has prompted major shipping documents after it searched the CM’s emerging markets and developing corruption. PTI
were Indians. PTI companies to take the longer route. house. It has so far arrested 14 people. PTI economies, and fiscal support in China. AFP COMPILED BY THE HINDU DATA TEAM

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Pakistan and Iran: calm after the storm


5606fece-d2fd-4255-885c-3b970201c076

5606fece-d2fd-4255-885c-3b970201c076
What prompted Iran to target Balochistan, and how did Pakistan respond to the missile strikes? What key factors contributed to the decision for both nations to
de-escalate tensions? How did the arrival of Iran’s Foreign Minister in Islamabad impact economic and security discussions between the two countries?

WORLD INSIGHT THE GIST



D. Suba Chandran
On 16 January, a day after its
strikes in Iraq and Syria, Iran
The story so far: targeted Pakistan’s

I
n a series of events, Iran launched Balochistan province, with
missile strikes in Pakistan’s missiles, killing two.
Balochistan province, targeting
alleged strongholds of the Jaish 쑽
al­Adl. In response, Pakistan condemned On 17 January, condemning
the attacks, recalling its Ambassador and the attacks as “unprovoked”
expelling the Iranian Ambassador, while and a breach of sovereignty,
also suspending high profile bilateral Pakistan recalled its
visits. A day later, Pakistan retaliated by Ambassador from Tehran and
targeting individuals and terrorist groups expelled the Iranian
in Iran’s Sistan­Baluchestan province. Ambassador. Pakistan also
However, with a diplomatic approach, suspended all high profile
Pakistan emphasised its respect for Iran, bilateral visits – ongoing and
preventing further escalation. On January planned.
19, at a National Security Council meeting 쑽
aimed at addressing security concerns for
On 18 January, Pakistan
regional peace, both nations decided to
retaliated by targeting
de­escalate, reinstating ambassadors, and
“individuals” and “terrorist
by January 28, Iran’s Foreign Minister groups” in Iran’s
arrived in Islamabad to discuss economic Sistan­Baluchestan province,
and security matters, signaling a shift killing nine. Pakistan’s Foreign
towards dialogue and cooperation. Ministry claimed Iran as a close
friend, with great respect and
What is special about the two Baloch affection for the Iranian
provinces in Iran and Pakistan? people.
First, the demography and geography of Tension relief: Convener, World Minorities Alliance and Former Federal Minister for Population Welfare of Pakistan, Julius Salik showers rose petals to
the provinces. The Sistan­Baluchestan celebrate after Pakistan and Iran ‘agreed to de­escalate’ tensions, in Islamabad on January 20. AFP 쑽
province, one of the largest provinces in On 19 January, the National
Iran, shares the border with Pakistan’s by Abdolmalek Rigi, was present then in organisations do not have a sectarian and brotherly relations of Tehran and Security Council meeting
Balochistan and Afghanistan’s southern the Sistan­Baluchestan province and has agenda or have links with international Islamabad.” decided to “address each
provinces. The Baloch are the majority in repeatedly been targeting Iran’s security organisations such as al Qaeda. They have It appears that Iran’s missile strikes in other’s security concerns in the
the Sistan­Baluchestan province, with forces and civilian targets through an ethnic agenda and fight for greater Pakistan had a limited objective as a part larger interest of regional
Sistanis as a minority. The former is terrorist activities, including suicide rights for the Baloch; some of them have a of its targets in Syria and Iraq in response peace and stability” as Iran is a
Sunni, while the latter is Shia. bombings. Iran has been targeting the separatist agenda and want to establish an to an earlier attack in January 2024 in “neighbourly and brotherly
Geographically, Balochistan is the Jundullah leader; Rigi, a Baloch, was independent Balochistan. Kerman. Similarly, Pakistan’s response Muslim country.”
largest of four provinces in Pakistan, with captured and executed in 2010. seems limited in making a domestic and a 쑽
a Baloch majority (which is now being Jundullah was a Sunni group with links Why did Pakistan and Iran bilateral statement. Both have been
threatened by the Pashtun ingress from to al Qaeda and fighting for “Sunni” de­escalate immediately after the careful with their statements to ensure it On 22 January, a joint
Afghanistan and Pakistan’s Khyber rights, rather than an ethnic Baloch missile attacks? does not escalate. Besides there have statement issued by the two
Pakhtunkhwa). However, Baloch are a militant group. However, Tehran If the escalation was fast, de­escalation been efforts in recent years aimed at a Foreign Ministries agreed on
the return of ambassadors.
minority within Pakistan. considers that the Jundullah had the was faster. Immediately after Iran’s initial rapprochement, which they did not want
Subsequently, on 26 January,
Second, the borders. Pakistan’s support of the Baloch people across the attack, Pakistan recalled its Ambassador to jeopardise.
the Ambassadors returned to
Balochistan province shares a long border Sistan­Baluchestan and Balochistan and asked the Iranian Ambassador to their offices in Tehran and
with Iran, around 900 km. Unlike the provinces in Iran and Pakistan, leave. Two days later, Pakistan targeted a What challenges lie ahead for Islamabad.
Pakistan­Afghanistan border, which is respectively. After Rigi’s death, a few few militant targets in the Pakistan and Iran?
disputed by Kabul, the Pakistan­Iran Jundullah members formed the Jaish Sistan­Baluchestan province in Iran. After Though Tehran was one of the first to 쑽
border is settled. Both countries have al­Adl and continued attacking Iran the swift diplomatic and military recognise Pakistan, since the 1979 Iranian On 28 January, Iran’s Foreign
been building a concrete wall along the during the 2010s. escalation, there was a de­escalation. revolution, the two countries had a Minister arrived in Islamabad
border to prevent illegal crossings Between 2013­2023, the Jaish al­Adl is China is believed to have pressured troubled relationship. Iran’s revolution in to discuss economic and
between Balochistan (in Pakistan) and accused of having carried out numerous Islamabad and Tehran. But more than any 1979 and Muhammad Zia­ul­Haq’s regime security issues between the
Sistan­Baluchestan (in Iran) provinces. attacks, mainly targeting Iran’s security external pressure, the bilateral dynamics in Pakistan during the 1980s brought the two countries.
However, the border remains ineffective officials; the latest one was in December might have led to the de­escalation. Sunni­Shia sectarian divide to the fore
in preventing the illicit movement of 2023, where they targeted a police station Given the regional security situation between the two. Though both refer to
people and goods, especially along the in Rask in Sistan­Baluchestan, killing 11 and the immediate neighbourhood, both the “brotherly Muslim countries”
land and maritime borders. Smuggling is security personnel. countries cannot afford an escalation rhetoric, the sectarian factor was too
common, especially in the south, closer In Iran, Pakistan targeted the hideouts now, which was reflected in their strong to patch the divide.
to the Pakistan­Iran maritime border. belonging to the “Balochistan Liberation statements. Pakistan’s official statement Globally, Iran saw Pakistan under the
Third, two ports of strategic Army” and “Balochistan Liberation talked about “dialogue and cooperation American sphere of influence during the
importance — Gwadar in Pakistan and Front.” Pakistan has been fighting as key tools for addressing common Cold War and post 9/11, especially in
Chabahar in Iran, are situated on the multiple waves of Baloch insurgency since challenges, including terrorism,” while Afghanistan. Pakistan and Iran remained
mouths of the Arabian Sea less than 200 1947. The latest wave of insurgency Iran’s underlined adhering to “the policy in opposite groups; only in recent years
km apart. China and India have invested intensified after the killing of Akbar Bugti, of good neighbourliness and brotherhood has China tried to bring Islamabad and
in these two ports and see them as exit one of the tallest Baloch leaders. Unlike between the two nations” and not Tehran together.
and entry points from/into the Jundullah, the Baloch militant allowing “enemies to strain the amicable And regionally, the struggle for
maritime/mainland Asia. Baloch supremacy, within the West Asia, pitches
provinces are strategically important for Iran and Saudi Arabia on opposite camps,
Iran and Pakistan; however, they remain with Pakistan aligned with the latter. On
in the political periphery and are Afghanistan and the Taliban, both
alienated from the national capitals. For countries have differed on objectives and
the national capitals, the control of the strategies. Until recently, Pakistan viewed
provinces and the two ports is Tehran as closer to New Delhi than
paramount. Islamabad. Pakistan’s nuclear bomb is
seen as a Sunni one, pushing Tehran to
Who are the militants that Iran and have its own for the Shia world.
Pakistan targeted in each other’s Finally, economically, the bilateral
territory? relationship is not strong enough to create
In Pakistan, Iran targeted a relatively a political stake; the fact that Iran is
little­known Sunni militant group — “Jaish planning to approach international
al­Adl,” based in Balochistan. According to arbitration for Pakistan’s reluctance to
Iran’s Foreign Minister, “none of the move ahead with the Iran­Pakistan
nationals of the friendly and brotherly pipeline should underline the harsh
country of Pakistan were targeted by realities for Islamabad and Tehran.
Iranian missiles and drones.” Considered (Prof. D. Suba Chandran heads the NIAS
as a remnant of Jundullah, Iran has been Pakistan Reader, an area studies initiative
fighting it since the late 2000s. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani greets his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir­Abdollahian at at the National Institute of Advanced
The Jundullah, believed to be founded the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. AFP/PAKISTAN FOREIGN OFFICE Studies, Bengaluru)
CM A ND-NDE
YK
THE HINDU
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 11
Delhi
Text&Context
FROM THE ARCHIVES

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Know your
English
5606fece-d2fd-4255-885c-3b970201c076

5606fece-d2fd-4255-885c-3b970201c076
K. Subrahmanian

M R. B. M. Mehra, Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi,


Legacy remembers: View of the Mahatma Gandhi memorial on a foggy winter morning at Rajghat on Gandhi's death anniversary in New Delhi on January 30. AFP wants to know the meaning of ‘For want of a
nail, the kingdom was lost.’

A betrayal of the very idea of Mahatma


Everything is important. Nothing is small.
The absence of what is considered small may
lead to some disaster. The line is taken from
the following verse:
For want of a nail the shoe was lost; For
The principles Mahatma Gandhi stood for represent an ideal that is being weakened every day by those in power who are pushing their agenda of want of a shoe the horse was lost; For want of
bigotry; he viewed Hinduism as a faith that respected and embraced all other faiths, challenging the exclusivity promoted by Hindutva ideologues a horse the rider was lost; For want of a rider
the battle was lost; For want of a battle the
kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a
Shashi Tharoor Indian government, to transfer a larger Prime Minister is hardly unaware of the ‘Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram’ had horse­shoe nail.
share than they had intended of the assets tremendous worldwide reputation that another line, ‘Ishwara Allah Tero naam’. Mr. S. Rajagopalan, Valasaravakkam,
This article dated January 27, 2023, of undivided India to the new state of Mahatma Gandhi enjoys, and is too savvy This practice emerged from his Vedantic Madras, wants to know the meaning of
explores the challenges to Mahatma Pakistan. Gandhiji had also announced a marketing genius not to recognise the belief in the oneness of all human beings, ‘dyed­in­the­wool’.
Gandhi’s legacy in contemporary India. his intention to spurn the country he had soft­power opportunity evoking Gandhiji who share the same atman and, This is an idiom which means ‘totally fixed
The article contrasts Gandhi’s inclusive failed to keep united and to spend the rest provides, not to mention the global public therefore, should be treated equally. in one’s ideas, beliefs, etc.’ It is used in a
vision rooted in Advaita Vedanta with the of his years in Pakistan, a prospect that relations disaster that would ensue if he Such behaviour did not endear him to derogatory sense.
majoritarian creed of Hindutva ideologies, had made the government of Pakistan were to denounce an Indian so every Hindu. In his treatise on ‘Gandhi’s He is a dyed­in­the­wool conservative.
emphasising the ongoing clash between collectively choke. universally admired. There may, Hinduism and Savarkar’s Hindutva’, the She is a dyed­in­the­wool socialist.
idealism and exclusionary practices within But that was the enigma of Gandhiji in therefore, be an element of insincerity to social scientist Rudolf C. Heredia places When wool is dyed or coloured before it is
India’s ideological landscape. a nutshell: idealistic, quirky, quixotic, and his newfound love for the Mahatma, as his two protagonists within an ongoing spun into yam, the colour is even and more

T
his year marks the 75th determined, a man who answered to the well as a shrewd domestic political debate between heterogeneity versus lasting Of the blackest dye’ or ‘of the deepest
anniversary of Mahatma beat of no other drummer, but got calculation. homogeneity in the Hindu faith, pointing dye’ means ‘of the worst kind’.
Gandhi’s assassination ( January everyone else to march to his tune. But the ambivalence speaks volumes: out that while Gandhi’s response is He is a rouge of the deepest dye.
30, 1948) by a Hindu fanatic Someone once called him a cross when many members of Mr. Modi’s BJP inclusive and ethical, Savarkar politicises He is a tyrant of the blackest dye.
who thought the Mahatma was too soft on between a saint and a Tammany Hall call for replacing Gandhiji’s statues across Hinduism as a majoritarian creed. Mr. B. Krishnamoorthy, Dayal Street,
Muslims. The momentous anniversary politician; like the best crossbreeds, he the country with those of his assassin, But Gandhiji’s own understanding of Coimbatore, wants to know whether the use
comes at a time when his legacy, the very managed to distil all the qualities of both Nathuram Godse, the Prime Minister religion, in Heredia’s words, “transcended of “offload” in the following sentence is
idea of Gandhi, stands challenged by the and yet transcend their contradictions. seeks to lay claim to the mantle of his religiosity, Hindu as well as that of any correct: ‘The driver and conductor are
prevailing ideological currents. At a time Explaining a contradiction nowThe fellow Gujarati for his own political other tradition. empowered to offload the passengers found
when the standing of his historic contradiction is mirrored in the attitude benefit. At the same time, there is also a It is essentially a spiritual quest for smoking’. He feels that ‘offload’ should be
detractors, whose descendants now form of the Hindutva­inspired Bharatiya Janata tangible dissonance between the official moksha but one rooted in the reality of used with inanimate things.
the ruling dispensation in the country, is Party (BJP) government of Prime Minister governmental embrace of Gandhiji and service to the last and least in the world”. ‘To offload’ means ‘to unload something
at an all­time high, Gandhiji has been Narendra Modi. the unofficial ideological distaste for this Unlike Savarkar, who believed in that is unwanted’.
criticised for weakness, for having bent Mr. Modi was schooled, like other icon, that is privately promoted by conformity, Gandhiji was a synthesiser He offloaded excess baggage.
over too far to accommodate Muslim Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members and supporters of the present like no other who took care to include Strictly speaking, ‘offload’ must go with
interests, and for his pacifism, which is pracharaks, in an intense dislike of ruling dispensation, some of whose Indians of other faiths in his capacious inanimate things. It is used occasionally with
seen by the jingoistic Hindutva movement Mahatma Gandhi, whose message of members have not hidden their view that and agglomerative understanding of animate beings also. Airlines seem to be fond
as unmanly. tolerance and pluralism was emphatically his assassination was, in their eyes, a religion. of this word. They use it with baggage and
This year marks the 75th anniversary of rejected as minority appeasement by the patriotic act. He took inspiration from not just also passengers.
Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination ( January Sangh Parivar, and whose credo of The vision of the MahatmaIt is a well Advaita Vedanta but also the Jain concept Five passengers were offloaded.
30, 1948) by a Hindu fanatic who thought non­violence, or ahimsa, was seen as an understood reality that the vision of of ‘Anekantavada’ — the notion that truth The word ‘collect’ was originally used with
the Mahatma was too soft on Muslims. admission of weakness unworthy of Gandhiji, an openly practising Hindu, and reality are perceived differently by inanimate things but now you can say, ‘I will
The momentous anniversary comes at a manly Hindus. Hindutva ideologue V.D. differed greatly from that of Veer Savarkar different people from their own different collect you from your office in the evening’.
time when his legacy, the very idea of Savarkar, whom Mr. Modi has described and M.S. Golwalkar, the principal points of view, and that, therefore, no ‘Pick up’ is another expression that is used
Gandhi, stands challenged by the as one of his heroes, had expressed ideologues of the Hindu Mahasabha and single perception can constitute the these days with human beings. ‘I’ll pick you
prevailing ideological currents. At a time contempt for Gandhiji’s ‘perverse its more militarised alter ego in the complete truth. This led him to once up on my way back and drop you at home’.
when the standing of his historic doctrine of non­violence and truth’ and post­Independence era, the RSS and declare that ‘I am a Hindu, a Muslim, a ‘Collect’ and ‘pick up’ were used originally
detractors, whose descendants now form claimed it ‘was bound to destroy the eventually, the BJP (formerly the Jana Christian, a Parsi, a Jew’. with inanimate things but now even human
the ruling dispensation in the country, is power of the country’. Sangh). Hinduism and Hindutva, as I have beings are ‘picked up’ or ‘collected’ and
at an all­time high, Gandhiji has been But Prime Minister Modi, for all his Gandhiji embodied the central argued in my book Why I Am a Hindu, ‘dropped’. So don’t feel offended when
criticised for weakness, for having bent Hindutva mindset, his admiration of approach of Advaita Vedanta, which represent two very distinct and people want to ‘collect you’, ‘pick you up’,
over too far to accommodate Muslim Savarkar and his lifetime affiliation to the preached an inclusive universal religion. contrasting ideas, with vitally different ‘drop you’ or ‘offload’ you. No disrespect is
interests, and for his pacifism, which is Sangh Parivar, has embraced Gandhiji, Gandhiji saw Hinduism as a faith that implications for nationalism and the role involved.
seen by the jingoistic Hindutva movement hailing the Mahatma and even using his respected and embraced all other faiths. of the Hindu faith. The principles Mr. N. Uday Bhaskar, Governorpet,
as unmanly. glasses as a symbol of the Swachh Bharat He was profoundly influenced by the Gandhiji stood for and the way in which Vijayawada, wants to know the meaning of
The Mahatma was killed, with the campaign, linking it to a call to revive principles of ahimsa and satya and gave he asserted them are easier to admire ‘Aunt Sally’.
name of Rama on his lips, for being too Gandhiji’s idea of seva through the recent both a profound meaning when he than to follow. But they represented an ‘Aunt Sally’ is a game in which you throw
pro­Muslim; indeed, he had just come out ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign. applied them to the nationalist cause. ideal that is betrayed every day by those sticks at the wooden image of a woman. You
of a fast he had conducted to coerce his This may, or may not, represent a He was a synthesiser of cultural belief who distort Hinduism to promote a must hit the nose of the figure or break the
own followers, the Ministers of the new sincere conversion to Gandhism. The systems: his signature bhajan of narrow, exclusionary bigotry. pipe in its mouth. Figuratively, it means ‘a
woman or a thing that is subjected to general
abuse and criticism, often undeserved’.
She is the Aunt Sally of the neighbourhood.
Published in The Hindu on December 18, 1990
THE DAILY QUIZ Please send in your answers to
dailyquiz@thehindu.co.in

On the occasion of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims


of the Holocaust, here are a few questions
Ramya Kannan X Questions and Answers to the previous day’s
QUESTION 3 daily quiz: 1. This film written, directed and
X Yet another question on starring Charlie Chaplin premiered on this day in
QUESTION 1 etymology. The Nazi killing 1931. Ans: City Lights
January 27 has been pogrom was called the 2. Across the world every year the last Sunday of
chosen as the Holocaust. Why was this word January is observed as ____________ Day to
International Day of chosen? raise awareness about this disease. Ans: Leprosy
Commemoration in X 3. An Indian politician and Independence activist
memory of the victims of QUESTION 4 who was jailed during the Quit India Movement
the holocaust, for a While the Nazis targeted Jews, was born on this day in 1910. Ans:
reason. Do you know they also slaughtered other Chidambaram Subramaniam
why? groups of people, in their 4. The legendary band performed their last live
X effort to engineer the pure gig, known as the ‘rooftop’ concert, on this day in
QUESTION 2 Aryan race, through a mixture 1969 for a limited audience. Ans: The Beatles
Did you know that the of eugenics and murder. 5. One of the first memorial museums
word Nazi is an Name at least two other established in India on Mahatma Gandhi. Where
abbreviation for Hitler’s groups thus prosecuted. is the museum located? Ans: Madurai
political party? Maybe X Visual: Identify the man who invented a 3­D For feedback and suggestions for
we’ve given out too much QUESTION 5 combination puzzle. Ans: Erno Rubix Text & Context, please write to
already, but what does When was the first Early Birds: C Saravanan | K.N. Viswanathan | letters@thehindu.co.in
Nazi expand to (in concentration camp opened X Jagrati Shukla | Medhini Prabhakar | Akshat with the subject ‘Text & Context’
German)? in Nazi Germany, and where? Visual Question: Find the connection between these two images. Tiwari
CM A ND-NDE
YK
6 . bl . think
DELHI

businessline.
WEDNESDAY ­ JANUARY 31 ­ 2024

WEDNESDAY ­ JANUARY 31, 2024 RBI’s SRO


Tax tale norms, a
positive step
Data point to strides in expanding direct tax base

