Warrier's blog

Letters: Integrated growth | Business Standard Opinion Submitted version* of the response: Integrated growth This refers to the artice “India’s growth debate” (Asia File, June 26). The article crisply takes stock of the linkages to be taken care of while a country plans to move aggressively towards growth opting primarily the rapid industrialisation   route. More of such debates will save policy makers from losing sight of possible pitfalls and help avoid hurdles that are usual when diversions are taken. While conceding that a short essay cannot be expected to cover all aspects of growth, taking the debate forward, one is tempted to add conservation and overhaul of the available infrastructure, moving towards a higher literacy level, better and affordable healthcare facilities for all and improvements in the prescription and monitoring of minimum living wages across sectors as priorities that should be woven into any fabric of overall growth. As public-pri

Economic Times, June 25, 2014 Public health- The ageing imperative: India needs to act now 24 Jun, 2014, 04.47AM IST By Jack Watters An Indian born in 1950 could expect to live for a mere 37 years. Today, India's life expectancy at birth has risen to 65 years and is projected to be 74 years by 2050. Indians are living longer — that's the good news. The bad news is the number of older Indians who will be affected by long-term , chronic conditions will increase, leading to serious economic, social and healthcare policy consequences. By 2030, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) wil .. Read more at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/37107930.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Change RBI Governor: Swamy to PM - The Hindu Read this along with my views(copied below) on B N Srikrishna's ET article on RBI Governor Beyond rights and wrongs* This refers to the article “Why Rajan is Wrong”(June 26). Co-authored by Justice B N Srikrishna, Chairman and Shri D Swarup, Member-Secretary of the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission, the article attempts to presume and conclude that RBI Governor was wrong in expressing his views against FSLRC recommendation to super-impose a ‘Tribunal’ over RBI, when adequate facilities for ‘appeal’ where absolutely needed, existed and saying that he was not comfortable with re-inventing regulatory architecture in banking sector as the existing ones were not in disrepair, in his June 17 speech. Dr Rajan had focused only on the aspects concerning RBI and the article has used SEBi experiences and sanctity of ‘rule of law’ to conclude that ‘Rajan is wrong’. While on the defensive, no harm in drawing arguments from

Shubhashis Gangopadhyay: Helping ourselves | Business Standard Opinion Copied below is an excerpt from my response to another article in Business Standard(June 26, 2014), which fits in here well: ".........taking the debate forward, one is tempted to add conservation and  overhaul of the available infrastructure, moving towards a higher literacy level,  better and affordable healthcare facilities for all and improvements in the  prescription and monitoring of minimum living wages across sectors as priorities  that should be woven into any fabric of overall growth. As public-private partnership becomes a reality, the responsibility of ensuring  social security, universal healthcare and a self-regulatory mechanism to ensure  minimum living wages for all workers dependent on an industry or service also  will have to be shared by those who own or provide such industry or service.  So far, this aspect has been considered the sacred duty of the government or  the tax-paye

Last ten years, during June-December, we(picked up this ‘WE’ from 'Srikrishna' who said ‘We reject…’ in an article published in the Economic Times, and I had to go to the small print to know that ‘WE’ included his 'SWARUP'…here 'we' include Sudha, my wife and me) stay in Bhandup(West) in the central suburbs of Mumbai. Every year, during this period, I visit once or twice, the Shraddha General Stores, on Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, here. This store, described as MYSORE SUGAHAND BHANDAR’, owned by one Prakash Mishra sells, besides puja articles, publications from Gita Press. Yesterday(June 27, 2014), I picked up a cloth-bound copy of ‘THE BHAGAVADGITA’ for Rs15/-. This edition (thirty-ninth reprint, 2013, 15,000 copies- taking the total to 9,62,625-which publisher will keep track of numbers like this?) contains, besides Sanskrit text of Gita, an introduction by Jayadayal Goyandka and a synopsis of the Gita as prefix and an article by the same author bearing on t

Barun Roy: India's growth debate - The Smart Investor The article crisply takes stock of the linkages to be taken care of while a country plans to move aggressively towards growth opting primarily the rapid industrialisation   route. More of such debates will save policy makers from losing sight of possible pitfalls and help avoid hurdles that are usual when diversions are taken. While conceding that a short essay cannot be expected to cover all aspects of growth, taking the debate forward, one is tempted to add conservation and overhaul of the available infrastructure, moving towards a higher literacy level, better and affordable healthcare facilities for all and improvements in the prescription and monitoring of minimum living wages across sectors as priorities that should be woven into any fabric of overall growth. As public-private partnership becomes a reality, the responsibility of ensuring social security, universal healthcare and a self-regulatory mechanism

One regulator too many? | Business Line June 25, 2014 Balanced response This refers to the article “One regulator too many?” by Ashok Upadhyay( June 25). This is a balanced analysis of Dr Rajan’s June 17 observations on certain positions taken by the Financial Sector Legislative Regulatory Commission(FSLRC). Initially, media had sensationalised the focused views expressed by the RBI Governor in a short address to an enlightened audience, where he had used a couple of sharp words and strong examples to drive home the points he wanted to draw attention to. These were, (i) FSLRC wandered beyond its brief, by trying to super-impose a ‘Tribunal’ over RBI, when adequate facilities for ‘appeal’ where absolutely needed, existed and (ii) he was not comfortable with re-inventing regulatory architecture in banking sector as the existing ones were not in disrepair. It was obvious that the media responses had not taken into account the content and context of Dr Rajan’s speech in

Individuals and institutions - The Hindu Posting without COMMENT...May be, I will post a comment later... I liked the concluding 2 paragraphs in the article which read: "The checks and balances offered by institutions working within the constitutional scheme is the bedrock of democracy. The Council of Ministers is collectively accountable to Parliament; then there is the judiciary and other autonomous bodies such as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the CVC, and outside government, there are political parties, the media and civil society organisations. The concept of checks and balances has become dysfunctional in recent years due to the aggressive overreach of some institutions and the corresponding caving in of some others, depending on personalities at the helm. While the authority and majesty of the office of the Prime Minister has to be asserted, and in fact, reclaimed from usurpers such as the CAG, the autonomy and prestige of other institutions m

Control the carnage | Business Line  The submitted version of my letter "Leadership fit" is copied below: Protect the elegance This refers to the article “A much-abused office”(June 23). This debate should be taken forward to protect the elegance and purpose of the institution of state governor envisaged by the authors of Indian Constitution. Many things were left ‘unsaid’ in the Constitution. These included the details about the skill requirements and background for those contesting elections and aspiring positions like that of state governor and the Indian President to mention just two for illustration. But, the responsible political leadership that took over from the British did take care to evolve a tradition in the 1950’s which saw a number of statesmen endowed with political skill, academic brilliance, scientific outlook and administrative ability getting into the mainstream of political leadership across India. The position changed, when money power over-sh