T he Centre has been remarkably successful at


meeting its fiscal deficit targets in recent
years. Buoyant tax collections have had a big
role to play in this. The latest time­series of tax data
throws light on this growth. The data, compiled by RIGHT STEP. The RBI’s guidelines for self
the Central Board of Direct Taxes, highlights three
positive trends. First, there has been a ten­fold
regulatory organisations are in tune with the times.
expansion in the Centre’s total tax revenues in the They can bring some order to the financial scene
last two decades from ₹3­lakh crore to ₹30­lakh
PTI
crore, endowing the Union with enormous spending
power. jurisdictional conflicts, and legal of banking in India and governed by the [paragraph 5 (iii)], the applicants should
limitations.” Banking Regulation Act, 1949 can be an endeavour to reduce not only the
This has made possible universal welfare Self­regulation in many countries ordinary member of IBA. compliance cost for banks but also the
schemes such as the PM Garib Kalyan predates formal regulations. As per its website, IBA has 135 penalties imposed on them in case of
ordinary members comprising 12 public non­compliance. For instance, during
Yojana. The growth in tax collections during WHY RBI RECOGNITION? sector banks (PSBs), 21 private banks, 2022­23, RBI penalised 26/33
the UPA period (FY05­FY14) averaging 14 MANAS R DAS Chiefly aided by techno­financial 19 payment banks, small finance banks commercial banks with a total penalty of
per cent was much higher than during the solutions, the Indian financial sector has and local area banks, 44 foreign banks ₹226.21 million (our computation from

I
recent NDA rule (FY14­FY23) at 11.6 per n his keynote address on March expanded in scale and scope operating in India and 39 co­operative balance sheets).
5, 2023 at the 17th Foreign necessitating multiple regulations, often banks. * In order that the applicants “ensure
cent. But the latter was marked by the Covid Exchange Dealers’ Association of complex, by multiple regulators, Besides, it has 111 associates equitable and transparent treatment for
setback to economic activity and a cut in India (FEDAI) Annual including the global ones. Hence, the comprising several banking and all its members” [paragraph 7 (ii)], they
corporate tax rates. Tax revenues in the last Conference, M Rajeshwar Rao, need to allow SROs to “complement” non­banking entities. Thus, IBA covers a (a) should avoid employing
cf5e8461-529b-4ee6-bc17-07e7e5e8906d

cf5e8461-529b-4ee6-bc17-07e7e5e8906d
three years (till FY23) have managed to Deputy Governor, RBI, spoke about the formal regulators was felt. wide spectrum of financial sector superannuated and ‘on deputation’
Self­Regulatory Organisations (SROs) Some of the prominent voluntary entities. However, the banking sector is employees of member­institutions, (b)
bounce back, reverting to their historical in some detail(paragraphs 9­17). associations in the Indian financial paramount in its working and functions. should recruit domain specialists from
growth rate of over 14 per cent. Second, it Subsequently, the Statement on sector are Indian Banks’ Association Although IBA is a “premier service the market and (c) shouldn’t involve
has been a long­standing lament that the Developmental and Regulatory Policies (IBA), Fixed Income Money Market and organization”, hitherto it is not a “public themselves in members’ internal
economy rests on an extremely narrow tax released along with the Monetary Policy Derivatives Association of India, authority”, and the Right to Information conflicts.
base. The data show that there has been Statement on October 6 announced that Association of Mutual Funds in India (RTI) Act doesn’t apply to it. * As required in paragraph 12 (iv), the
RBI would release an omnibus (AMFI), FEDAI, National Federation of IBA has several departments to applicant should be increasingly
considerable improvement on this front. framework for recognising SROs for its Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit monitor various banking activities. It techno­centric for building a compliance
The number of entities filing returns has Regulated Entities (REs) for stakeholder Societies Limited and Microfinance also carries out wage negotiations for culture and promote cybersecurity in
more than doubled from 3.3 crore to 7.4 comments(paragraph 4). Institutions Network (MFIN). PSB employees. member­institutions.
crore between FY14 and FY23, with the On December 21, RBI issued the draft These associations ensure, to various
omnibus framework. extents, their members’ compliance MEETING THE CONDITIONS UNADDRESSED ISSUES
growth in individual filers (3 crore to 6.9 The Draft Framework (DF) expects with regulatory standards. Some even The voluntary associations applying for * Whether multiple SROs in the banking
crore) accounting for the bulk of this the RBI­recognised SRO to be a “bridge” frame policies and undertake public RBI recognition as SROs and the sector should be allowed?
increase. Given that a majority of between RBI and REs on one hand and awareness programmes. existing SROs to whom RBI recognition * Can an RE be a member in multiple
return­filers declare zero tax liability, the an arbiter for its members to resolve MFIN is the first association of the will be “specifically extended” SROs in the same industry class?
their grievances and disputes on the Non­Banking Finance Companies ­ (paragraph 4) — hereinafter referred to * The extent to which SROs will help
expansion seems to be driven by tax laws other. The DF’s goal is to make the Microfinance Institutions to obtain RBI as ‘applicants’ — have to satisfy several members in their compliance risk
mandating returns for individuals claiming financial sector more professional, recognition as an SRO in 2014. While conditions set by the DF, of which the management needs articulation.
rebates, and the imposition of PAN and tax compliant, innovative and ethical. Securities and Exchange Board of India important ones are: * Will the proposal lead to duplication
collection at source on a host of new set up Registrars Association of India as * To satisfy paragraphs 7 (iv) and 8 of compliance work by banks on one
transactions. Hopefully, tax revenues from DEFINING SROS an SRO for registrars to an issue and (iii), the applicants have to establish hand and SROs on the other?
Self­regulation, which is above share transfer agents, it asked AMFI to robust Research and Data Centres, and * Risk of cartelisation by SROs must
these assessees will improve once their self­interest, is in consonance with the “act” like an SRO in May 2023. conduct well­researched ‘banking’ be eschewed.
incomes rise beyond the exempt threshold. ‘public interest’ theory of regulation. A studies in order to support * Whether SROs should liaison with
Third, the contribution of direct taxes to quick review of finance literature reveals INDIAN BANKS’ ASSOCIATION policy­making in the industry and also the government directly or only through
total tax revenues which had dipped to 49.6 that SROs are voluntary associations of IBA was established in 1946 with 22 publish good journals. The banking RBI?
firms belonging to the same industry members. Any bank, corporation, associations in advanced economies * What will be the SROs’ role vis­à­vis
per cent in FY17 has recovered to 54.6 per class which enunciate and implement company or society carrying on business such as Australia, Canada, Germany, UK their cross­border counterparts?
cent in FY23. Direct taxes are more rules and standards relating to the and the US play significant roles in * In addition to disseminating
progressive than indirect taxes which member­firms’ conduct. SROs are policy­making. “publicly available data” [paragraph 8
impose an equal burden on the rich and the empowered by the government or the
regulator/s to enforce self­regulation on
SRO members create a * Paragraph 8 (v) requires SROs to
impart training to bankers. Therefore,
(iii)], SROs may collect primary data as
well and publish research reports based
poor. its members. more flexible regulatory the applicants should collaborate with thereon.
One aspect of the tax data that needs The SRO members create a more framework than the the country’s top banking training * Direct or indirect RBI inspection of
attention is the sluggish growth in corporate flexible regulatory framework than the institutions. As for “exchange of SROs’ accounts may make them
tax revenues relative to personal income government’s or regulators’ government’s or expertise and experience”, IBA had quasi­REs.
tax. In the last nine years, personal tax frameworks, which benefits the industry regulators’ frameworks, started a process long ago for the * Will the RTI Act apply to SROs?
as well as the economy at large. ‘specialist’ bank officers, but it was
collections have grown at an annual rate of Self­regulation can potentially which benefits the industry inconsequential. The writer is a former senior economist, SBI. Views
14.6 per cent while corporate tax revenues “eliminate conflicts of interest, as well as the economy * For “improving compliance culture” expressed are personal
have grown at 8.6 per cent. Companies were
granted significant tax relief just ahead of
Covid, with their base tax rate cut from 30 to
22 per cent, even as the top slab for personal
taxpayers was kept at 30 per cent. Yet, as the
economy has rebounded from Covid,
Interim Budget should spur ‘ready to hire’ skillsets
personal tax collections have expanded by The skilling of youth, in the gig and unorganised sectors, must be taken up on a priority basis to adjust to emerging realities
69 per cent in the last three years
(FY20­FY23), while corporate tax layers to find relevant jobs and workers, creating a demand­supply
Dinesh Sood entrepreneurial opportunities won't mismatch in the labour market.
collections have expanded by 48 per cent.
National income statistics and household work beyond a certain point. Furthermore, the skill development

T
he Centre’s recent extension of It is essential to recognise that over 40 ecosystem is yet to address the impact of
savings data suggest setbacks to personal the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan per cent of Indians aged between 15 and Intelligent Automation and Robotics,
income post­Covid, while corporate Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for 24 are not in education, employment, or and all stakeholders must collaborate to
earnings have multiplied. It is perhaps time another five years, which will benefit training, far above the South Asian (30 future­proof the Indian workforce.
the anomaly between personal and 81.35 crore people, will cost the per cent) and global (24 per cent) We cannot overlook the potential of
exchequer an estimated ₹11.8­lakh crore. averages. gig economy workers, particularly the
corporate tax rates is corrected by granting Though this is a commendable youth, who account for a significant
relief to individual taxpayers. initiative, we must also prioritise job SKILLS NOT IN SYNC portion of gig workers in India. The
creation for the underprivileged. We Firms in India report high skill shortages, IN SYNC. Skills and jobs/ISTOCKPHOTO Union Budget for 2024­25 must
must come up with a sustainable solution and they assess only about 46 per cent of prioritise upskilling initiatives for gig
that equips them with the requisite skills graduates as employable. Most students workers.According to a report by
POCKET RAVIKANTH
to earn a decent livelihood.
Therefore, the Interim Budget
lack skills, and the skills they have are not
aligned with the skills needed by
certification systems, which further
divides industry initiatives. A
Taskmo, a gig work platform, the
participation of young people in the gig
2024­25on February 1, must focus on companies. consolidation of efforts is needed to scale economy of India has witnessed an
imparting employable and sustainable Every year, more than 12 million up the participation of private players eight­fold increase between 2019 and
skills to the most vulnerable 67 per cent young people reach the employable age in and industries. The unorganised sector, 2023. The majority of these youth are
of the country's population. India, but we are unable to absorb them. which accounts for about 93 per cent of from Tier­I and Tier­II cities, thereby
It's a challenging task, but not Many of them hold higher education the workforce, lacks any structural emphasizing the need for upskilling.
impossible. There is a need to boost degrees, but they lack employable skills. system for acquiring or upgrading skills, Asubstantial allocation to provide
skilling programmes and industry The India Skills Report (ISR) 2023 shows and there is no certification system for a employable skills to school dropouts
partnerships to promote continuous that only 50.3 per cent of those coming large chunk of workers who have should be a priority. This will not only
skilling avenues and employability for out of higher educational institutions are acquired proficiency on their own empower them but also contribute to
school dropouts and unskilled or employable. India needs to provide without any formal education. economic growth.
semi­skilled workers. Virtual labs and 'Ready to Hire' young workforce talent. Moreover, there is a shortage of
e­labs are useful, but our problem is The Indian skill development system information on skill development, The writer is Co­Founder and MD, Orane International, a
extensive. API­based trusted skill suffers from fragmentation, resulting resulting in non­responsive skill types Training Partner with National Skill Development
credentials, payment, and discovery from the government's multiple and an inadequate number of skilled Corporation (NSDC)

LETTERS TO EDITOR Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859­860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.

Manufacturing blues strengthen the manufacturing alliance’s collapse. Rahul Gandhi's INDIA group has damaged it badly Human drain
The Centre’s Production­Linked ecosystem in the country. wrongly timed Bharat Nyay yatra and it remains to be seen if the Bharat This refers to the news report ‘US
Incentives (PLI) scheme gave a big M Jeyaram and Mamata Banerjee's Ekla Chalo Jodo Nyay Yatra in Bihar will bolster processed a record 1.4 million visa
boost to mobile manufacturing, Sholavandan (Tamil Nadu) initiated the bickerings but before the chances of INDIA. applications in India in 2023’
with smartphone exports having that Congress going alone in just Though at present it seems almost (January 30).
crossed $11 billion in 2022–23, NDA vs I.N.D.I.A concluded five Assembly elections certain that the NDA will win in the The rise in demand for US education
besides benefiting the toy and The Editorial ‘Complete disarray’ precipitated mistrust among allies. next elections; it would be premature by the Indian youth is a grim
defense sectors. (January 30) aptly dissects the Thus blaming the BJP alone is not to write the INDIA group off. The reflection of the higher education
Despite these achievements, the political scenario before Lok Sabha enough. A strong Opposition is the mandir issue has created a huge wave sector in the country.
contribution of the manufacturing elections. essence of democracy but people in favour of the BJP. Inflation and Those who go to US for higher
sector to the GDP has been When INDIA was born with initiative have to be convinced of its vision unemployment remain the biggest studies are likely to settle there
stagnant at 15–17 per cent. efforts of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to ideology and actions. bugbears of this government. Young resulting in the outflow of human
Measures such as quality control defeat NDA, none ever thought that Vinod Johri voters disillusioned by lack of capital too. The government must
and tariff barriers to boost the the same protagonist will ambush New Delhi employment opportunities could improve the quality of higher
manufacturing sector are steps in INDIA itself to ensure NDA victory. upset the BJP's apple cart. education.
the right direction. Apart from mutual distrust, personal Apropos ‘Complete disarray’, the Anthony Henriques S Ramakrishnasayee
Much needs to be done to ambitions too led to the Opposition desertion of Nitish Kumar from the Mumbai Chennai

Published by Nirmala Lakshman and Printed by S. Ramanujam at HT Media Ltd. Plot No. 8, Udyog Vihar, Greater Noida Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P. 201306, on behalf of THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., Chennai­600002. Editor: Raghuvir Srinivasan (Editor responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act). ISSN 0971 ­ 7528

CM
YK . . . . . . . . ND­NDE
think . bl . 7
DELHI

businessline.
WEDNESDAY ­ JANUARY 31 ­ 2024

Thrust areas in tax policy


Will include digitisation of systems, carbon pricing
Will a burning Asia affect India?
From Myanmar to Israel, countries are grappling with attacks by rebels, terrorists and militants
Gokul Chaudhri
THE WIDER
T
he digitisation of the tax
system, successfully ANGLE.
implemented over the
past years, could unleash the next PARAN BALAKRISHNAN
wave of transformation.

I
The question is whether 2024 t’s not often people describe
will be the year when the India as a haven of peace. But
government will roll out an look at the region around India
integrated data vision. This could and it’s almost starting to look
be envisaged as a system where that way with conflicts
data collection, reporting and TAX REGIME. Must be simple stretching from the Red Sea and Israel
exchange elements move and running all the way to Myanmar.
automatically through machine to minimum corporate tax under The greatest threat this week comes
machine­based processes pillar 2 of the G20/OECD from US fury over the killing of three
between government and proposals. Given the complexity servicemen in Jordan by a militant­fired
business taxpayers. of this proposal, it would be missile. The Americans say the attack
The system could potentially prudent to have extensive was carried out by “radical Iran­backed
bring in greater real­time tax stakeholder consultations. militant groups” and are demanding
compliance. Measures like Tax certainty, which includes quick revenge. “A deadly drone attack
SAFT­T, as recommended by tax predictability, is a that cost American lives requires a
OECD for electronic exchange of fundamental cornerstone of a swift, precise and meaningful military
reliable accounting data from good tax regime. The Supreme response,” says Bloomberg.
organisations to a national tax Court’s 2023 decision on tax Take a short hop to the Red Sea
authority or external auditors, treaty eligibility based on the where the Indian Navy firefighters and
may be introduced. Most Favoured Nation clause has sailors of the INS Vishakhapatrnam
implications both for Indian helped douse fires on an oil tanker, the
GST COLLECTIONS companies and foreign recipients. Marlin Luanda, after it was struck by a
In 2023, GST collections grew It is hoped that in 2024, the missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Gaza bombardment causing massive The Iranians insist all nine people killed now, the Russians have sailed through
over 13 per cent. To accelerate the interim or final Budget proposals A few days earlier, the Vishakhapatnam destruction, it seems aimed at ensuring were Iranians belonging to the terrorist the Suez Canal into the Red Sea,
growth in collection beyond the bring administrative guidance to was on the spot to help another ship, the Palestinians won’t be able to live in Jaish al­Adl. The Pakistanis struck back untroubled by fears of Houthi attack.
cf5e8461-529b-4ee6-bc17-07e7e5e8906d

cf5e8461-529b-4ee6-bc17-07e7e5e8906d
nominal GDP growth, better data mitigate the adverse impact for the Genco Picardy, after it was also hit Gaza. The International Court of but the self­described “brotherly For India, it’s crucial the Russians
analysis and technology could be the investor community. by a Houthi missile. Justice’s order to Israel to contain nations” have patched up. Today, their keep sailing through the Red Sea. About
harnessed to plug compliance Conclusion of free trade Head east to Lailenpi in Myanmar, death and damage in Gaza appears to be foreign ministers met and the Iranian 50­55 oil tankers carry Russian crude to
gaps. agreements may experience just 5 km from the Indian border. Here, having no impact. Talk about a ceasefire pronounced there was: “No doubt India monthly and other ships bring
A tax policy change is expected sluggish progress in 2024, given Myanmarese rebels bombed a and negotiations to retrieve the militants in Pak­Iran border areas coal and sunflower oil. If they had to
in the field of carbon pricing. The that more than 60 countries, Myanmar army camp using cheap, remaining estimated 130 hostages (were) supported by ‘third countries’.” make the much longer journey round
European Union (EU) has representing half the world’s off­the­shelf drones and put the army to continues but nothing has materialised No prizes for guessing the third country the Cape of Good Hope, it would hike
introduced carbon border population, will go to the polls flight. The Myanmar soldiers fled yet. referred to is us! transport costs considerably. Another
adjustment mechanism which this calendar. across the border into India. A plane If all this isn’t enough, Iran last week ship carrying Russian crude oil to India
will transition to imposition of sent to repatriate one group of soldiers fired a missile 280 km inside Pakistan, HOUTHI REBELS had a narrow escape in the Gulf of Aden
import levies on specified goods WHAT IS EXPECTED? crash­landed at Mizoram’s Lengpui killing nine people. The attack In the Red Sea too, the Iranians are the over the weekend when a missile landed
imported into the EU from GST and corporate income tax Airport. Myanmar’s rebels are using surprised the Pakistanis because the key suspects, accused of backing the close­by.
countries with less stringent rates are unlikely to see any easily­available weapons like drones two countries’ foreign ministers had Houthi rebels. There’s said to be a tacit Where do all these conflicts on land
climate policies. Other countries change in 2024. Individual that can be bought on Amazon and met earlier in the day and the Pakistan Iranian­brokered understanding that and sea leave India? We’re a large
have or are expected to adopt taxpayers may be encouraged to scoring big victories against the and Iranian navies had just concluded the Houthis won’t attack Russian and country and are more focused on the
similar measures. move towards the new country’s well­equipped army who are joint naval exercises a few hours earlier. Saudi ships and cargoes. It’s reckoned coming general elections than nearby
Therefore, the government will exemption­free tax regime over reportedly reluctant to fight their own the Houthis bungled by striking the wars. But a strike against the Iranians,
need to pursue appropriate policy the historical exemption­based countrymen. Marlin Luanda which was carrying for example, could be like a match in a
responses, even as Indian tax regime. Individual taxpayers Worst of all is, of course, the Gaza Worst of all is, of Russian naphtha. Possibly that powder keg. That would be enough to
industry must adopt measures to would certainly hope for some war where Israel has already killed course, the Gaza war happened because of the ship’s opaque inflame the Middle East and send the
not just ensure expeditious relief in the interim Budget more than 26,000 Palestinians, ownership: it sails under the Marshall price of oil shooting through the roof —
compliance but also benefit proposals. according to local officials. The Israelis where Israel has already Islands flag­of­convenience, its owner if nothing else. And small wars can
through opportunity for trade The aspiration of the growing say they’re aiming for “total victory” killed more than 26,000 is London­based Oceonix Services and swiftly metamorphose into much
diversion. taxpayer community, reflected by over Hamas after the savage October 7 the cargo belonged to global trading larger, blazing hot ones. Let’s cross our
To secure long term funding the 68 million tax returns in 2023, attack that left some 1,400 dead. But Palestinians, according to giant Trafigura. The ship had a crew of fingers that things don’t deteriorate
for green projects, the RBI has is best articulated by the Prime not only is the Israelis’ devastating local officials. 22 Indians and one Bangladeshi. Till further but it may prove a vain hope.
thus far raised ₹210 billion via Minister’s statement that
sovereign green bonds. To “….people today feel that their
supplement this with private money is being used for
issuance of green bonds, nation­building…the trust in Short take
appropriate incentives can be developmental works among tax
provided.
This could be done by way of
paying people has increased”. A
welcome aspiration for the
Migration to drive UK
interest, capital gains exemption
for the borrower and accelerated
incoming government in 2024
would be to further the population growth
tax depreciation on assets implementation environment in
acquired with the proceeds of which taxpayers can easily Lucy White
green bonds. comply with the tax process with Irina Anghel
The globalisation of our tax minimal disputes and avoid

T
policy is likely to continue, albeit lengthy dispute resolution he UK estimated its population
sluggishly. In 2024, the processes. will balloon by 9.9 per cent in the
government could provide a next 15 years, a trend that will
roadmap for implementing the The writer is President, Tax, Deloitte India both help the economy and exacerbate a
rift within Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s
ruling Conservative Party.
The Office for National Statistics
thehindu businessline.
projected the number of people in the
UK will grow by 6.6 million between the
middle of 2021 and 2036, almost all of
TWENTY YEARS AGO TODAY. which will come from immigration. Net
migration is likely to average 315,000 a
January 31, 2004 year from the middle of 2028.
While this would result in net
SEBI likely to relax public issue norms for PSUs migration more than halving from last
In order to facilitate the disinvestment of government holding in public sector year’s record, overall population growth
units, SEBI is prepared to heed to a government request and relax the norms is stronger than the ONS estimated a
of public issues. These include reducing the lot size from 100 to 10, declaring year ago. That’s likely to boost the
the price band a day before the opening of the offers and earmarking some capacity of the economy to grow over the
equity for allotment to shareholders of group companies. coming years, which will help the Bank of
England in its efforts to head off
IFCI merger with PNB gets board approval inflation and could bring in more
Yet another development financial institution (DFI) is set to fade away from revenue for the Treasury. Yet it cuts
the financial horizon with approval being granted for Punjab National Bank’s against Sunak’s promise to rein in
acquisition of the country’s oldest term­lending institution, IFCI. PNB was migration.
chosen to takeover the DFI in view of the synergies shared between the two. The ONS estimates that the number
of people in the UK will hit 70 million by
Nitish promises smoother train rides mid­2026, heightening concerns among
The interim Budget presented by the Union Railways Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, Conservatives about migration which
proposes to complete all pending railway projects in the next five years and ministers say is straining public services,
has outlined several measures to augment passenger services. Passengers will from schools to hospitals.
soon be able to book tickets through mobile phones and the concept of Last year, net migration to the UK hit
e­ticketing, borrowed from low­cost airlines, is to be adopted by the Railways. a record 745,000. BLOOMBERG

BL TWO­WAY CROSSWORD 2366


EASY NOT SO EASY

ACROSS DOWN ACROSS DOWN


1. Heavenly body (5) 1. Answering, suiting, agreeing 1. Company that came across a body in space (5) 1. It is comparable to the writing of letters (13)
4. Withdraw from confrontation (4,3) with (13) 4. Stop confronting defender that's no longer being 2. Wander aimlessly about and need arm to be
8. Severely criticise (5) 2. Wander aimlessly (7) served (4,3) re­set (7)
9. Gathering of the crops (7) 3. Very small (colloquial) (6) 8. Cook the joint using the right sort of oven (5) 3. Very small irritation in the tummy, first and last (6)
10. Put a stop to (3) 4. In the rear (6) 9. Gather it in or Henry initially might starve (7) 4. How could he bind his rear? (6)
11. The Old ______ : Psalm tune (9) 5. Paralysing S American arrow­tip 10. Don't start to curve at the finish (3) 5. Poison that, with copper, is very uncommon (6)
12. A fortified wine (4) poison (6) 11. Old Psalm comes in with 99 ahead of it (9) 6. A nymph was given nothing to study (5)
13. Design, scheme (4) 6. Mountain nymph (5) 12. The harbour is to the left of the ship (4) 7. Go get it, bring it with you, and be a humble
18. Home­sickness, longing for past (9) 7. Do servile work for 13. Scheme that shows architect's ideas laid flat (4) slave (5,3,5)
20. Bird of fable able to carry somebody (5,3,5) 18. Fond remembrance of the past again lost in such a way (9) 14. UK girl moving round the North and hanging
elephant (3) 14. Hanging about, as in ambush (7) 20. Fabulous bird to be steady as sound of (3) furtively about (7)
21. Inertness (7) 15. No longer capable (4,2) 21. Lack of movement as one near it can show (7) 15. No longer up to history, having sex appeal (4,2)
22. Head of a friary (5) 16. Large arboreal lizard (6) 22. Earlier he could have deputised for the abbot (5) 16. Lizard one gets with AA gun perhaps (6)
23. Cotton cloth with coloured stripe (7) 17. Shell beads used as money (6) 23. Pygmalion's creation in cotton fabric (7) 17. See Mum, paw out, getting bead­money (6)
24. Close, damp (atmosphere) (5) 19. An incantation (5) 24. If it's close, stick it back, gobbling your starters (5) 19. It may be a magic way to name the letters (5)

SOLUTION: BL TWO­WAY CROSSWORD 2365


ACROSS 1. Catastrophe 8. Abide 9. Topiary 10. Capital 11. Lunar 12. Larder 14. Grimed 18. Board 19. Expiate 21. Gutters 23. Arena 24. Resurrected
DOWN 1. Chancel 2. Tripper 3. Sweat 4. Rattle 5. Popular 6. Era 7. Buyer 13. Endless 15. Meanest 16. Die­hard 17. Censor 18. Bogus 20. Place 22. Tar

CM
YK ... . . . . . . ND­NDE
>
OPINION 9
STAY INFORMED THROUGH THE DAY @ WWW.BUSINESS-STANDARD.COM

VOLUME XXX NUMBER 247


NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, 31 JANUARY 2024

Economic prospects Rural India’s Budget expectations


Interventions needed to support long-term growth There is a need to reduce stress in agriculture and increase What are the expectations in the interim Budget?
One expects a boost to rural growth due to stress in
demand to ensure sustainable growth

T
he Department of Economic Affairs on Monday came up with a review ILLUSTRATION: BINAY SINHA agriculture and the rural economy. In an election year,
of India’s economic performance over the past decade. Although it is Budget allocations are expected to be pro-farmer and
pro-poor. The Finance Minister recently mentioned
not the Economic Survey, which will be released before the full Budget
that youth, women, farmers and the poor would be
after the Lok Sabha election, the review highlights the reforms imple- the focus of government policies. These four groups
mented by the Narendra Modi government. It notes the economy is expected to are higher in rural areas and this could be an indication
grow 7.3 per cent this financial year and many believe growth will be around 7 of the thrust of the interim Budget.
per cent even next financial year. Growth in the economy has indeed exceeded The government may stick to the fiscal deficit target
expectations, and the fact that India is growing at this rate despite relatively of 5.9 per cent for FY24, with the aim of reducing it to
unfavourable global conditions is commendable. The government implemented 4.5 per cent by FY26. The increase in capital expendi-
several reforms over the past decade and recovery from the pandemic has been ture is expected to continue in future budgets, which
stronger than expected. However, there are challenges that could affect potential would also benefit rural areas. The last Budget made
some announcements such as digital public infras-
growth over the medium to long run.
tructure for agriculture, an agricultural accelerated
Among the most notable reforms, the government has implemented the
fund to encourage agri-startups, and the establishment
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. Along with the merger of public-sector of a global hub for millets (Shree Anna). These
banks and their recapitalisation, it helped address the twin balance-sheet problem. announcements would require increased allocations.

T
As a result, the Indian banking sector is currently in its most favourable position he performance of agriculture and the rural exports. While there may be a need to impose export Notably, higher funds were allocated for the Jal Jeevan
in over a decade. Healthy corporate and bank balance sheets have not only economy is important as around 70 per cent of bans and increase tariffs on occasion, it’s crucial to Mission, farmer producer organisations (FPOs), and
reduced macroeconomic risks but will also support private investment. Another the population and workforce reside in rural consider that such measures could potentially reduce food processing, and this positive trend should be con-
noteworthy reform implemented in the past decade is goods and services tax areas. Increasing their purchasing power is crucial for farmers’ incomes. tinued. The last Budget also saw an increase in agri-
(GST). After years of relative underperformance, the tax system is showing signs creating demand in the entire economy. In this context, Indian farmers face many problems. The economic cultural credit to ~20 trillion, with focus on animal
of stabilisation and increased revenue. The government should now aim to ratio- let’s examine the present state of agriculture, rural survey 2022-23 called for a reorientation in agriculture husbandry, dairy and fisheries. Recent estimates show
economy, and expectations from the interim Budget to deal with challenges such as climate change, rising disbursal of farm loans exceeded 90 per cent of the
nalise rates and slabs to further improve its performance. The government took
for 2024-25. input costs, fragmented land holdings, sub-optimal Budget estimate in the first nine months of the current
several other initiatives, such as the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Indian agriculture has done well, with an average farm mechanisation, low productivity, and disguised fiscal. The interim Budget may raise agricultural credit
Act, decriminalising minor economic offences, liberalising foreign direct invest- annual growth rate of 4.4 per cent in the past six years unemployment. At present, subsidies exceed public by 10 to 15 per cent.
ment in various sectors, and adopting flexible inflation targeting. (2017-18 to 2022-23) including Covid-19 years. However, investments in agriculture. India spends only 0.4 per The last Budget announced schemes aimed at pro-
Some of these reforms will support growth over the medium to long run. the first advance estimates of gross domestic product cent of agri gross value-added on research and devel- moting a circular economy and facilitating 10 million
However, there are at least two important issues that need immediate policy (GDP) for FY24 indicate a dismal seven-year low growth opment, while other countries spend 1 to 2 per cent of farmers to adopt natural farming. This focus may con-
attention. The government opted for increased capital expenditure to support of just 1.8 per cent. This low growth in agriculture was agriculture GDP. There is a need to tackle the impact tinue in the next Budget. Additionally, the Budget
growth after the pandemic, which slowed fiscal consolidation. As a result, accord- largely due to the poor monsoon (El Nino effect) in of climate change. One study shows that climate shocks should also emphasise adaptation and mitigation mea-
ing to estimates, India’s public debt is expected to increase this year, partly 2023. Production of major kharif crops such as droughts, floods, heat waves sures to reduce carbon emissions. Similarly, the PM
and even allied activities like livestock, and cold waves have slowed down Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and the crop insurance
because of lower nominal growth. Public debt worth well over 80 per cent of
fishing, and aquaculture could witness India’s agriculture productivity scheme (PM Fasal Bima Yojana) need to be further
gross domestic product is always a source of macroeconomic vulnerability for a a decline in FY24. Rabi sowing is also growth by 25 per cent, and the slow- strengthened.
country like India. Higher debt and interest payments are also affecting gov- muted this year. Although overall infla- down has been more pronounced in One expects increased allocations towards farmers
ernment spending. As an analysis by this newspaper showed, with an increase tion in December 2023 was 5.7 per cent, the poorer and agrarian states. and rural development programmes to stimulate
in interest payments, expenditure on health and education as a proportion of the consumer food price index record- As for rural demand, the RBI demand in rural areas. With the extension of the PM-
total expenditure has declined in recent years. The government thus needs to ed an inflation rate of 10 per cent. analysis shows a mixed perfor- Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for the next five
reduce the fiscal deficit at a faster rate to bring down public debt. Global uncertainty on food prices and mance. Automobile sales, although years, there could be a rise in the food subsidy bill,
The other big policy challenge is generating quality employment. The review supply chains due to wars in few coun- moderating sequentially, registered while the fertiliser subsidy may not see a significant
notes the unemployment rate, according to the annual Periodic Labour Force tries may continue, although the Food an expansion of 14.1 per cent year- increase. The Budget is likely to allocate more funds
Surveys, declined from 6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per cent in 2022-23. Policymakers, and Agriculture Organization food S MAHENDRA DEV on-year (y-o-y) in December, while for the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme,
price index declined from 143.7 in 2022 two- and three-wheeler sales record- MGNREGA, and affordable housing (PM-Awas Yojana).
however, should read these numbers carefully and not underestimate the nature
to 124.0 in 2023. ed double-digit y-o-y growth. On the An increase in rural wages is also crucial for creating
of the challenge. It is worth noting that over 57 per cent of workers reported to be A recent study by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) other hand, tractor sales recorded a two-year low in demand and fostering private investment in rural
self-employed and over 18 per cent were helpers in their household enterprises. explores the dynamics of the agriculture supply chain December, and contracted by 19.8 per cent (y-o-y). areas. Malnutrition among children in rural areas is
Meanwhile, about 22 per cent reported to be engaged in casual labour. The employ- by estimating the farmers’ share in consumer prices Other data shows that the sales of fast-moving con- high and needs attention.
ment mix underscores that the Indian economy is unable to create quality jobs through a pan-India survey of farmers, traders and sumer goods in value terms faltered and the rural To conclude, there is a need to reduce stress in agri-
at the scale required. This factor alone has the potential to significantly undermine retailers. The survey finds that the average share of demand continued to lag in the October-December culture and increase rural demand to ensure the sus-
India’s long-term economic growth prospects. farmers in output value varies between 33 and 70 quarter. Additionally, rural real wage growth has been tainability of growth and the creation of productive
per cent across various crops. As one expects, per- either low or negative in the last one decade. The employment. This will benefit farmers, the poor, youth,
ishables have a much lower share. The survey find- demand for jobs under MGNREGA is still high this and women. In an election year, the Budget has to
Gender preference ings suggest that further development of agricultural year, though showing a decline compared to the pre-
markets, warehouses, pre-processing facilities, ripen- vious year. Whether one calls it a K-shaped or V-
strike a balance between pro-poor redistributive poli-
cies while ensuring fiscal deficit targets. Raising rev-
ing units and cold storage is critical for efficient sup- shaped recovery, the weak rural demand is a concern enue, reducing tax concessions, and curtailing expen-
Girl child continues to face discrimination ply chain management. for fast-moving consumer goods, other durables and ditures on unproductive activities are required to

S
ocio-economic advancement, better educational facilities for women, and India holds significant potential for increasing agri- discretionary products, although we see few green achieve this objective.
extensive government programmes have improved health outcomes for cultural exports. Special efforts are required to diversify shoots now. Around 51 per cent of micro, small and
girls and narrowed the gender gap in child health inputs and outcomes. the agri-export basket and explore new destinations, medium enterprises are in rural areas and they have The writer is distinguished professor, ICFAI, Hyderabad, and
However, India still has to go a long way. A new research paper — published as well as to increase high-value added agricultural to be strengthened. former director, IGIDR, Mumbai

recently by the National Council of Applied Economic Research, which explores


various dimensions of differential investment in sons and a fertility preference to
have sons — could be useful in framing policies in this context. The data from the
National Family Health Survey reveals India has closed most of the gender gap in
child investment over time, yet girls continue to fare worse than boys on most indi-
cators related to health and nutrition. For instance, despite improvements in India’s
Operating at scale
P
average female-male infant survival and vaccination ratios, they remain below the resenting the second Budget of independent loot of the Indian people has taken place, nearly the role of the board changes. The essential ele-
international average. Further, boys tend to follow a more diversified dietary pattern India and the first for a full 12-month period to the tune of ~6,000 crore.” Our markets needed ments of an effective board remain the same.
and are more likely to be exclusively breastfed than girls. States in the Hindi heartland in 1948-49, Finance Minister R K life support. Microsoft’s or Apple’s boards do not function dif-
Shanmukham Chetty estimated the revenue for the Today, UTI manages ~15.56 trillion, the mutual ferently now that they are behemoths, although
— Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh — continue to suffer
full year to be ~256.28 crore, with expenditures at fund industry has a monthly systematic investment their priorities may differ. Some of these include:
from high levels of excess female under-five mortality in the country. ~ 257.37 crore, leaving him to deal with a deficit of plan flow of ~18,000 crore, and assets under man- A sprawling business needs well-defined pro-
Other than differential investment in children based on gender, the paper also ~ 1.09 crore. The Budget aimed at improving the agement of ~50 trillion. cesses and a razor-sharp focus on compliance.
finds evidence of son preference and favouritism towards the eldest son. In India, lives of 340 million Indians. We can multiply these examples of how old India Consequently, companies operating at scale need
eldest sons continue to do better than younger sons on various indicators like Today, conservatively, 1,592 listed companies has scaled up — way beyond the impact of inflation. a robust information system design. Boards must
stunting and infant survival. Cultural controls are strongly associated with a male- have revenues greater than ~ 256 crore. l Domestic steel production in 1970 was 5 million ensure they receive relevant information. This
skewed sex ratio in the country. A cultural preference for sons in India may be Reliance Industries Ltd closed its last financial tonnes per annum (mtpa). Two decades later, in involves receiving comprehensive explanations of
expressed as “son preference” or “daughter aversion”, arising from patrilocality, year with a top line of ~9.7 trillion 1990, it had almost doubled and was the issues, and, where appropriate, guidance from
patrilineality, the cost of dowry, and old-age support from sons. The problem of ($118.6 billion). Data from the at 9.3 mtpa. Today, there are at least external experts to provide critical insights.
“missing female children” remains pervasive in the country. An estimate by International Monetary Fund for eight companies that have an As the business is operated across far-flung loca-
2022 showed that there are 130 installed capacity of 10 mtpa, and tions, the primacy of systems and process, as well
economist Amartya Sen in the 1990s showed that nearly 100 million women were
countries with a lower gross domes- three in the list of 20 largest steel as a razor-sharp focus on compliance, becomes cru-
missing across the world — almost 40 million in India alone. Indians continue to tic product. companies in the world. cial. This includes escalation mechanisms, so that
take advantage of weak enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic The first Budget covered a sev- l The Government of India breaches are addressed on priority.
Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, which bans sex selection. The willingness to have at en-and-a-half-month period from acquired Bharat Petroleum from Companies get evaluated not just on financial
least one son leads parents to engage in sex selection. This results in the sex ratio August 15, 1947 to March 31, 1948. Burmah Shell in 1975, and the total numbers, but on societal issues as well. How the
getting skewed more towards males and the last child in the family is especially The total revenue in the first Budget cost of acquisition was pegged at companies respond to controversies or issues that
skewed towards sons. The paper also notes the sex ratio at last birth is now considered was estimated at ~171.15 crore, the ~37 crore. This comprised paying flare up is crucial — particularly when issues have
total expenditure at ~197.39 crore, ~9.25 crore for 100 per cent of the not been anticipated. At the same time, political
a better way of capturing “son preference” than the overall population sex ratio.
The paper provides some valuable policy insights. It gives evidence of the and the deficit an alarming ~26.24 THE OCCASIONAL equity and ~11.27 crore as a loan issues start to come to the forefront, as do geopo-
relative ineffectiveness of free health services in reducing preference for sons.
crore. The Finance Minister was
apologetic that we were living
ASIDE repayable to BPCL. The company’s
market cap alone is ~1.04 trillion
litical risks — something that only a handful of
small companies concern themselves with.
Policies, therefore, must focus on offsetting parents’ time and hassle costs like beyond our means. However, in AMIT TANDON today and enterprise value is even Again, for companies operating at scale, what
providing payments to them for having healthy girls. Similarly, female education what can be described as an under- higher. A year ago, Life Insurance is happening in other global companies matters.
has proven to have little impact. Development and educational attainment lead statement, he went on to say, “the Corporation raised ~21,000 crore by Technological change, production process
to smaller desired family sizes and, hence, couples are more likely to resort to circumstances during the period under review have selling just 3.5 per cent of its equity shares. changes, geographical moves, mergers and strate-
sex-selective abortions. Low fertility levels are positively associated with a male- been abnormal,” referring to the Partition and the l Hindustan Unilever’s food business was worth gic alliances, all impact companies that are oper-
skewed desired sex ratio. The provision of financial incentives for having daugh- unexpected expenditure on the evacuation and relief ~52.7 crore in 1992, a number that will attract Series ating at scale.
ters also helps little due to the problem of infra-marginality of payments. Instead, for refugees. I bring this up given the losses that star- C funding. In this euphoria of achieving and operating at
the government must strictly enforce the PCPNDT Act and empower schools to tups report, without even breaking a sweat. Indeed, This scaling up has been in absolute terms, rel- scale, it is easy to forget the hard work that compa-
many wear their losses as a badge of honour. ative to competition, global benchmarks or its own nies do in growing steadily year-in-year-out. The
deliver timely health interventions. The absence of social security also encourages
In 2001, when the Unit-64 crisis unfolded, the historical numbers. aphorism “what does not kill you, makes you
families to have male children, with the hope that they will take care of their
Communist Party of India (Marxist) raised a red Operating at size reflects the transformative eco- stronger” applies to businesses as much as it does
parents in old age. This is, to be sure, a complex problem and various steps taken flag (sic) when it said, “The near collapse of the nomic and social change; because we are living to you and me.
by the government have improved gender outcomes. However, the desired Unit Trust of India (UTI) flagship scheme US-64 through this, we just may not realise that the econ-
change remains a slow process. is a gigantic fraud — unprecedented in indepen- omy has changed. Boards too need to adjust their The writer is with Institutional Investors Advisory Services
dent India.” They went on to say that “a merciless thinking and need to think at scale. It is not that India Ltd. The views are personal. X: @AmitTandin_in

Winning, losing and entrepreneurship any potential entrepreneur.


Mr Kejriwal’s account of his “most
successful failure’’ is an interesting case
study for any startup. He talks about
parking game, based on the yesteryear
hit Bombay Taxi. Games2Win struck a
licensing deal with CT Racer, a game
that was doing quite well in China and
Alok Kejriwal, the author of this startup story. Somewhere in the themselves again and again that how the notion that “India will mimic South Korea, but MMORPG failed to
bestseller Why I Stopped Wearing My middle of the book is a chapter called excitement of an idea should not result in China” was the flavour of the decade click in India. Mr Kejriwal’s lesson for
Socks (his first book) wears many hats. “Looking for a CTO and finding a financial catastrophe. That’s exactly among venture capitalists. He writes: the reader from the failed experiment:
He’s a blogger, motivational speaker, spouse”. You may be tempted to go what Mr Kejriwal does through the “For ambitious entrepreneurs, the MMORPG was not meant for India, and
meditation practitioner for 30 years and straight to it after reading this chapter course of the book hack was what works in China does not mean it
a mentor besides being an heading in the contents section. even at the cost of Getting Dressed and straightforward. If will work in India.
BOOK REVIEW entrepreneur. Getting Dressed and Without killing the suspense, suffice it repetition. Indeed, Parking Cars: The you could do The author’s travels from Beijing to
Parking Cars reflects Mr Kejriwal’s to say that the chapter brings out the being part of the Magical Story of something Seoul to San Francisco and other places
NIVEDITA MOOKERJI personality as he takes the reader writer’s search for personal values at the startup world, he Building a Gaming involving the join the dots of this real-life story of
on a startup journey. workplace in an engaging way. knows how Company internet and success, failure and the journey of an

I
n the funding winter season, a book The writer-entrepreneur starts by If “Looking for a CTO….’’ offers a sense thousands of them Author: Alok Kejriwal mobile phones entrepreneur. But, the success story in
by a successful startup founder is a telling the reader that after two of experiment, that’s a running theme have collapsed over that was this book stays with the reader. It’s
Publisher: Penguin
welcome kit for the would-be successful exits (read “plenty of cash”), through the book. Take for instance Mr the years. Random House successful in about the Parking Frenzy game — that’s
entrepreneur. Pages of wisdom for those he could have built just about anything Kejriwal’s description of the MDP model, There have China and perhaps the genesis of the title. “At
interested in the life and times of new- for the next venture. That’s when he which he defines as the minimum been numerous Pages: 176 presented in a around 1 am (IST) on 12 June 2012,
age companies would not go amiss chose to build a gaming company to dhandha product. MDP seems to be a books on startups, Price: ~299 well-crafted Parking Frenzy became the number one
either. The author’s LinkedIn account entertain consumers worldwide. The sure-shot model to check if a startup idea big and small, PowerPoint as a game and app in the US iTunes store…’’.
describes him as a hands-on, serial ensuing pages touch upon the many holds promise or not. In a back and forth written by plan, you could That was a first for a mobile game from
entrepreneur whose focused approach aspects of the journey around his fourth style, the writer talks about his MDP founders and co-founders themselves, quickly raise a few million dollars from India, a record not broken yet. Soon
is to fire up a great idea and partner with company — Games2win — experiment a decade ago on whether to both globally and in India. That makes it investors just to try out your ideas.’’ after began the “Great Indian Internet
the best people to make it happen. His incorporated in 2006. start manufacturing jeans or not. He did tougher for any writer of this genre to He goes on to say that the mimic- Gold Rush”, Mr Kejriwal notes, as
previous startup, Mobile2win, was Apart from the hard work, not after the MDP test. He uses the same sustain the reader’s interest. This one is China experiment failed when he tried marquee investors set up local offices in
acquired by The Walt Disney Company challenges and all the rest of the formula to check if the gaming venture no exception, but the author keeps it the MMORPG (massive multiplayer India. The rest, as they say, is history.
and Norwest Venture Partners in China attributes connected with the spirit of would be worthwhile or not. All this may simple in style and form with a box on online role playing game) genre. He For this writer, however, the vision of
and India, respectively, the short profile entrepreneurship, the book attempts to seem pretty much commonplace and learnings at the end of every chapter. recounts how he tried to Indianise the becoming the Mattel of the digital world
description says. recount anecdotes that lend warmth to logical but entrepreneurs need to remind The learning is like a to-do synopsis for genre by opting for a car driving and remains the guiding principle.
18 NEW DELHI
WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 31, 2024

Opinion
{ OUR TAKE }
E STA B L I S H E D I N 1 9 24
New deal in statecraft,
Expressway boost to India-US ties
to prosperity iCET’s transformative
potential was never in
negotiated. Longstanding areas of panies in niche defence-related tech-
cooperation that predated iCET but nologies — to be co-developed and
lacked strategic focus were placed manufactured in India. There is an
CEA’s review of the Indian economy presents doubt. On the first under the spotlight. NSCS and the ongoing formal process to demask
NSC were able to identify gaps, read- the export controls labyrinth in the
an optimistic roadmap to a $7 trillion economy. anniversary of its just priorities, and gently push line US. Equally, there is a serious effort
But bumps on route will have to be negotiated launch, both nations ministries in both countries to work to streamline regulations in India to
toward clearer outcomes. Prime attract inward investments and
need to institutionalise Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit cement manufacturing commit-

T
omorrow’s being an interim budget, there to Washington, DC, in June 2023 ments in strategic technologies.
its working
will be no customary Economic Survey today. served as a forcing function for iCET There are many more examples of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to Washington, DC, in June

E
xactly a year ago, to this torchbearers both within and outside iCET-led outcomes. In sum, there is 2023 served as a forcing function for iCET torchbearers both within and
The Economic Survey, more than anything day, the India-United of government. little doubt that the NSC- outside of government REUTERS
else, presents the government’s narrative on States (US) initiative on The strategy worked. A NSCS-led structure is deliv-
the economy. That, however, has not prevented the Critical and Emerging range of announcements ering. There will likely be a ing. Such a structure also deperson- but rather one of negotiations —
Technology (iCET) was peppered the long and high-level iCET meeting in alises the iCET that is currently, to an sometimes much is lost in transla-
government from laying down its narrative on the formally unveiled. In an hard-negotiated joint state- New Delhi sometime soon. extent, dependent on individuals tion. Trust takes time to develop.
economy ahead of its last Budget before the general oversized yet packed room in the US ment at the end of the visit. As senior officials take stock who have more than ably led this Actors on both sides, in time, will do
elections. The chief economic advisor (CEA)’s office, Chambers of Commerce, national The American semiconduc- Rudra and think through the future process. Yet, these individuals will better to co-learn and co-produce the
security advisors Ajit Doval and Jake tor company Micron Chaudhuri of the iCET, I highlight two move on. For the long-term sustaina- shared syntax required to deepen
on Monday, released a document called “Indian Sullivan consulted leading represent- pledged investments in sets of observations. bility of the iCET, both governments cooperation. As the groundwork con-
Economy: A Review”, which does precisely that even atives from industry and government India. It has subsequently First, whilst the NSC- could consider the question of insti- tinues to be laid, even if the quantum
though the CEA has emphasised that it is not to be along with other stakeholders. Both broken ground in Gujarat. NSCS structure has done tutionalisation by the time the next of deal announcements reduces over
countries set on a path to architect a General Electric Aerospace and Hin- more than many might have iCET meeting takes place. a given period of time, the industry
confused with the Economic Survey (which will new framework for cooperation. Led dustan Aeronautics Limited expected to incubate the iCET and Second, it is worth keeping in needs to keep an eye on the future.
come out in July). by the National Security Council Sec- announced the coproduction of jet coordinate and shape outcomes, it is mind that strategic technology coop- After all, it is both the primary mover
What does this document tell us about the Indian retariat (NSCS) in India and the engines in India. The Congressional time to think more carefully about eration takes time to mature. The of the iCET and potentially its great-
National Security Council (NSC) in waivers required in the US to imple- the institutional future of the initia- iCET began with big bang announce- est beneficiary.
economy during the 10 years of the Narendra Modi the US, the iCET served as a unique ment this deal have been attained. tive. As many of its different verticals ments, but these are not replicable The iCET has the potential to
government? It argues that the period has been experiment in statecraft. The NSCS The US National Science Foundation have taken root and are being consid- every quarter or even every year. As transform the US-India relationship
marked by important reforms, some incremental, had not done anything like this until has signed several agreements with ered at different levels in ministries, one senior official put it to me, “The many times over. Moreover, it prom-
now. its Indian counterparts to forge and industry, and academy, it might be iCET is as much about constantly ises manufacturing, jobs, and access
others game-changing, which have brought the The enthusiasm in the room was foster collaborations. India became worth creating an iCET council that preparing the groundwork for out- to critical technologies to India’s bur-
Indian economy to the cusp of long-term sustained unmistakable. Industry captains the 27th country to join the Artemis includes key ministries of both coun- comes as it is about outcomes them- geoning strategic industrial ecology,
growth in the ballpark of 7%. Barring geopolitical pledged their support to deepen ties Accords, a set of principles that guide tries that have been invested in this selves.” This is about the long haul. made up of both established players
across a range of strategic technolo- civilian space exploration. effort. The NSC and the NSCS should Deregulation in India is a work in and an ever-increasing range of
disruptions, the report says that the Indian economy gies from defence and Artificial Intel- Indus X, a new defence innovation be a part of this council. This process progress, as is the case with unbun- smaller ones. What is immediately
may reach the $7 trillion GDP mark by 2030 and is ligence to semiconductors and space. ecosystem, was created. It is led by will give greater agency to ministries, dling different categories of export required is patience and an active
well placed to realise the government’s objective of The two governments produced a agencies associated with India’s min- institutionalising the iCET impera- control regimes in the US. effort to institutionalise iCET 2.0.
“fact sheet” on iCET— the first set of istry of defence and the US depart- tives into a formal structure. Similarly, if one or two sets of
India becoming a developed economy when it formal documents outlining priority ment of defense. A few large deals Moreover, the council could negotiations on the coproduction of Rudra Chaudhuri is
completes 100 years of Independence in 2047. areas. An iCET ecosystem grew over are soon expected to materialise become the collective support base defence-related products fall apart, it director, Carnegie India.
The document also argues, in a subtle way, that even the next four months. Deals were between Indian and American com- for the iCET initiatives and dealmak- is not necessarily a failure of the iCET The views expressed are personal
though GDP growth rates have been higher in the
pre-Modi period, the current performance is
qualitatively better as it comes in the backdrop of a
slowdown in global growth. At the same time, the
document also argues that most international
Game on: The Biden { DHANANJAYA Y CHANDRACHUD } CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA

P
agencies are underestimating India’s growth
potential. Much of this is fair.
To be sure, the document is not just a set of
camp’s comeback plan In our work as judges, we realise the
importance of compassion,
assertions. It also celebrates what can be described onald Trump dominates the Ameri- nomic sentiment will change in three
as the government’s basic economic philosophy.
This is best understood as supply-side interventions
to boost material and human infrastructure,
D can political theatre at the moment. respects. First, with the economy slowly get-
His indictments and court cases have ting out of the fears of recession, interest rates
helped consolidate his base. His dipping, growth momentum sustained and
resounding success in the initial Republican robust employment figures, there is a sense
primaries has made it clear that he will be the that inflation will continue to dip. And as gro-
universality, tolerance and equality
which Gandhiji preached in all his
acts, deeds and words

A
an expansion of the welfare net to cushion the party’s nominee for the presidential elections cery and rent costs dip, Biden’s team hopes On the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
livelihoods and living standards of the poor and a this November. Negotiations in the United that the current anger against the administra-
commitment towards inflation control that extends States (US) Congress, where funding for tion will subside. Second, Biden will continue
Ukraine, Israel and border security remains to tout his major legislative accomplishments,
beyond the realm of monetary policy interventions. tied together in a package, are held hostage manufacturing push, and real financial invest-
Does all this mean that there are no problems with largely due to Trump’s signal to the party’s ments across domains, from infrastructure to
the Indian economy? Uneven recovery is a major
How Bihar has fared
Congressional leadership to make life difficult climate to modern tech. The Democrats rec-
for Joe Biden. And polls show either a really ognise that there is a lag till the impact of
problem for the economy and some of the assertions close race or a Trump edge in the national these measures is felt on the ground but are
in the document such as private consumption being elections when matched with Biden. hoping that this will assume tangible forms by
robust need to be taken with a pinch of salt.
It remains to be seen whether the interim Budget
goes with this reality or the narrative that all is fine
On the other side, Biden is struggling with the end of the year. And the third is Biden’s
two wars. The Israeli offensive has fractured focus on labour and unions. As the first presi-
his political coalition, with people of colour dent to stand in a picket line to express soli-
and minorities alienated from the administra- darity with striking workers against the auto
under Nitish Kumar
with the Indian economy. tion for what they see as American complicity industry, and with the endorsements of top itish Kumar has been the chief minis- share remains merely 0.5% of India. The only

Killing them with


in war crimes. There is now a real threat to unions, the Democrats believe that their old
American soldiers on the ground as
seen in Jordan, and American eco-
nomic interests as seen in the
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. The
working-class coalition, which is
where Trump has made inroads, will
return to Biden.
Three, the Democrats will make
N ter of Bihar for nearly two decades sectors that grew were related to construction
and has built a reputation as an and a few services (often real estate services).
administrator. So, how has Bihar The reasons are not far to seek. Govern-
fared under him on growth, human develop- ance is the key. In NITI’s Ease of Doing Busi-
ment and governance indices? ness rankings (2019), Bihar ranked 26 out of
Ukrainian resistance against Russia abortion — and a possible legal From 2011-12 to 2021-22, Bihar’s Gross State 29. In 2021, Bihar received just 0.29% of

coaching classes is diminishing due to fatigue in the


West. Macroeconomic indicators
look reasonably good but the popu-
Prashant
Jha
crackdown on other individual rights
— a key campaign plank. The
Supreme Court verdict overturning
Domestic Product (GSDP) grew at a com- India’s Foreign Direct Investment. Without
pound annual growth rate of 5.9%, close to basic enabling conditions, the state failed to
the national average (2011-12 prices). How- attract foreign investment.
lar sentiment on the economy is national protection to abortion was ever, Bihar’s GSDP is the lowest among major In terms of exports, Bihar’s current share is
et another JEE aspirant has killed herself in down due to cost of living, with due to Trump’s nominees to the states although a higher growth is easier to just 0.52%. NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness

Y Kota, after leaving behind a note addressed to


her parents, in which she rued, “I am a loser.”
Last week, a NEET aspirant from the district had
blame largely attributed to Biden. court. The decision has alienated
His age and occasional fumbles don’t help, women, but also men. And it has kindled fears
neither does his vice president Kamala Har- of backtracking progress on issues such as the
ris’s limited popularity. And the White House legal sanctity of same-sex relationships.
is being blamed for the surge in illegal immi- Abortion was seen as the single most
achieve at a lower base. There is very
little evidence of convergence of
Bihar’s GDP with other leading
states. In Net State Domestic Product
(current prices 2011-12), Bihar’s GDP
Index 2022 ranks Bihar nine among
10 major landlocked states. More-
over, more than 60% of Bihar’s
exports are one good — petroleum
products — courtesy of the Barauni
committed suicide. The district reported 27 cases of gration from the southern border. important driver of voter attitudes during was 43% of Gujarat’s GDP, 41% of (Begusarai) oil refinery. Also, Bihar’s
students killing themselves last year. Kota, the And that is why Trump looks like he has midterm polls where the Democrats put up a Karnataka’s GDP, and 34% of Tamil Santosh merchandise exports were 2.9% of
heartland of coaching centres, has been in the the momentum. But conversations with a set better-than-expected performance. It has also Nadu’s GDP; in 2021-22, the share of Mehrotra GDP as compared to 35.9% for Guj-
of top Democratic operatives in Washington resulted in the Republicans losing in referen- Bihar GDP was down to 35% of Guj- arat.
spotlight for student suicides, and the government DC indicate that while they are keeping a dums on the issue in Red states. The Demo- arat’s, 33% of Karnataka’s and 32% of On the Social Progress Index 2022
has released guidelines to address the issue. close watch on the evolving political land- crats will point to the past and Trump’s role in Tamil Nadu’s GDP. So, Bihar’s GDP (PM’s Economic Advisory Council
Kota is a symptom of a large societal crisis. scape, the President is confident of returning enabling the decision and paint a future has rather diverged, given other measuring social progress across
to the White House. Their confidence appears where the Republicans will aim to have a states too experienced high eco- basic human needs, foundations of
Multiple factors have fed into its making. Rising to be based on four factors. national legislation against abortion protec- nomic growth rates. well-being, and opportunity), Bihar
aspirations, lack of educational opportunities, fear The first is simply time. “It is just too early. tions. This, they believe, will galvanise Bihar’s per capita income (PCI) ranks 35th among 36 states/UTs;
about employability, peer pressure among students Nine months is an eternity in politics. Let the women, especially in suburban areas. remains the lowest in India. The 30% of households do not have
choice become starker,” said one of Biden’s Finally, Biden’s team appears to believe that state’s NSDP per capita was 70% of Rakesh access to toilets and piped water is
and social pressure on parents have contributed to closest advisors who has seen multiple presi- it has the advantage both among key demo- the national average in 1960-61; it for just 13% of households as com-
Ranjan
the creation of an ecosystem that is robbing children dential campaigns. The predictive value of the graphics and key states. More Asian Ameri- had come down to 33% of the pared to 35.5% for India.
of their childhood. Children are forced into coaching current political mood is limited given the cans, Hispanics, and Blacks still vote for the national estimate by 2005 when the Bihar ranks 18 among 19 states in
dramatic pace at which events have been Democrats than the Republicans even if Janata Dal (United)-Bharatiya Jan- NITI Aayog’s Health Performance
classes for competitive exams as early as middle unfolding in both the US and the world. The Trump is steadily making inroads into these ata Party combined gained office in 2005. In Index (2019-20). The neonatal mortality rate
school. This would mean choices of study are forced Democrats believe that the Republicans are segments. More college graduates still vote for 2020-21, Bihar’s NSDP per capita was still 33% for Bihar is five times and the infant mortality
on them even before they have a basic introduction taking up all the oxygen in the room at the the Democrats than for Trump. Fewer moder- of India’s. Thus, after nearly two decades in rate is more than 3.5 times that of Kerala.
moment given the primary races, but as it ate Republican and independent voters will power, Bihar’s PCI relative to India’s has That is mainly because Bihar tops the list in
to subjects, courses and professions. Even those who becomes clear that Trump is the nominee, the vote for Trump than they did in the past. And remained stagnant with marginal divergence, the proportion of shortfall of health care pro-
crack the entrance tests are tired by the time they choice will become clearer, and Biden will the battle in states such as Pennsylvania, not convergence. Bihar is also experiencing a viders in public health facilities. Similarly,
join the university stream. Many among those who continue to step up the offensive against the Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and reversal of structural change: The workforce NITI Aayog’s School Education Quality Index
Republican candidate. Nevada remains close and Biden’s pathway to in agriculture increased by 50% from 12.5 mil- 2019 ranks Bihar at 19 among 20 large states.
fail to qualify struggle with low self-esteem and poor Trump, the thinking goes, is no longer an a majority in the electoral college requires lion to 18.95 million between 2017-18 and How can schools and health services improve
confidence, and embrace mediocrity. In extreme unknown candidate like he was in 2016. He him to win fewer of those swing states than 2022-23. While India’s workforce in agricul- when schools are short of 220,000 teachers
cases, the battle to succeed, when they are expected has had eight years in public life, and in those what Trump needs. ture also increased by 60 million between (some appointments started in 2023), univer-
eight years, he has given the Democrats a lot When Biden met China’s President Xi Jin- 2020 and 2023, the increase proportionately sities need 21,500 staff (March 2022), and pub-
to enjoy childhood, ends in suicide. These suicides of material to play with — his erratic adminis- ping in California in November 2023, accord- is much higher in Bihar, due to reverse migra- lic health services are short of 57,000 doctors
are nothing but societal murders. trative leadership, casual and regular viola- ing to a column in the Washington Post, he tion during Covid-19. and paramedics (till March 2021)?
Prescriptive measures such as counselling are tion of laws and rules, the high attrition rates told the Chinese leader not to pay too much At the same time, Bihar’s manufacturing Good governance is often the pivotal com-
in his own team, his extreme polarising rhe- attention to opinion polls. “You will be meet- sector growth rate (GSDP constant 2011-12) ponent in social and economic transforma-
provided for adolescent children to overcome the toric that alienates immigrants and minori- ing with me in five years,” he was reported to from 2017-18 to 2021-22 has declined by 1.1%, tion. In the 2021 Good Governance Index of
pressure of failure. These need to be extended to ties, his role in the January 6 mob attack on have said. Biden may or may not be right. He only partly because of the pandemic. The the department of administrative reforms,
parents as well. Schools need to be proactive in the US Capitol, his legal cases, and his abra- is definitely down at the moment. But it is share of manufacturing in Gross State Value Bihar was ranked 15 among 18 states. This is
sive behaviour. Once the binary is clear on the never a good idea to underestimate the man Added (2011-12) also declined from 9.1% in the story of Bihar’s “sushasan”.
counselling families to see beyond competition. ballot on polling day, the Democrats hope that who was first elected to the Senate in 1973, 2017-18 to 7.3% in 2021-22. As we argue in a
Education has to be a process of reflection; their currently disillusioned younger base will hasn’t lost a major national election since, and recent research report, Bihar faced deindus- Santosh Mehrotra is a research fellow, IZA
a reductionist approach that perceives it as a mere return to the party’s tent, recognising the dan- thrives on being the underdog. The game is on trialisation over the last decade: The number Institute of Labour Economics, Bonn; Rakesh
ger Trump represents to American democ- in America. of factories in operation in Bihar in 2019-20, Ranjan is senior research fellow, International
instrument to further material progress is self- racy. after falling for 10 years, was just 1.32% of Institute for Migration and Development, Kerala.
defeating, and disastrous for society. Two, the Democrats believe that the eco- The views expressed are personal India; while in terms of net value added the The views expressed are personal

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16 WeDNesDAy, 31 JANuAry 2024
NeW DelhI VIEWS LIVEMINT.COM

OUR VIEW MY VIEW | ON THE OTHER HAND

Wanted: An income tax system


for India that’s fairer and simpler
Tax reforms must fix its current skew in favour of corporate taxpayers and the non-salaried rich

dent fund and life insurance policies. ment has been growing. In 2007-08, it
Second, the complex mess over the was at 2.1% of gross domestic product
taxation of income earned from capital (GDP). In 2014-15, it stood at 2.07%. It
gains made through different forms of has risen over the last few years and was
investment needs to be set right. Cur- at 2.9% in 2022-23. It is expected to
rently, this is how things stand. Capital touch 2.98% in 2023-24, as per the bud-
gains made from the purchase and sale get presented in February 2023. This is
of debt mutual funds are taxable at the largely due to higher marginal tax rates
marginal rate of tax; the holding period in recent years, thanks to higher sur-
VIVEK KAUL doesn’t matter. Listed stocks or equity charges, than was the case in the past.
is the author of ‘Bad Money’. mutual funds, when sold within a year Now, in comparison, the corporate
of buying, attract a 15% tax on capital income tax collected was at 3.94% of
gains. If sold after a year, a 10% tax needs GDP in 2007-08, at 3.44% in 2014-15
to be paid, with gains of up to ₹100,000 and 3.07% in 2022-23. It is expected to

India’s economic review


exempt from any tax. be 3.06% in 2023-24.
Further, when physical gold is sold In recent years, the fall in corporate

T
he interim budget will be pre- within three years of purchase, a tax income tax collected has been largely
sented on 1 February. This will be needs to be paid at the marginal rate. because of a cut in the corporate tax rate
followed by the budget in July Beyond that, gold gains are taxable at carried out in September 2019. The fall

is a feel-good document after the next government has been


elected. So, this is a good time to talk
about the things that the government
needs to do as far as India’s income tax
20%, with the benefits of indexation
also available. When it comes to gold
exchange traded funds (ETFs), for units
bought before 31 March 2023, the tax
in collections of this tax has happened
despite a huge jump in corporate profits
thanks to increasing formalization of
the economy in the aftermath of the
system is concerned. treatment is exactly like that of physical covid pandemic and measures like the
First, very few Indians buy term gold. For units bought after that, any goods and services tax before that.
The government has come up with a new pre-budget presentation that acts as a spreader insurance policies. A term insurance capital gains are to be taxed at the mar- Indeed, aggregate data of around
policy is an insurance policy that leads ginal rate. It doesn’t end here. When it 35,000 companies sourced from the
of pre-poll optimism but its broad sweep offers only a partial view of the economy at best to a payout to the nominee(s) in case the comes to sovereign gold bonds, the cap- Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy
policyholder dies during the term of the ital gains made on redemption, which shows that profits-before-tax from
policy; and if the policyholder outlives happens after eight years, or an early 2018-19—before the tax cut—to 2021-22
the term of the policy, then no pay- redemption, which can happen after went up by 143%. In comparison, tax

I
t is a universally accepted fact that interim Amid this braggadocio, two critical facts are ments are made. five years, are tax-free. provisions went up by just 39%, ensur-
budgets in an election year are likely to be missed. One, estimated nominal GDP growth Over the years, life insurance compa- Now, let’s talk about the sale of resi- ing that profits-after-tax went up 244%.
nies have primed Indians to buy life dential real estate. Currently, any capi- If we look at aggregate data of more
crafted with an eye to the coming political for 2023-24 has come in lower than what was insurance in order to save tax. But tal gains made on selling residential real than 5,000 listed companies, we get a
maelstrom. The budget speech typically projected, which will have its own repercus- almost all such policies sold are invest- estate within two years of purchase is similar trend. From 2018-19 to 2022-23,
becomes an occasion for grandstanding, sions. Also, the review fails to meaningfully ment-oriented insurance policies, and taxed at the marginal rate. Any sale the profits-before-tax of these compa-
with much energy expended on exaggerat- address mounting criticism over GDP over- not term insurance. This results in most beyond two years is taxed at 20% with nies went up 128%, the corporation tax
ing achievements of the government while estimation or the lingering problems with esti- Indian households that can afford to pay benefits of indexation—which basically paid went up 35% and net profits went
insurance premiums having very little allows the seller to take inflation into up 186%.
making generous promises of future giveaways mating the GDP deflator, which has led to dis- life insurance to fall back on in the event account for the price at which an asset Given these reasons, the current
and new opportunities. This year, India’s crepancies of output estimation between the of an emergency. was bought while calculating the capital income tax system favours the country’s
finance ministry has introduced a new practice expenditure and production methods. To correct this, a separate deduction gains made. In comparison with all this, non-salaried rich and corporates,
by releasing a document called The Indian It is particularly worrisome that the review of up to ₹10,000-20,000 every year salary income is taxed at the marginal though it needs to be fair before any-
Economy: A Review, thereby inviting compari- overlooks the elephant in the room: current against the premium paid for a term rate and so is interest earned from fixed thing else. Hopefully, this is an anomaly
insurance policy needs to be offered. deposits. This essentially shows that the that will be set right over the next five
sons with the annual Economic Survey that usu- unemployment. It uses the government’s This should be over and above the Indian personal income tax system years, primarily by ensuring that differ-
ally precedes the Union budget by a day or two recently released Periodic Labour Force deduction of up to ₹150,000 that is cur- favours the non-salaried rich and the ent kinds of incomes are taxed at the
if general elections are not due. In keeping with Survey data to celebrate growing job opportu- rently available under Section 80C of fact that one needs to be a chartered same marginal rates instead of today’s
an interim budget’s hyperbolic air, the review nities and declining joblessness. However, it the Income Tax Act for investments accountant to understand it. multiplicity of rates. Also, corporations
released on Monday has turned out to be a ignores data from other independent sources, made in tax-saving mutual funds, tax- Third, over the years, the personal need to be made to pay their fair share
saving fixed deposits, the public provi- income tax collected by the govern- of income tax.
paean to the current government’s economic such as the 9%-plus unemployment estimate
management, while underplaying some of the for November 2023 by the projection of
economy’s most chronic problems. The review Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. In
could hence be viewed as another pre-election fact, Bibek Debroy, chairman of the Economic
tool, marshalled with embellishments that Advisory Council to the Prime Minister,
appeal to the ruling party’s middle-class sup- admitted in an interview to Mint that slow job
port base, providing harmony to the interim creation in the economy is a matter of concern. www.livemint.com
New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chandigarh*, Pune* Friday, January 31, 2014 Vol.8 No.27 `4.00 in Delhi­NCR/`5.00 outside Delhi­NCR 24
32 PAGES
+ 4 MARKETS PAGES

budget’s poll trumpet and possibly also ideas for The review also has other odd stuff in store: it
MINT METRIC
WSJ:Fed sticks to script
on paring bond buys >18
CORPORATE: Aditya Birla Nuvo
sells BPO Minacs >8

the party’s manifesto. cites a 2023 paper to use Angus Maddison’s CONTENT PARTNER
POLITICS: Andhra Pradesh assembly
rejects Telangana Bill >4
NATION: DIPP revises proposal to
allow 100% FDI in railways >6

Such a review is an otherwise welcome idea. conclusion that India contributed a 22.6% SENSEX 20,498.25 æ 149.05

DEBT SURGE
NIFTY 6,073.70 æ 46.55 DOLLAR `62.58 Æ `0.17 EURO `85.09 æ `0.13

AFP
GOLD `30,000 Æ `70

Aadhaar­linked
OIL $108.20 Æ $0.64

QUICK EDIT by Bibek Debroy


RBI lays out transfer of LPG Telangana:

In these fraught times of geopolitical conflict share of the world’s GDP in 1700, rather than framework to
subsidy on hold
B Y P RASHANT K . N ANDA,
K IRTHI V . R AO &
G AURAV J AIN
·························
NEW DELHI
another step
T he country has
moved a step closer
to creating its 29th state.
The onward march

limit bad loans T he government on Thurs- continues in spite of the

and economic uncertainty, a calm and staid citing the British economist’s work directly.
day increased the number Andhra Pradesh
of subsidized cooking gas cylin- legislative assembly
ders per household to 12 from rejecting the Andhra
nine per year and suspended Pradesh Reorganization
the transfer of the subsidy to Bill, 2013, for granting
Plan to offer incentives increase to 14% of total loans by bank accounts linked to Aad- statehood to the
for early identification March 2015. haar unique identity numbers Telangana region. The

In Bhatinda, an injured rooster


In an October interview, RBI in another bow to populism rejection is irrelevant to
of stressed assets, governor Raghuram Rajan said ahead of a general election only the process because it is

look at the economy would have gone a long Having used that paper to extract one data-
timely revamp of “the pain of (loan) restructuring three months away. Parliament that takes the
has to be borne fairly (between Households will get two addi- final call.
unviable accounts the lender and the borrower)”. tional subsidized cylinders in That is the irony of the
Rajan said banks needed to the year ending March and one process here. The
B Y D INESH U NNIKRISHNAN closely monitor these loans, and subsidized cylinder every creation of new states is
dinesh.n@livemint.com act—some assets could be re- month starting in April. considered part and
························· covered by rolling over debt, The move comes after sus- parcel of strengthening
MUMBAI others by infusing new blood in tained pressure from the ruling the federal character of

T he Reserve Bank of India the management, and still oth- United Progressive Alliance the country. Yet, in this

way in assuaging anxieties. The document, point, it makes no reference to its disquiet over Has been given a security booster.
(RBI) on Thursday laid ers by simply pumping in more (UPA). Congress party vice- case, a new state is being
out a road map to deal money. president Rahul Gandhi de- created by trampling over
with a surge in bad loans in the On 17 December, RBI issued a manded that the cap be raised the wishes of a state
`82 trillion banking system. discussion paper titled Early to 12 at the All-India Congress assembly that has
The framework outlines a cor- Recognition of Financial Dis- Committee meeting on 17 Janu- rejected the draft law.
rective action plan that will offer tress, Prompt Steps for Resolu- ary. Raising the limit would in- The Union’s diktat is
incentives for early identifica- tion and Fair Recovery for Lend- crease the subsidy by `5,000 likely to prevail.
tion of stressed assets by banks, ers: Framework for Revitalising crore per year. The situation could
timely revamp of accounts con- Distressed Assets in the Economy. Transfer of the cooking gas have been handled far

unfortunately, strays from the straight and growing unemployment and poor-quality eco-
sidered to be unviable, and On Thursday, the central subsidy to Aadhaar-linked bank better had it not been
prompt steps for recovery or sale bank issued final rules similar to Eventful tenure: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal pays homage at accounts has been suspended accompanied by
of assets in the case of loans at the measures outlined in the Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, on Martyrs’ Day in New until a committee created to an- cynical calculations of
the risk of turning bad.
RBI has been worried about
the pile-up of bad loans in In-
dia’s banking system as slower
economic growth, which
slumped to 5% in the last fiscal
working paper after taking pub-
lic feedback into account.
Lenders will need to carve out
as special category of assets
termed special mention ac-
counts (SMAs) in which early
Delhi. The fledgling Aam Aadmi Party leader government on Thursday
completed one month in power in Delhi.

ALSO
SEE
>Kejriwal says no question of banning khap panchayats
>Meera Sanyal, Mayank Gandhi in AAP’s list of probable candidates
>P5
>P5
alyse the scheme, including ad-
ministrative and technical diffi-
culties, submits its report.

TURN TO PAGE 3®
political gains by most
political parties at the
Centre and in Andhra
Pradesh.
Evidence in a cock-fighting case,
narrow. It is not that it trades in untruths. The nomic development. Ideally, a realistic exami-
year—the least in a decade— signs of stress are visible.
high borrowing costs and stalled Accounts within this category
projects make it difficult for cor-
porate borrowers to repay debt.
will be put under three sub-cat-
egories, based on the period for New transfer CREW VIOLATIONS
About `2 trillion in loans is which their principal or interest
pricing orders DGCA cancels six flight slots

problem is different: it appears to sidestep some nation of the economy—in the true democratic
now classified as bad loans and
at least `4 trillion is being re-
structured. Together, this consti-
tutes about 10% of all bank loans.
A report released on Thursday by
India Ratings and Research Pvt.
Ltd, an arm of global credit rat-
ing agency Fitch, said stressed
assets, including bad loans and
restructured loans, are likely to
payments are overdue. The du-
ration of overdue payments can
range from under 30 days to 90
days. Loan repayments that are
more than 90 days overdue are
classified as non-performing as-
sets (NPAs) under existing regu-
lations.
If a borrower’s interest or
principal payments are overdue
against Shell,
Vodafone
B Y K HUSHBOO N ARAYAN
P .R . S ANJAI &
U TPAL B HASKAR
of Jet Airways, IndiGo, GoAir
B Y T ARUN S HUKLA
tarun.s@livemint.com
·························
HINDUSTAN TIMES
has been in touch with DGCA
on the issue. “Furthermore,
the airline has investigated the
Cops have the bird in their embrace.
by more than 60 days, a joint ························· NEW DELHI matter and have confirmed

I
Love among the chickens - no Bertie Wooster.
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI
NOTE TO READERS lenders’ forum must be formed ndia’s aviation regulator has that the diversions occurred
by the bankers for early resolu-
T he transfer pricing wing of cancelled two flight slots on ATR type of airplane. These

crucial questions. Let us take up some illustra- spirit of full disclosure—would have helped The four­page Media Marketing tion of stress, RBI said. the income-tax (I-T) de- each of Jet Airways (India) Ltd, aircraft are not cleared to con-
supplement with this edition is the The new rules also offer in- partment has passed fresh or- IndiGo, and GoAir for not fol- duct approaches below CAT I
equivalent of a paid­for centives to lenders to quickly ders against the Indian units of lowing rules. All six flights minimums due to regulatory
advertisement, and no Mint and collectively agree to a reso- Europe’s largest oil producer were from Delhi. restrictions,” a Jet spokeswom-
journalists were involved in lution plan by offering better Royal Dutch Shell Plc and larg- The airlines had flight crew an said.
creating it. Readers would do well regulatory treatment for stressed est phone firm Vodafone on their planes who were not GoAir admitted there was a
to treat it as an advertisement. assets where such a plan is un- Group Plc that can potentially trained in landing under heavy diversion.
der implementation. lead to tax demands for a com- fog, the Directorate General of “Before departure of any

tive examples. The first is its exultation over the citizens make independent assessments. The
As a way to discourage long- bined `24,960 crore, adding to Civil Aviation (DGCA) found. flight, the en-route and desti-
drawn-out negotiations between the tax troubles of the two DGCA has made it mandatory nation weather is ascertained.
bankers, RBI said accelerated companies. for pilots to be trained in so- Extreme conditions: DGCA found The available weather forecast
provisioning will be applicable if In the case of Shell India called CAT III operations for the airlines had flight crew on at the time of departure of the
no agreement can be reached. Markets Pvt. Ltd, the tax au- safe flight in the foggy months their planes who were not trained two GoAir flights on 29 January
Gross NPAs of 40 listed Indian thority has added `72,000 of winter, particularly in in landing under heavy fog. from Mumbai and Ahmedabad
banks rose to `2.29 trillion as of crore to its taxable income for northern India. to Delhi showed visibility to be
September, up 37% from last the financial year 2010-11. It There have already been two of repeated efforts in this re- within permissible limits. The
year. Rising bad and restruc- has added `3,200 crore to the emergencies this winter, when gard, two flights each of Jet forecast showed a decline in

economy hitting its growth stride in the midst government may have pushed the envelope by
tured loans hurt the profitability taxable income of Vodafone pilots have said they were Airways, GoAir and IndiGo visibility to CAT III condition
of banks because they have to India Services Pvt Ltd for 2009- about to run out of fuel after were diverted from Delhi to from 4am onwards on 30 Janu-
set aside more money top cover 10. hovering over airports for too Jaipur.” ary,” its spokeswoman said.
such loans. The orders do not specify long. They were given clear- DGCA said this deviation “The visibility at Delhi
An important part of the new the tax demand, but back-of- ance for emergency landing by was brought to the notice of dropped unexpectedly after
framework is the independent the-envelope calculations air traffic control at Delhi and airlines, but they refused to act the departure of our flights,
evaluation of large-value re- show that Shell India and Vo- Jaipur airports. according to the rules. It is thus necessitating a diversion
dafone India can face de- “DGCA has been in continu- usual for DGCA to announce to Jaipur.”
TURN TO BACK PAGE ® mands to pay `24,000 crore ous touch with airlines to en- slot cancellations publicly. DGCA had earlier this

of global turmoil, while the rest of the world’s breaking with convention, but sadly, it’s an
and `960 crore, respectively. sure deployment of CAT III IndiGo declined to com- month issued a warning to air-
ALSO SEE Foreign investors have been compliant aircraft and CAT III ment. Jet and GoAir said they lines to deploy pilots trained to
Mint is also available for R8 with
concerned about a raft of tax trained crew during fog peri- are explaining the matter to fly under foggy conditions and
Hindustan Times in Delhi-NCR only >Inflation stands in the way of growth: od,” the regulator said in a DGCA.
Raghuram Rajan >P20 TURN TO PAGE 2® statement. “However, in spite Jet Airways said the airline TURN TO PAGE 3®
Mint is available with Mint Indulge for R15 and

large economies struggle to find their feet. opportunity missed.

MY VIEW | EX MACHINA

Deepfakes: We should aim to curb the Liar’s Dividend


ing their faces swapped in viral video clips effect that deepfake proliferation could have a deepfake that is indistinguishable from the have something to go by while checking if
RAHUL MATTHAN that had clocked over 20 million views. Even on democracy. real thing is your imagination. And perhaps an image has been tampered with. As a
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of a In anticipation, various countries around your conscience. result, when presented with an image that
video that, he said, featured what seemed the world have already begun developing So what is the solution? When they were portrays someone in an unusual light, our
like him dancing the Garba. legislative counter-measures. In India, the first invented, photographs were believed to instinct is to question its veracity because
Deepfakes are not new. But thanks to ministry of electronics and information be incontrovertible. They were mechanical we know how easy it is to manipulate.

A
couple of weeks ago, a video featur- rapid advances in generative artificial intelli- technology has said it will soon release new representations of reality and as such trusted I believe that we will inevitably extend the
ing cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar gence (AI), they have over the past year or so regulations aimed at to be irrefutable evidence. same level of mistrust to the videos we are
started circulating on social media. become so much easier to create. What was ensuring that the social But, in time, darkroom shown. When presented with a clip of some-
In it, he was talking up a mobile game called once a niche capability only available to media platforms through Wrongdoers technicians realized that it one saying or doing something out of char-
Skyward Aviator Quest, marvelling at how teams with access to massive training data which these videos are dis- was possible to manipulate acter, rather than blindly believing the evi-
his daughter was able to make ₹180,000 on sets and advanced programming capability seminated implement must not get photographs so the truth dence of our eyes, we will wonder whether
it every day and pointing out how amazed he can now be generated by you and me using appropriate measures to could be creatively dis- it is fake. This to me is the only way we can
was that this was possible using an app that any one of a number of off-the-shelf AI servi- proactively identify and
to benefit from torted. Using processing even hope to combat the avalanche of deep-

is a partner at Trilegal and the


was essentially free. While it soon becomes
obvious that the video is fake—the words he
ces. What even just a year ago was an expen-
sive exercise that called for specialized hard-
take them down before
they spread. But just get-
the plausible techniques like dodging
and burning and elaborate
fakes that is coming our way. In situations
like this, our only inoculation against believ-
author of ‘The Third Way:
India’s Revolutionary Approach
says don’t always match the movement of his
lips, and, given Sachin’s carefully curated
ware and considerable technical expertise
can now be executed in an hour after looking
ting platforms to combat
the spread of fake videos
deniability of workflows such as double
exposures, they were able
able falsehood is healthy scepticism.
But my real worry is what happens after
to Data Governance’. His X persona, these are not the sort of things any- up a few simple YouTube tutorials. more effectively amounts video evidence to create photographs that we reach this point. When we doubt all the
(formerly Twitter) handle is one would expect him to talk about—I can The real worry, of course, is the effect that to shooting the messenger. deviated from reality. And video evidence we are presented with, any-
@matthan. see how a casual viewer might get taken in. all this will have on society. Given how easy If we want a truly effective against them then, once image manipu- one who is caught on tape doing something
But Tendulkar is only the latest celebrity it is to generate videos that portray political solution, we have to get to lation software like Photo- wrong will be able to dismiss the evidence of
to have unwittingly starred in a video he did candidates in an unflattering light, it seems the heart of the problem— shop and GIMP became wrongdoing by claiming it is just another
not consent to make. A similar fate has inevitable that we will see them deployed at we must find a way to strike at the source available, nothing was sacred any more. deepfake. This is what law professors Bobby
befallen others—cricketer Virat Kohli, actor scale during elections—both by political from which these videos are generated. Today, we no longer trust photographs Chesney and Danielle Citron call the Liar’s
Shah Rukh Khan, journalist Ravish Kumar opponents as well as unfriendly countries This is easier said than done. It is with the way we used to. We have learnt to iden- Dividend. It marks a point in time when evi-
and Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy. that will have no problem deploying teams every passing day becoming easier to create tify tell-tale signs of manipulation, such as dence can be so easily falsified that nothing
Last year, south Indian actor Rashmika of hackers to destabilize their enemies. With believable videos with highly accessible artefacts in the image and barely percepti- can be relied upon to serve as legitimate evi-
Mandanna and British-Indian influencer over half the world voting in an election this technology. We have already reached a ble ghosts surrounding objects that have dence of wrongdoing. And this is when our
Zara Patel had to suffer the ignominy of hav- year, there is a serious concern around the point where all that stops you from creating been cut and pasted into the frame. So we real problems will start.
LIVEMINT.COM VIEWS WeDNesDay, 31 JaNuary 2024
NeW DelhI 17

THEIR VIEW M I N T C U R AT O R

Beyond budget: What happened China’s glut and India’s dearth


show the two faces of liquidity
when nobody was really looking Banks in the two economies face challenges that differ remarkably
ISTOCKPHOTO

This year marked the return of state capex alongside central; the next year could mark a pivot from fiscal to monetary easing

REUTERS

ANDY MUKHERJEE
is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering
industrial companies and financial services
in Asia.
PRANJUL BHANDARI
is chief India and Indonesia economist at HSBC.

L
enders in the world’s two most popu-
lous nations are having very different
problems with monetary and fiscal

I
t’s that time of the year. All eyes are on the taps. In China, creditors are drowning in Indian banks face a liquidity shortage but
budget this Thursday, closely followed by the cheap central-bank cash, but loan demand RBI awaits fuller policy transmission
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) policy meeting a is muted. In India, banks are in the middle
week later. What’s at stake? What could of their fastest expansion in a decade, but ment is predicting $100 billion in inflows in
change? And what will this mean for RBI? they’re parched for liquidity. the coming years. Still, courting foreign
While the upcoming budget is an interim While the Chinese authorities’ struggle investors on a more durable basis will
one, and the government will release the final to stimulate the economy with 3 trillion require fixing the government’s rickety fis-
budget after the May national elections, it’s still yuan ($418 billion) in long-term cash cal house. The Modi administration wants
important as the final budget is likely to follow injections has the world’s attention, the to make a start by not reporting a deficit
along similar lines. The interim budget will also set Indian deficit is also beginning to worry much higher than the budgeted 5.9% of
the stage for state budgets that take cues from the investors. gross domestic product for this fiscal year,
central government to varying degrees. The Barely a few months before the next gen- even though nominal GDP is going to be a
interim budget will also signal how serious the eral election, Prime Minister Narendra lower than it had assumed; its 7.3% real or
central government is about fiscal consolidation. Modi’s administration has cut back on inflation-adjusted growth is on the back of
Recall that it plans to lower the fiscal deficit from spending. That’s hurting lenders. Funds an 8.9% nominal expansion against an ini-
5.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) in fiscal year that left bank accounts as advance tax pay- tial estimate of 10.5%.
2023-24 to 4.5% of GDP by 2025-26. ments by companies in December would The other important actor in India’s
A lot has happened on the fiscal front in the past only return as deposits as New Delhi starts liquidity drama is the central bank. After
year, with some efforts better known than others. writing checks to contractors working on the US Federal Reserve starts reducing
But together, they will likely set the boundaries for government projects. But with the fiscal interest rates, the Reserve Bank of India
the upcoming budget. We discuss some of these year approaching its 31 March end, there’s will come under pressure to do the same.
below. no sign of a last-minute acceleration. But RBI’s tightening is yet to transmit fully
Soaring tax receipts saved central targets: Tax The liquidity drought may be deliberate. through the Indian economy. The stock
revenues have soared so much that they’re now Unlike Beijing, New Delhi has every reason market is frothy and inflation has been
0.3% of GDP higher than budgeted. This buoyancy to be sanguine about growth. A 7%-plus unmoored from 4% for so long that there’s
will likely fund a rise in subsidies and any special rate of economic expansion gives India a real danger that people will stop believing
spending packages announced on budget day. breathing room to slay inflation before that the monetary authority is committed
Capital expenditure is expected to show a rise in embarking on a fresh investment spree to achieving it.
2023-24, but not by as much as budgeted (22% after the polls. Unless the Modi govern- Hence, RBI also appears reluctant to
year-on-year versus 36%). All considered, the fiscal Given the spending momentum, we expect the this switch supported growth. ment surprises analysts by announcing ease the current liquidity shortage, lest
deficit is likely to be in line with the budgeted 5.9% consolidated state fiscal deficit to rise to about 3% Once we account for that, we find that the populist spending programmes in its lenders become too comfortable and stop
of GDP in 2023-24. of GDP in 2023-24, which is the permissible upper ‘adjusted’ fiscal impulse has been positive between interim budget, a reasonable assumption is mobilizing deposits. The monetary author-
Taxes are likely to grow quickly in 2024-25 as limit, and remain at that level in 2024-25. 2018-19 and 2023-24. And while it may turn nega- that it’s angling for an upgrade to its sover- ity wants banks to pay extra for funds and
well (we assume tax buoyancy of 1.1%). After all, By our forecasts, this will peg the central-plus- tive in 2024-25 on the back of fiscal consolidation, eign rating, which is perched at the lowest charge more on loans, thus completing the
structural benefits, such as those made possible by state fiscal deficit at 8.2% of GDP in 2024-25, lower we think it will probably be only a limited drag on rung of investment grade. Meanwhile, the transmission of higher policy rates.
digitization and better tax information, are likely to than the 8.8% in 2023-24, but higher than the pre- growth. monetary authority is seeking to buttress The problem is that credit demand is
help for many years. Capital receipts may also pandemic level of 5.9%. It is not a surprise to us that Fiscal policy influenced RBI decisions: All of this its credibility as an inflation fighter. high for unsecured consumer loans, and
increase post elections if some pending disinvest- debt levels remain well above pre-pandemic levels affects RBI decisions. High growth so far in The all-around tightfistedness is not pushing more of it out the door may lead to
ment comes through as a policy priority. and could remain so in the foreseeable future. 2023-24, supported to a large extent by govern- helping Indian banks. Dismal quarterly concentration risk. Demand for advances
The government could shave current expendi- Borrowing patterns have changed: Rising state ment capex, has been one of the reasons why results from HDFC Bank—India’s largest from industrial firms is weak and might not
ture after elections, perhaps by cutting in half expenditure has also shown up in market borrow- the country’s central bank has maintained a tight lender by market value—have made it the hold up if borrowing costs are higher for
the increase since pre-pandemic levels (as a pro- ing. Going by data for the first three quarters, we monetary policy. worst-performing stock on the benchmark longer. That could delay a post-election
portion of GDP). Meanwhile, we expect capex to estimate that in 2023-24, while the central govern- But as the ‘adjusted’ fiscal impulse turns mildly Nifty Index this month. The 5% drop in the investment boom. RBI may have no choice
remain unchanged as a percentage of GDP in ment’s gross market borrowing is likely to rise by negative in 2024-25, and food disinflation contin- S&P BSE Bankex index since the end of except to ease the crunch with a durable
2024-25. 8.6% year-on-year, state government gross bor- ues, we believe RBI will turn less hawkish as the December has also shone a spotlight on a liquidity infusion.
All of this is likely to lead to a fiscal deficit of 5.3% rowing could increase by a staggering 23.3%. year progresses. Already, core inflation has sof- near-$40 billion liquidity deficit in the Indian banks’ price-to-book value of 1.8
in 2024-25, signalling that the government is In 2024-25, too, we expect the growth in gross tened over the past few months, led by falling com- banking system last week. is far higher than the multiple of 0.4 for
committed to its fiscal consolidation path (of a 4.5% state borrowing to surpass central government modity input prices, and food prices have fallen Then there’s the upcoming election. A their Chinese peers. The difference is
deficit by 2025-26). borrowing. Still, growth in gross market borrowing sharply in recent weeks. All of this together sug- repeat of the 2019 poll, when politicians understandable. With China Evergrande
States have ramped up good-quality spending: by state and central governments combined is gests that inflation could fall below 5% in January, spent $9 billion in the lead-up, a lot of it in Group’s liquidation order by a Hong Kong
While we have closely analysed central govern- likely to come in below the growth in nominal GDP and average 4.5% for the next three quarters. hard cash, will worsen lenders’ funding court clouding the outlook for an already
ment policy, the real action this year has been in (2.1% versus 10.6% year-on-year), making the over- This opens a window where we expect RBI to challenge. Before the 2019 polls, currency embattled housing industry, mainland
India’s state finances. After weak spending in all borrowing calendar broadly manageable. ease monetary conditions. We expect it to begin in circulation had risen by more than 9% in banks will struggle to protect profit even by
2022, the states ramped up their spending sharply The economic growth impulse was strong despite with easier liquidity, initially via a host of variable- 20 weeks. It took several months for the cutting deposits rates further. However,
in 2023. Notably, state capex was up 46% year-on- fiscal consolidation: We calculate the likely impact rate bond repurchases, followed by a change in its money to go back into the banking system. investors are only beginning to weigh the
year between April and November 2023. State rev- of fiscal consolidation on economic growth. Over stance to ‘neutral’ by around mid-2024, and finally The fiscal authority is perhaps waiting risk of a sharp squeeze on Indian banks’
enues did not grow as sharply. As a result, the cash this time, the quality of spending has improved, a 50 basis points repo rate cut in the second half of for a deluge of foreign money after JPMor- margins if the liquidity drought drags on.
balances of states fell, and market borrowings by switching from current expenditure to capex. With 2024, taking the repo rate to 6%. So, well, over to gan adds India to its emerging-markets Banks in both countries could be miserable
Indian states rose quickly. capex associated with higher growth multipliers, the monetary authorities. bond index in June. HSBC Asset Manage- in different ways. ©BLOOMBERG

GUEST VIEW

Let litigation policy improve the ease of doing business


all of which should ideally be dealt with by court and a mind-boggling 87% of all cases in and/or the costs associated with litigation. how well they are performing (this is a sub-
Vijay L. KeLKar & PradeeP S. Mehta the administration and legislature. the country’s high courts. Earlier, the Union government had drafted ject for a follow-up op-ed).
Over half a century ago, in November According to a Press Information Bureau and announced a National Litigation Policy Given that government-initiated litiga-
1973, while adjudicating the sad case of a release, the Indian railways and department in 2011. This was revisited in 2015, but the tion is a key reason for why the judiciary has
railway employee’s held-up wages, Justice of revenue have taken several measures to draft policy remains on some shelf in some been clogged with cases and timely adjudi-
V.K. Krishna Iyer made a stoic observation: reduce the litigation count. For the purpose government bhavan. There has been much cation is still so difficult in the country, liti-

I
n the Doing Business rankings of the “In this country, the state is the largest liti- of monitoring litigation at the Union level, a opposition to it from vested interests. gation needs to be made difficult for the gov-
World Bank (now stopped), India fared gant and the huge expenditure involved web platform named Legal Let’s take an example of ernment to pursue. Before initiating any, by
very poorly on its component of contract makes a big draft on the public exchequer. In Information Management belated legal reforms. policy, relevant government officers should
enforcement—i.e. adjudication. In this con- the context of expanding dimensions of state & Briefing System (LIMBS) The government While the government has be required to provide a detailed explana-
text, the judiciary has called out the govern- activity and responsibility, it is not unfair to was created in 2016, and leveraged the goods and tion of why litigation is necessary, including
ment’s dichotomous approach in blaming expect finer sense and sensibility in its litiga- revised in 2019. It covers is our biggest services tax (GST) reform to how the particular matter reached a stage
courts for restricting ‘ease of doing business’ tion policy, the absence of which in the many courts, while tribu- showcase its success on the where it became inevitable, and why alter-
despite being the biggest litigant itself and present case led the Railways to callously nals are also being brought
litigator and we ease-of-doing-business native mechanisms to resolve the dispute in

are, respectively, vice president


seeking needless adjournments repeatedly.
There is no litigation policy formulated by
and cantankerously resist an action by its
own employee... by urging a mere technical
in. Until 2017, there were
nearly 135,000 cases
need new curbs front, a tribunal to adjudi-
cate disputes arising from
question failed.
Moreover, a national policy should man-
of Pune International Centre
and secretary general of CUTS
the government, while talks have been going
on for over 13 years. If Viksit Bharat is our
plea which had been pursued to the highest
court and had been negatived.”
reported by the LIMBS
website, a total which went
to make the the GST law was notified
only in 2023, six years after
date a detailed cost-benefit analysis of purs-
ing litigation for a comparison with the costs
International. goal, a developed India, we need to get our There are several such examples available up to 210,000 active cases Indian state this tax legislation was and benefits of settling matters out-of-court.
act together. This includes the government in our annals. These result from a refusal to by 12 February 2018. It has introduced. As of Septem- The decision to pursue litigation needs to be
reducing unnecessary litigation. resolve disputes on the table, the arrogance also been reported that less litigious ber 2023, the government taken by sufficiently senior officials and its
Issues which should ideally be decided by of self-righteous government officials, and case reporting by relevant had notified the establish- continuation needs to be reviewed periodi-
central and state governments are not being the resources available to fund lengthy trials. ministries remains ineffi- ment of 31 benches of the cally. At any time, if the costs of litigation
addressed and are being passed on to the All this makes the government the perfect cient. One can safely assume that case num- GST appellate tribunal in 28 states. How- exceed its benefits or the net benefits of
courts to decide. Ludicrously, these include litigator and our citizenry its victim. bers have been going up, rather than down, ever, these tribunals have not yet begun to alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms,
suits filed by one government agency Even the finance ministry’s Economic Sur- which is quite sad. function. Not notifying the GST tribunals the legal pursuit should automatically be
against another, which should have been vey 2020-21 highlighted the country’s huge Adding insult to injury, India’s law minis- had led to a flurry of law suits in high courts dropped. Such a policy could make a signifi-
sorted out within government circles. Fur- scale of inefficient litigation. In a report of all ter Arjun Ram Meghwal said in Parliament (approximately 150,000 cases). cant difference to the ease of doing business
thermore, there are issues like an urban dog taxation-related cases, it showed that the on 23 July 2023 that the ministry does not A few states have adopted their own litiga- in India and we hope that those in charge of
menace, pollution and same-sex marriage, government lost 73% of these at the apex have any data on the number of cases filed tion policy, but not all. One doesn’t know governance are listening.
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��� �����
Real love is to love them that
hate you, to love your neighbour Mahatma
even though you distrust him Gandhi

06 HYDERABAD WEDNESDAY 31 01 2024


� �

T
HE Supreme Court set aside The lessons from the Supreme Court’s decision on the persons committing them. In the present
the remission of 11 convicts in case, Justice Nagarathna wrote that “the
INDIAN EXPRESS IS NOT AN the Bilkis Bano case and held Bilkis Bano case are not merely legal. They are historical, state of Gujarat acted in tandem and was
INDUSTRY. IT IS A MISSION. that they should be sent back to political and ethical. Society needs to heed the lessons complicit” in sabotaging truth and justice
— Ramnath Goenka prison. Even while underlying and in obtaining a judgement from the Su-

WHEN COURT
the significance of the reform- preme Court in 2022, which is now de-
ative theory of punishment clared as a nullity in the eyes of law. The

CAUTIONS
and the importance of remission policy in verdict also said that there was “usurpa-
general, Justice B V Nagarathna, who au- tion of jurisdiction” by the state of Gu-

EMBRACE AI AND
thored the judgement, exposed the illegal- jarat in granting remission.

THE NATION
ity that had vitiated the whole process of It is not only the heinous nature of the

USE IT WISELY
remission. The judgement examined each offence that should trouble the conscience
argument in support of the government’s of the nation. It is the fanaticism that nor-

TO TRANSFORM
action and repelled them with a unique malised such offences and propagated the
sense of clarity and judicial courage. The politics of hatred across the country that
judgement was also a search for truth. should concern us. It is the blatant use of

F
The court was required to interpret Sec- the machineries of the state to institution-
ROM deepfakes of celebrities to the tumultuous career path tion 432 of the Criminal Procedure Code alise the injustice that should trouble us.
of ChatGPT pioneer Sam Altman, artificial intelligence dealing with the power of the “appropri- KALEESWARAM RAJ Lawyer, Supreme Court of India The judgement has come at a time
(AI) has been hogging headlines for some time. And its own ate government” to “remit the whole or when the top court faced criticism for its
appearance on usage frequency maps—one of the first func- any part of the punishment”. The court failure to provide a check on many recent
said that in this case, the appropriate gov- executive and legislative measures. It
tions it revolutionised—is only set to zoom. New technology
ernment was the government of Mahar- failed to fix a time limit for re-conferring
throws up big hopes, but also the fear that there are demons hid- ashtra, since the case was transferred and state status on Jammu and Kashmir. The
den in the small print. The big debate raging is whether AI is a the trial was held in Maharashtra, which court was also criticised for approving
tool mainly harnessed by a few tech giants, and that the Global resulted in conviction and sentencing of actions ranging from demonetisation to
South might ultimately lose out. OpenAI, which crafted Chat- the accused. Section 432(2) mandates that economic reservation.
GPT, has Microsoft as it majority stakeholder. The seven Big the opinion of the judge who convicted the In the remission case, however, the top
Tech firms including Meta and Apple have added an eye-water- accused should be sought. The trial judge, court performed its constitutional dhar-
who is conversant with the case, should ma as against a derailed executive. It was
ing $4.6 trillion to their market values since November 2022, also provide reasons in support of her a reminder to the court itself during the
when ChatGPT launched. But for India, AI could mean a serious opinion. This provision was breached. Re- tough times of majoritarian onslaught.
loss of jobs and a chunk of the lucrative Western marketplace. mission was granted by the Gujrat govern- Justice Nagarathna reiterated the funda-
For the US and Europe, always short of skilled manpower, AI ment, not Maharashtra. mentals of the Rule of Law by stating that
is already proving to be a huge boon. However, for India and But the contention of the Gujarat gov- “no one, howsoever high or low, is above
similarly placed economies burdened by unemployment, the ernment was that its order for premature the law” and that “Rule of Law does not
release was based on the directions of the mean protection to a fortunate few”.
worry that many will lose their jobs to AI is real. The recent Supreme Court. The top court, in May The selective misuse or non-use of pe-
waves of retrenchment in ed-tech firms and in digital ecom- 2022, had directed the Gujarat government nal laws is a contemporary reality in In-
merce outfits such as Flipkart and Swiggy have rung alarm to deal with the request for premature re- dia. In many states, bulldozers are in-
bells. Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari rightly pointed lease of the accused, based on its remis- voked as a means of community
out that AI-engineered ‘driverless’ cars may be welcome in la- sion policy of 1992. The court has now re- punishment. Fake encounter killings as
bour-shortage economies; but what sense does it make for India jected this contention mainly on two a means of instant punishment also are
grounds—one, the said verdict was ob- SOURAV ROY not uncommon. Draconian laws like the
to take away the jobs of thousands of drivers?
tained by suppressing many things, in- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or
The flip side is that new technology has often conjured up the cluding an earlier decision by the Gujarat merely legal. They are historical, political Ibsen said, “The majority is always UAPA are blatantly misused for suppress-
fear of job losses. From the 18th century farmhands smashing High Court and the opinion given by the and ethical. The court correctly finds that wrong.” Politics in India has always ing dissent. On the other hand, political
machines fearing for their livelihood, to workers striking against presiding judge in Maharashtra, which “the grotesque and diabolical crime” was proved him right. affiliation has often created an effective
computerisation, new productive tools have always been looked did not support remission; and two, the “driven by communal hatred”. The gang The idea of the Rule of Law conceptual- impunity to the higher-ups in cases rang-
at with suspicion at first. But history has also proved that while judgement ignored the law and binding rape of a pregnant woman along with her ised by jurist A V Dicey in the context of ing from molestation to murder.
some jobs were lost to technology, the economy multiplied mani- judicial precedents with respect to the pre- mother and her cousin was followed by the British system is now an integral facet The grievous injury to the very idea of
mature release of convicts. the murder of many in the family includ- of modern constitutions across the world. democracy signals our transformation to
folds to create more, higher-paying jobs. Like the steam engine The present judgement is an illustrative ing those who were raped. Young children It is the surest check against abuse of pow- an ethnic autocracy. The culprits are now
or the computer, AI is but a tool. Besides driverless cars, it can instance of the court’s counter-majoritar- and other close relatives of the petitioner er and authoritarianism. brought back to prison as directed by the
be used for countless applications to raise production and nar- ian function in the process of judicial re- also were murdered. A three-year-old Yet, the Rule of Law is not a blind adher- court. The court has done its part and it is
row the yawning income gap. For instance, public services like view. It confronted the state’s executive child’s head was smashed, according to ence to the laws. There could be strict in- for the society to take the message for-
health and education are hobbled by badly-trained teachers and power and drew boundaries for an aggran- the prosecution. vocation of laws even under a king or a ward. Judge Learned Hand had put the
health workers. AI can make a difference by raising standards dising government. It underlined the sig- The politics based on religious fanati- military regime or a demagogue. There- point in perspective: “A society so riven
nificance of the Rule of Law, which would cism, which led to this and other grue- fore, the Rule of Law should be understood that the spirit of moderation is gone, no
and improving access. Applying for a bank loan for a farmer can also mean equality before the law and some incidents, is an issue before the na- and ensured in the democratic and consti- court can save... a society where that spirit
become a breeze. AI-driven language translation services are equal protection of the laws, as promised tion. Mere reliance on a majority or tutional sense of the term. Law cannot flourishes, no court need save.”
already making a difference. AI, like any other technology, is not by Article 14 of the Constitution. electoral victory does not justify acts distinguish between crimes based on the (Views are personal)
an end itself. Used to the right ends, it can be revolutionary. The lessons from the judgement are not which are ostensibly inhuman. As Henrik religion, caste or political affiliation of the (kaleeswaramraj@gmail.com)

TREAT WINTER FIRES AS


A NATIONAL WARNING LEARNING FROM KERALA AND

T
WO of India’s Himalayan states have reported an alarm-
ing level of forest fires right in the middle of winter. In
the months of December and January, satellites cap-
BENGAL ON MIGRANT WORKERS Judicial discipline
Ref: Contain indiscipline at Calcutta High
Court with an iron hand (Jan 30). I agree
with the concern over a single-judge bench

T
tured 2,050 fire points in Himachal Pradesh, registering
HE Kerala model of providing overruling a decision of a two-judge bench.
a near 800 percent jump over last year. During the same
social health security to inter- The recent Calcutta High Court incident
time, at least 2,132 fire alerts were received from Uttarakhand, state migrant workers has involving a CBI probe into a medical seat
which is another record for the state. The 10,000-odd winter been widely discussed. What scam by the ruling party has raised concerns.
wildfires have left environmentalists perplexed, because the has received lesser attention is BIJULAL M V Principal investigator, GOI-SERB Project on Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s actions,
fire season usually begins mid-February and lasts till June, the work done by states send- Interstate Migrant Workers, ignoring a stay order and accusing another
which means the worse is yet to come. ing out those workers. Inter- Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam judge, breached judicial discipline.
The real concern is the rapid surge in such incidences in recent state workers arriving in Kerala are Zoya Muiez, email
treated as ‘migrant workers’ when they Kerala—the government figures are not of who have joined will get a one-time
times. Himachal Pradesh recorded 536 forest fires during Novem- register with the State Labor Office of precise—7 lakh to 10 lakh migrant work- payment of `2.25 lakh in case of the Nitish’s choice
ber 2019-June 2020, which jumped to 5,280 in the same period of Kerala under the Inter-State Migrant La- ers in the state are from West Bengal. On death of a worker. Migrant workers will Ref: The U-turn politics of Janata Dal (U)
2021-22. For Uttarakhand, the number of large, continuous and bor Act, 1979. They are eligible to apply the other hand, an organisation called get an allowance of `5,000 after the age (Jan 30). The article’s analyses threadbare
repeated forest fires over the same periods three years apart rose for the benefits of Awas Insurance and the Bangla Sanskriti Manch recorded of 60 and the board aims to help educate the reasons why Nitish Kumar went back to
from 759 to 12,985. A global biodiversity hotspot, the Himalayan Migrant Welfare Scheme. This has been that the number of migrant workers the children of such workers too. the NDA. His aspiration to be named the PM
region is known for its species’ endemism and vulnerability, hailed as a progressive model. who went back to West Bengal from vari- Kerala, for itself, runs 14 educational candidate was halted. On the other hand, he
A quarter century has passed since ous states during the pandemic lock- projects for migrant workers and their feared he would lose his CM’s post as pressure
which are exacerbated by forest fires. Besides, wildfires impact
Kerala became a hub of migrant work- children. The state government also of- was mounting to install Tejaswi Yadav in his
the forest cover, which can potentially accelerate landslides in a ers. Though data on them can be con- fers a death insurance cover to all mi- stead. One cannot blame him for leaving the
region increasingly devastated by such calamities. While the cur- fusing or imprecise at times, some re- grant workers who are members of its opposition bloc.
rent winter fires are being attributed to inadequate rainfall and ports give us an idea. The Kerala Awas Insurance; so far it has made 36 M Haneef, Kottayam
the near-absence of snowfall, rising anthropogenic activity Planning Board Report of 2024 says the payouts under the scheme.
changing land-use patterns is another culprit. interstate workforce is 34-lakh-strong Our fieldwork suggests a few other Preventing accidents
in the state. On the policies aimed at steps that would help. To reduce cases Ref: Four students die, 28 hurt as school bus
The real threat from climate change can be seen across the
them, the Interstate Migrant Policy In- of harassment and arrest on the suspi- rams tractor at Algur village in Karnataka
world. Colombia has declared forest fires a natural disaster after dex of 2019 highlights Kerala’s com- cion of being Bangladeshis who illegal- (Jan 30). It’s deeply saddening to learn about
it devastated thousands of hectares since November. In Indone- mendable performance—it secured the ly entered India, the West Bengal Mi- the accident involving innocent students. The
sia, a million hectares burnt uncontrollably last year. With El top position among states for its robust grant Welfare Board should issue photo government must take efficient road safety
Niño in play, India must adopt caution, because the Himalayan health and safety measures catering to identity cards. measures to curb such incidents rather than
EXPRESS

states are not the only vulnerable regions. Central, eastern and migrant workers. Migrant workers within the country just providing financial compensation.
southern India has borne the brunt as prolonged summers have Among the interstate migrant work- can only truly benefit if the central and Jahangir Ali, Mumbai
ers arriving in Kerala, those from West state governments work together. It is
sent forest fire numbers soaring. A recent IIT Delhi study said Exam pressures
that rising temperatures will lead to further increases in the fire
Bengal form the largest cohort. An ac- Kerala receives a large number of precisely because West Bengal under-
curate and updated number of such migrant workers and has formulated stood the importance of the money that In a shocking incident, a JEE aspirant staying
weather index by the end of the century. Its calculation says the workers is elusive as the last census was such migrant workers remit back home in Rajasthan’s Kota died by suicide just days
fire season in Himalayan regions could expand by 33 days, where- conducted in 2011. The Census 2011 several welfare policies for them. that they established such a welfare ahead of the exam. The latest tragedy shows
as across central India the increase could be as much as 61 days. records show that there has been a high- West Bengal, which sends out a board. The central government should how tough entrance exams are causing severe
We need more scientific research, technology back-up and com- er influx of migrant workers from West large number of labourers to Kerala set up such a welfare board too. If their mental agony and panic among the youth. It is
munity outreach. States now have individual plans to battle the
Bengal, Assam, Orissa and Bihar to Ker- and elsewhere, has set up a welfare movements and work demands are high time that the ministry of education takes
ala since 2000. However, top officials board to help them. The Centre mapped in a clearer manner, workers suitable measures so that youngsters are not
raging forest fires. That strategy must change. A national plan from West Bengal gave the authors an from each district or block can be given pushed to take such harsh measures.
and other states can learn valuable
that caters to biodiverse geographies with specific needs must be idea of the numbers that had migrated relevant training before they migrate. M Pradyu, Kannur
devised with adequate infrastructure and funding. and field research showed some areas
lessons from these two models Also, workers who are not willing to
that can be improved upon. work outside the state should be pre- Scheme shortage
Based on a study conducted in 40 vil- downs was 14 lakh. The authors con- pared for self-reliant projects in the Ref: TN noon meal workers in a pickle as
Q U I C K TA K E lages in West Bengal from November 11 firmed this information with higher block areas, and loans should be ar- 40% posts vacant (Jan 30). The midday
to December 4, 2023, the authors identi- officials in Bengal. ranged in collaboration between the meal scheme is a significant social welfare
ANOTHER HOBSON’S CHOICE fied signs that such migration has in- Samirul Islam, chairman of the Mi- Centre and states. programme. But the fact that more than
59,000 posts are vacant in the state exposes

B
creased in recent years. But they face a grant Welfare Board and a Rajya Sabha Another problem migrant workers
Y jailing populist Imran Khan and clearing the path for number of prejudices too. That is why member, says that some 22 lakh workers often face is of not getting their dues poor management. Moreover, the existing
pragmatist Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan has reverted to form. the West Bengal government has set up from West Bengal who are currently from the contractor. So, helplines workers are paid low wages. Creating jobs with
Its first national election in 1970 eventually led to the a Migrant Welfare Board, the first such working in other states have registered should be established all over India to decent wage structure should be main focus.
body in the state that will help workers on the board’s Karmasathi web portal, help them through legal complications. S Ramakrishnasayee, Chennai
breakup of the state; none of its 10 elections since have been migrating out of the state in various and verification has been completed for A dedicated legal cell set up by the cen-
without an overhanging cloud of unfairness. Imran’s supposed ways. They aim to prevent workers 15 lakh of them. It is understood that the tral government can guarantee more Better ambulances
affronts were too much for the all-powerful Pakistan Army to from the state being labelled as Bangla- welfare board is in the process of ap- contractual security. Xplore Health page was full of information
digest; so he was charged with an offence as rare and jerry-built deshis, kept away from workplaces, and pointing nodal officers in other states to The Kerala and Bengal models can that is crucial for critically ill patients.
as leaking official secrets. Pakistani voters might have been illegally detained by the police. Right track the activities of the migrants and be emulated by other states. And the Ambulances without advanced life support
now, it operates as an independent body help them. central government can play a pivotal equipment led to the loss of many lives during
handed yet another Hobson’s choice. But the options before looking after the welfare of labourers Officials explained why becoming a role in this. the pandemic. Ambulances around the country
nation—on economy, debt and borders—are all too existential. migrating out. member of the Migrant Welfare Board (With inputs from Navas M Khadar, need to be fitted with proper equipment.
We hope the next government will choose wisely. According to various studies done in through Karmasathi helps. The families associate, GOI-SERB project ) Pratap Nayak, Bhubaneswar

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS


Chairman of the Board: Manoj Kumar Sonthalia Editor: Santwana Bhattacharya
Resident Editor (Telangana) : T Kalyan Chakravarthy* Printed and Published by R K Jhunjhunwala on behalf of Express Publications (Madurai) Private Ltd., at H.No.6-3-1113/1, B.S.Makta Lane, Somajiguda, Near Grand Kakatiya Hotel, Punjagutta, Hyderabad – 500 016 and printed by him at Sakshi Press, Plot No.D-75 & E-52, Industrial Estate (APIE),
Balanagar, Medchal-Malkajgiri District, Telangana. Hyderabad: Vol. 48, No. 26. RNI Reg. No. 32179/77. Phone: 040-23413908. * Responsible for selection of News under the PRB Act. Copyright: Express Publications (Madurai) Private Ltd., All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner, electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited.
NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 31, 2024

06
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Win some, lose some


PAPER WITH PASSION

Masterstroke or
Nitish switching sides leaves the INDIA bloc in
confusion but limits his own bargaining power
n a move that did not leave many seasoned politicians flabbergasted, JD(U) leader
political Harakiri? KALYANI SHANKAR

I Nitish Kumar has executed a somersault by rejoining the BJP alliance barely 18
months after he walked out of the NDA, spilling bad blood all around. Importantly,
his latest move saw Nitish abandoning the plank of Opposition unity, which he was
Nitish Kumar has rejoined forces with the BJP, cementing his reputation as a leader
passionately championing until very recently. In fact, he was the de facto convener known for frequent shifts in political alliances for personal benefit
of the INDIA bloc, which has been cobbled together to take on the BJP's national n Sunday, Bihar

O
might. As a prime mover of the INDIA bloc, Nitish's departure puts a cloud over the Chief Minister
coalition's future, which may have to undergo a realignment, potentially impacting Nitish Kumar
its cohesiveness and effectiveness. However, there is more to this development than threw a bombshell
meets the eye: While it certainly is a major setback for the Opposition, what with by leaving the rul-
ing Mahagathbandhan in Bihar
Mamata Banerjee and Bhagwant Mann already having announced to go it alone in and returning to the NDA.
their respective States of West Bengal and Punjab, it provides an obvious edge to coalition. He also quit the oppo-
the BJP while straitjacketing Nitish from perform- sition coalition which he had
ing any more antics, at least till the Bihar Assembly built eight months ago. This dis-
mantling of the bloc has dealt a
elections next year. significant blow to the INDIA.
The lack of communication between Bihar Chief bloc at the national level. They
Minister Nitish and his deputy, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, missed the slim chance of defeat-
is said to have compounded their unease with each ing the BJP. in the upcoming Lok
Sabha polls. It is worth explor-
other. Matters did not help when Central agencies ing how Bihar's politics may
started questioning Tejashwi's mother and sister in affect the national landscape.
the alleged land-for-jobs scam. The BJP's inclina- Kumar's decision to return to the
tion towards a representative from an extremely back- NDA. fold could benefit the BJP.
but weaken the Rashtriya Janata
ward caste or a prominent Other Backward Classes Dal (RJD.) and Congress in
(OBC) group adds complexity to the situation. Nitish Bihar. It could ultimately impact
has the additional duty of ensuring that Bihar adds the opposition bloc at the
handsomely to the NDA's kitty in the general elections. Nitish's decision to realign national level. This BJP.- J.D. (U)
partnership could improve the
with the BJP has far-reaching consequences, influencing not only his political tra- chances of the BJP. winning
jectory but also the future dynamics of the NDA and INDIA bloc. Interestingly, the more seats in the upcoming
Bihar developments coincide with Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entering 2024 general elections and help Banerjee subsequently pro- failed when Mallikarjun the age of 72. The BJP's dis-
the State. It is sure to have a dampening effect on the Congress’ campaign and lower Modi achieve a hat trick. posed the name of Congress Kharge was chosen as the mantling of the INDIA. bloc
The BJP. tried to break the chief Kharge as the coalition leader of the new coalition. may facilitate Prime Minister
its confidence considerably. However, nothing can be said with finality about Nitish. opposition coalition and partner chief, a move Tyagi claims Consequently, Nitish Kumar Modi to win his third term.
It will all depend on the understanding he has with the BJP and how the latter treats with the J.D. (U) alliance. The was part of a broader conspir- sided with the (BJP.). In Bihar, mobilising OBC
him. His switch was ostensibly prompted by the treatment he received from his INDIA Party sees Nitish Kumar as a acy. Tyagi stated that Nitish Kumar's credibility has been votes to achieve electoral suc-
partners. During alliance meetings, clashes of aspirations and perceived attempts critical ally in Bihar and believes Kumar mobilised an alliance tarnished because of his cess is imperative. In
their partnership can win in the that united all non-Congress unwavering desire to hold November 2023, Bihar
by the RJD to expand its influence within the JD(U) hint at a shifting power dynam- 2024 elections. Kumar has only parties. power, regardless of the increased the reservation for
ic. Nitish's political somersault and his realignment with the BJP have unleashed a 45 seats in the current Assembly, However, it is now disinte- repercussions. He has Scheduled Castes and
series of ripple effects that extend far beyond the borders of Bihar. The departure of while the RJD. and BJP. have 78 grating. The situation in changed political allegiances Extremely Backward Castes.
this seasoned politician from the INDIA bloc has injected an element of uncertainty and 79 seats, respectively. Punjab and Bihar is on the several times, always for his It is unclear how long the
Despite this, Nitish managed to verge of collapse, and the benefit, and currently holds Nitish and the BJP partner-
into the political equations, casting shadows over the future cohesion and effective- continue as the chief minister. coalition in West Bengal is LALU YADAV, THE the title of Chief Minister ship will last.
ness of the coalition. The nation observes closely as this strategic realignment unfolds, Did the Congress party have a also falling apart. Nitish con- with the longest tenure. They may work together until
shaping the future contours of Indian politics. hand in Nitish Kumar's depar- firmed that he left the INDIA. LEADER OF THE Nitish's track record shows the upcoming Lok Sabha
ture from the IN.D.I.A. opposi- alliance because it didn't meet RASHTRIYA JANATA that after exploring other polls, but what will happen
tion bloc? The reason behind his expectations. He felt he options in 2013, Nitish afterwards is uncertain. The
PICTALK this setback was the decision to
sideline Nitish and promote
was the only one working
towards the coalition's goals.
DAL (RJD), Kumar left the BJP and allied
with the RJD. and Congress.
Bharatiya Janata Party may
support Nitish only until the
Congress. Kumar accused the Although the partnership has ENCOURAGED NITISH After the 2019 Lok Sabha Lok Sabha polls and their
Party of being responsible for the brought together all non- KUMAR TO FORM AN elections, he aligned with the support could decrease after-
failed alliance, arguing that the Congress parties, the alliance BJP. again and became the wards-some question
situation arose due to poor disintegrated in West Bengal OPPOSITION Chief Minister in 2020. whether the alliance will con-
communication. and almost collapsed in Bihar However, two years later, tinue until the 2025 Bihar
KC Tyagi of the Janata Dal- and Punjab. COALITION AT THE Kumar left the BJP and Assembly polls.
United (JDU) has levelled accu- There is also an untold story. NATIONAL LEVEL TO formed a new government Nitish has shown that it's pos-
sations against the Congress Lalu Yadav, the leader of the with the RJD. and Congress. sible to retain power by using
party that it conspired to dom- Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), AIM FOR PRIME Now he has dumped the RJD. clever bargaining skills and
inate the Opposition bloc. On encouraged Nitish Kumar to That is why he is called Palti winning a few seats, even if
January 13th in Mumbai, the form an opposition coalition MINISTERSHIP Ram. only 4% of the electorate
Chief (CPI-M) Sitaram Yechori at the national level to aim for Despite being an experienced belongs to their caste. But one
proposed Nitish Kumar as the the position of Prime politician, Nitish Kumar's thing is sure: Given Nitish's
convener of the bloc. This sug- Ministerial candidate. The frequent changes in stance track record, there could be
gestion was supported by most purpose of this plan was to have cost him the chance to other flip-flops.
of the other leaders present. pave the way for Lalu Yadav's be considered as a prime (The writer is a popular
However, Rahul Gandhi voiced son to become the Chief ministerial candidate for the columnist; views
his disagreement. Mamata Minister. However, the plan opposition party, especially at are personal)

Artistes perform during the presentation of the best tableau in the Republic Day parade, in New Delhi PTI LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
THE BEHAVIOUR OF BUREAUCRATS
Sir — The idea of bureaucrats embodying IMD completes 150 years
A father's courageous fight exemplary conduct for the public takes a
blow when incidents like the Singrauli
SDM episode surface. His act of having a
(WAFES Framework of Climate Services (NFCS).
Over the years, the IMD has been playing a sig-

against girl’s sexual assault SWAPNA


MAJUMDAR
female employee tie his shoelace in pub-
lic triggered outrage, highlighting the stark
contrast between expected behaviour and
reality. The swift transfer in response to
nificant role in weather forecasting and mon-
soon predictions. It plays a multidimensional
role in the country's major affairs, conducting
general elections, the launch of ISRO missions,
Despite threats and coercion, Ranjit, supported by his public outcry via social media underscores
the need for greater accountability and sen-
and the growth of infrastructural and agricul-
tural sectors.
resilient daughter, pursued justice with unwavering courage sitivity among those entrusted with posi-
tions of power.
The IMD faces a lot of challenges posed by
changing climates and the ever-increasing
When Ranjit took on the film. But had her father Ranjit tudes towards child marriage Such blatant abuse of authority cannot be demand for accurate and timely weather infor-
might of the powerful in his not stood up for her, she may sexual harassment of tolerated, especially in public spaces. mation. As the country navigates the complex-
tribal village in Ranchi dis- have remained just another women/girls and policing of Moving forward, the government must ities of its diverse weather patterns, perhaps the
trict, Jharkhand, to pursue statistic in crime records. sisters/daughters by prioritize not only competence but also ecently, the Indian Meteorological fusion of AI and traditional meteorological meth-
action against the rapists of
his 13-year-old daughter, he
didn’t think he would get jus-
Ranjit attributes his ability to
withstand all pressures and to
raise his voice for justice to the
brothers/fathers. Male mem-
bers of the program ques-
tioned their violent masculin-
ethical conduct when selecting officials for
crucial roles. Common courtesy and
respect for basic human dignity should be
R Department (IMD) celebrated its 150th year
of establishment and service to the nation.
On this memorable occasion, the IMD has
ods may well be the key to a more adaptive and
efficient forecasting system, ultimately safe-
guarding the lives and livelihoods of the peo-
tice. But he was still deter- training he received through ities, began exercising less non-negotiable, forming the bedrock of launched several initiatives, such as ‘The ple of the country.
mined to go ahead. So, even an intervention engaging men ‘power over’ their women every bureaucrat's interaction with the Weather Analysis and Forecast Enabling System Ranganathan Sivakumar| Chennai
though the village mukhiya as responsible partners and relatives supported them public. Only then can we rebuild trust and
was unsupportive and the caring fathers in the context more, and started challenging pave the way for a government that truly
police inspector on duty humiliation in court from the of gender equality and child norms on masculinities. serves its people. disappointed without getting their hard- Marathi language. It will also be given.
refused to file an FIR, Ranjit public prosecutor, Ranjit and rights. This initiative, coupled with N Mateeni | Mumbai earned money. It is high time to heed the The support of the Indian Language
didn’t give up. He called up his daughter were vindicated Initiated by the Centre for government and other NGO fact that the residents living in pension- Committee will be taken for this. Overall,
the Superintendent of police when the verdict came in Health and Social Justice interventions, has helped to DILAPIDATED POST OFFICES er's paradise are put to the test every time this is good news in the background of the
who came to the station to their favour and the three (CHSJ) in Jharkhand in 2015, change two important com- Sir — People are infuriated over the lack- they go to pick up their monthly earnings. strangulation of the Marathi language
help him file the case under were sentenced to 25 years of this program developed inno- munity norms. It now adaisical attitude of authorities towards It is time to have better working conditions going on in all areas. Today, children are
the POCSO Act, leading to rigorous imprisonment. vative ways to work with believes that investment in improving the condition of the post in Post Offices. not given education in their mother
the arrest of the three perpe- In a country where rape is men and boys on issues of education, especially girls’ offices in the country which has been lying C K Subramaniam | Chennai tongue in many places. If education is
trators. reported every 20 minutes masculinities. Implemented education and an increase in in a dilapidated condition for a long. given in the mother tongue, children
Thereafter began the real bat- and conviction rates are less in three districts in partner- age at marriage is necessary. Residents have complained that even the UGC DEGREE IN MARATHI understand quickly and they understand
tle. Pressure was mounted than 30%, this success ship with NGOs Srijan in Initiatives like these engaging name of the post office has not been dis- Sir — The University Grants Commission anything immediately. Recently the vol-
from all sides to compromise inspired filmmaker Nisha Ranchi, Chotanagpur men and boys have shown played properly at most of the places. has taken major steps to provide degree ume of English has increased in all areas.
by offering money to with- Pahuja to document Ranjit Sanskirtik Sangh (CSS) in that the journey towards Moreover, the internet services fail to pro- and post-graduate education in other lan- In many places, Marathi schools are on the
draw the case and, marriage and his daughter’s dogged Gumla and Sahyogini in more gender-transformative vide connectivity during peak hours. A guages along with the Marathi language. verge of closure. Even today, despite ful-
to one of the perpetrators. fight for justice. To Kill A Bokaro, the intervention was masculinities is possible. member of the grievances redressal com- Accordingly, a master's training program filling all the conditions, the Marathi lan-
Threats were made to burn Tiger, which took eight years able to reduce gender differ- What makes it imperative to mittee said higher authorities of the has been organized next month for pro- guage does not get the status of the Abhijit
their home, kill Ranjit and to film, has been nominated ences in the burden of house- scale such interventions postal department had not shown any fessors to create educational materials. As language from the Centre. For that, it is
cause other physical harm to for the Best Documentary hold and care work and, urgently is the disturbing interest in improving the condition of the a result of this, students will get a great necessary to try at all levels. Overall, it is
the family. Somehow he Feature for the 2024 Oscar reduce gender disparities in increase in the incidence of post office. The infrastructure of the post opportunity to learn the local language in necessary to give priority to Marathi in all
braved the storm, riding on awards. education, according to an rape between 2020 and 2022. office needs to be improved. the coming academic years. Local language fields. It is good news that Marathi is being
the extraordinary and unwa- The survivor, who is now 20, independent evaluation of In Ranjit’s Ranchi district, There is a need to beautify the staff coun- has been given priority in the national edu- included in degree and post-graduate edu-
vering courage of his daugh- went on to complete school. the programme. Importantly, figures suggest that approxi- ters to give a neat and clean look to these cation policy. But the necessary education- cation. It is expected to be implemented
ter, (the sexual assault sur- She hopes to show other sur- it reduced gender-based vio- mately every 1.75 days there counters. There is also a need to provide al materials are not available. As a result, as soon as possible.
vivor), who stood firm in her vivors like her, that girls are lence in families and villages is an incident of rape. better seating arrangements. There was many rural students are unable to study Shantaram Wagh | Pune
fight for justice. not to blame for sexual engaged in the intervention. (The writer is a senior jour- also a need to recruit more staff at the post in the local language. Even during the three
After a year of struggle, assaults and that is why she This assessment found pos- nalist; views expressed are offices. Retires invest their hard-earned years of implementation of NEP, many Send your feedback to:
including withstanding agreed to reveal her face in the itive mindset changes in atti- personal) money, wait for hours and then become course materials are not available in the letterstopioneer@gmail.com
NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 31, 2024

07
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FIRSTCOLUMN
AHIMSA: THE PATH TO
Drones can revolutionise
PEACEFUL EXISTENCE
Buddhism's essence lies in non-violence,
compassion and enlightenment
the agriculture sector AS MITTAL

The Government's inclination towards precision agriculture implies that


drones are poised to become an integral component of cultivation practices

BHIKKHU SIRI SIVALI ABHASARO


uddhism, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known

B as the Buddha, is a philosophy and way of life that places great


emphasis on the alleviation of suffering and the pursuit of enlight-
enment. Central to the teachings of Buddhism is the principle of non-
violence, or "ahimsa," which holds a profound and essential role in
shaping the ethical framework of this ancient spiritual tradition.
The Essence of Non-Violence in Buddhism:
● Compassion and Interconnectedness: Buddhism teaches that all
beings are interconnected and share a common desire for happiness
while seeking to avoid suffering. Non-violence stems from the under-
standing that causing harm to others ultimately results in harm to one-
self. Compassion, a key tenet of Buddhism, encourages followers to
cultivate empathy and extend benevolence to all living beings.
● The First Precept: The Five Precepts form the ethical guidelines for
Buddhist practitioners, with the first precept explicitly stating, "I under-
take the precept to refrain from taking life." This foundational princi-
ple underscores the sanctity of all life and emphasizes the commit-
ment to non-violence as a fundamental aspect of ethical conduct.
● Karma and Consequences: Buddhism teaches the concept of karma,
the law of cause and effect. Engaging in violent or harmful actions
generates negative karma, which can have repercussions in this life
or future lives. By practicing non-violence, individuals seek to break
the cycle of negative karma, promoting a path towards enlightenment
and liberation from suffering.
n Punjab, where drones remain asso- that facilitates targeted intervention tilizer usage by an average of 26% Cost savings: In a sector where prof-

I ciated mostly with dropping drugs


and arms from Pakistan in border
areas, now they are poised to gain a
new skyline to revolutionise the
agriculture sector.
Kiranpal Kaur of Sekha village in Barnala
district, who has only completed her edu-
and reduces the wastage of critical
resources such as water, chemicals,
and fertilizers. The high-resolution
imagery obtained from drones can
provide valuable insights that enable
targeted intervention and prevent
the unnecessary application of
by applying it only where needed.
This is not only beneficial from a
financial perspective but also con-
tributes to sustainable agriculture
that reduces environmental impact.
Efficient field scouting: Given
India's vast geographical expanse,
it margins can be wafer-thin, drones
serve as a cost-effective ally. Early
detection of potential issues allows
for timely and, therefore, less cost-
ly interventions. By helping farm-
ers make data-backed decisions,
drones help avert financial setbacks.
cation up to class 10 and has never trav- treatments across the entire field. monitoring remote or hard-to- By advising on agri-input use
elled in a plane, is now a trained drone pilot. Moreover, drones can help convert reach farms is a unique challenge. before visible crop issues occur, they
She travels across the district to provide the abstract concept of precision Here, drones are an asset, reducing can prevent the need for expensive
rental services for spraying fertilisers and agriculture into multifaceted the hours of manual labour interventions later during the crop
pesticides and undertaking surveys to approaches through compelling involved in field scouting to mere cycle.
check for any crop damage in the fields. data and actionable insights. minutes. According to recent esti- Weather forecasting: For a good
These Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) Remote sensing and monitoring: mates, drones can cover 200 acres yield, optimum weather remains
are the cutting-edge solution for driving Effective monitoring of crop health in just 30 minutes, offering timely crucial. Equipped with weather
agriculture towards higher efficiency, sus- THE USE OF is crucial for farmers to achieve and accurate data. It is valuable for monitoring technology, drones can
tainability and profitability. maximum yield and profits. The smallholder farmers, who make up serve as weather stations in the sky,
To further empower rural women Self Help DRONES, use of drones equipped with hyper- close to 68% of the Indian farming providing real-time data on the
Groups (SHGs), the subsidised 'Namo spectral imaging technology has community, enabling them to act weather. This information is invalu-
Drone Didi' Scheme was launched in EQUIPPED WITH brought a revolutionary change in before a problem like a pest infes- able for planning farm operations
December last year with an outlay of HYPERSPECTRAL how we perceive crop health. In a tation becomes economically dam- and responding to changing weath-
Rs.1261 Crore for the period from 2024- recent study, it was revealed that aging. This efficiency in field scout- er patterns. In India, where mon-
● Mindfulness and Contemplation: Buddhist practices, such as mind- 25 to 2025-26. The scheme aims to equip IMAGING drones can detect pest infestations ing allows farmers to stay ahead of soons can be a farmer's best friend
fulness meditation, cultivate awareness and self-reflection. Non-vio- and train at least 15,000 women SHGs. up to 2 weeks earlier than tradition- potential issues, even in remote or or worst enemy, having up-to-the-
lence is not only manifested in physical actions but also in the thoughts Kiranpal is among the first batch of 22 rural TECHNOLOGY, al monitoring methods. This early less accessible parts of their farms. minute weather data is a game-
women SHGs in Punjab, out of 300 HAS BROUGHT detection can potentially save up to Instead of labour-intensive, time- changer. It allows farmers to make
and intentions of individuals. By developing mindfulness, practition- women SHGs across the country, to be 30% of the harvest that might oth- consuming manual inspections, informed decisions about when to
ers strive to eliminate harmful thoughts and cultivate a mindset of kind- equipped with Kisan drones. ABOUT A erwise be lost. drones provide a cost-effective and plant, irrigate, or harvest, ultimate-
ness and non-harming. Potential: The market cost of a high-end Precision crop management: timely alternative. According to the ly improving farm resilience.
● Conflict Resolution: Non-violence plays a crucial role in conflict res- drone that can perform multiple tasks is REVOLUTIONARY Finding a balance between agricul- estimates prepared by IFFCO, a Conclusion: The government's
olution within Buddhist communities. Rather than resorting to aggres- approximately Rs 15 lakh. However, the CHANGE tural production and environmen- drone takes just around 8-10 min- shows a growing affinity for preci-
sion or retaliation, followers are encouraged to seek peaceful solu- government has introduced subsidised tal preservation is crucial. The utes to spray one acre. sion agriculture suggests that
tions through dialogue, understanding, and reconciliation. This approach
schemes that offer subsidies of Rs 4-8 lakh IN HOW WE excessive use of chemicals and Data-driven decision-making: We drones are set to become an inte-
on each drone and a 3% interest subven- water scarcity can lead to environ- are in an era where data-driven gral part of crop cultivation prac-
aligns with the Buddha's teachings on skillful means to address con- tion on loans. This initiative is expected to PERCEIVE mental degradation, which is a strategies are not the exception but tices. By blending traditional farm-
flicts without causing harm. have a significant impact on the Indian pressing concern that the agricul- the rule, and agriculture is keeping ing expertise with advanced tech-
● Example of the Buddha: The life of the Buddha serves as a pro- agriculture drone market, which is project-
CROP HEALTH ture sector must address. pace. Drones generate extensive nology, farmers can anticipate a
found example of non-violence. From his renunciation of the royal life ed to grow at an annual average rate of over Drones can play a vital role in solv- datasets that offer an in-depth look more optimistic and fruitful future.
to his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, the Buddha consistently 25% from 2024 to 2028. Additionally, the ing these issues by accurately iden- into crop health, growth patterns, Moreover, the government can off-
demonstrated compassion and refrained from causing harm to any global market for agricultural drones is tifying areas that require water. By and other variables. set the 80% cost of drone adoption
expected to reach USD 4.7 billion by the doing so, farmers can reduce water For example, a farmer can now through significant savings on fer-
being, even in the face of adversity. end of 2026, with a compound annual usage by approximately 25%, there- optimise planting densities of sug- tilizers and pesticides subsidies, as
Non-violence, deeply rooted in the core principles of Buddhism, is a growth rate (CAGR) of 31.3% during the by promoting sustainable agricul- arcane-based on drone-collected the use of drone technology leads
guiding force that shapes the ethical conduct of its followers. Through forecast period of 2024 to 2026. The ture. data, potentially increasing yields by to reduced consumption.
the practice of compassion, mindfulness, and the observance of the increasing demand for agricultural drones, Drones are not only useful for sur- up to 10%. Imagine a farmer in the (The Author is vice-chairman of
Five Precepts, Buddhists strive to create a world free from violence which have several applications such as veillance purposes, but when heart of Punjab who can now use Sonalika Group and vice-chair-
and suffering. By embracing the philosophy of non-violence, individ- field mapping, automated seeding, fertil- equipped with the right analytical drone-acquired data to optimise man of the Punjab Economic
uals embark on a transformative journey towards personal well-being, izer sprayers, crop analysis, and imaging, capabilities, they can also provide planting densities, manage nutrients Policy and Planning Board,
is expected to propel market growth in the actionable insights for real-time effectively, and plan their harvest Chairman of ASSOCHAM
social harmony, and the ultimate goal of enlightenment. coming years. crop management. For example, by with precision. Such data-driven Northern Region Development
(The writer is a Buddhist monk and spiritual guide, The adoption of drone technology serves utilizing data collected and analyzed decisions can lead to higher yields Council. Views
views are personal) as an advanced decision support system by drones, farmers can reduce fer- and, consequently, better profits. expressed are personal)

Charting a course for India's maritime security


To strengthen its standing as a global leader in maritime security, it is imperative to adopt a robust Maritime Domain Awareness framework
he adoption of a robust al role in maritime affairs, Ocean Region, India must enhancing its Maritime resilience and effectiveness of security. and efficiency. Regular cyber-

T Maritime Domain
Awareness (MDA)
framework is crucial for
effective MDA models must be
prioritized as a fundamental
component of the maritime
take the lead in institutional-
izing MDA.
Recognising the inadequacy of
Domain Awareness (MDA)
capabilities, particularly in the
aftermath of the "26/11"
the MDA framework.
Integrating current unmanned
technology with human intel-
Initiatives such as the National
Command,
Communication,
Control,
and
security audits strengthen
MDA systems against evolving
cyber threats. India must mod-
addressing the challenges faced security outlook. This evolu- limited national capacity to attacks. Notable initiatives, ligence transforms marine Intelligence (NC3I) network ernise its technology and form
by maritime-dependent indus- tion is essential to proactively protect vast water expanses, such as the National Marine security. India can lead mar- demonstrate the scope of new cybersecurity alliances to
tries and nations worldwide. In address emerging threats, this necessitates fostering mul- Domain Awareness (NMDA) itime security by integrating MDA operations. Succinct handle marine security issues.
order to demonstrate the nec- enhance surveillance capabil- tilateral cooperation, promot- project and the collaboration these technology into marine and adaptable MDA is the Since the "26/11" event, India's
essary commitment towards ities, and foster international ing inclusivity, and leveraging with France on the Indian plans faster. Real-time threat result of periodic revisions in Navy and MDA have
the protection of marine infra- PADMALOCHAN DASH collaboration in securing mar- sophisticated technologies. As Ocean Region (IOR) satellite identification, thorough mon- response to emerging threats increased maritime security
structure and maritime itime interests. one of the largest maritime constellation, highlight India's itoring, vessel vetting, due dili- and the active participation of initiatives, demonstrating a
domains, India must strength- must undergo a significant In the context of multilateral operators strategically posi- proactive efforts to create an gence, and AI insights to opti- experts from diverse disci- commitment to securing the
en its maritime security pro- transformation, shifting from Maritime Domain Awareness tioned in the region, India integrated MDA network. To mise the MDA framework plines. For autonomous system whole maritime domain.
grammes by keeping the rapid- traditional water surface-cen- (MDA) cooperation, the should formalize a framework ensure a cohesive and success- are required. Technology, espe- integration and preparation Recent successes in right-time
ly changing maritime geopol- tric initiatives to embrace Maldives' geographical prox- for multilateral MDA cooper- ful MDA approach, there must cially AI, improves Maritime against emerging threats, a detection and fast eradication
itics and emergence of diverse space-based monitoring and imity to China's expansion ation involving relevant par- be a focus on establishing a Domain Awareness (MDA) specialised task force, learning of varied marine threats high-
threats in attention. By priori- AI-driven Operational goals and the rising maritime ties. This initiative can facili- specialised coordination body, for countries like India. For processes, and technology light MDA's naval operating
tising research and develop- Technology (OT) systems. The incidents underscore the crit- tate access to robust yet afford- conducting regular audits, and early threat detection, deliber- infrastructure updates are concept evolution. Investment
ment funding' and 'promoting focus on maritime security ical need for vigilant maritime able MDA resources, while evaluating past initiatives. ate investments in cutting- essential. It is imperative that in naval personnel training and
international MDA partner- needs to extend beyond terri- monitoring. Proactively also fostering intelligence shar- Recognizing the dynamic edge surveillance and intelli- collaborations be formed with cutting-edge technology would
ships,' India can position itself torial limitations to encompass addressing China's increasing ing and joint exercises to col- nature of maritime threats, the gence technology like ASVs, academic institutions, research help the Indian Navy meet
as the global leader in mar- regional and global perspec- influence in the South China lectively address diverse mar- involvement of multiple stake- UAVs, and UUVs are neces- centres, and technological MDA goals.
itime security. tives, recognizing the height- Sea is imperative. Given its sta- itime security challenges. holders and adaptability to sary. Autonomous systems like firms. Cybersecurity and inter- (The Author is working with
India's Maritime Domain ened competition in seas. tus as the largest stakeholder India has demonstrated a evolving scenarios are empha- ASVs, UAVs, and UUVs operability assure MDA an Independent Think Tank;
Awareness (MDA) concepts Given India's substantial glob- and the key actor in the Indian strong commitment to sized, contributing to the improve reaction and marine unmanned system security views are personal)

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