Synopsis: Several important decisions taken during the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council’s 45th meeting in Lucknow last week. What are the important decisions taken during the GST Council’s 45th meeting? Concessional rates for Essential medicines: The council extended concessional rates for several drugs, such as Remdesivir, used to treat Covid-19. It also reduced duty… Continue reading Structural changes in GST
Author: Ram Manohar
Breaking the Glass Walls: On gender equality
Synopsis: We need to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in science. Barriers that these biases enforce for women must be knocked down at every level. Introduction Gender equality is a moral, business and an intellectual imperative. It is non-negotiable and independent of profession or affiliation or gender. Gender equality benefits both men and women. What… Continue reading Breaking the Glass Walls: On gender equality
A Job to do: On unemployment in India
Synopsis: Employment opportunities need to expand in areas where labour is deployed to deliver higher productivity for enterprise and higher returns to labour. Introduction India’s unemployment rate in August was 8.3 per cent and, it signifies very high unemployment rates. What are some concerns regarding unemployment in India? High unemployment rate: Periodic Labour Force Survey… Continue reading A Job to do: On unemployment in India
Bad bank will help clean up balance sheets, but credit culture must change for healthier financial system
Synopsis: Issues and challenges that may impact the performance of the National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. Introduction The balance sheets of banks show stressed loans worth Rs 2 lakh crore. To address this problem the government had envisaged the formation of National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL) referred to as the bad bank within a… Continue reading Bad bank will help clean up balance sheets, but credit culture must change for healthier financial system
The PLI plan for our automotive sector can accelerate its success
Synopsis: The new PLI scheme will incentivize the industry to move into higher-value-added technologies and thus spur sectoral growth Introduction The Union Cabinet has decided on a major new production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme aimed at reviving and transforming the automotive sector in India. The planned outlay of government funds for the scheme is in excess… Continue reading The PLI plan for our automotive sector can accelerate its success
Clean energy prospects beyond the 100GW milestone
Synopsis: Regular policy interventions by the government, an investment push and fiscal stimuli over the years have helped India emerge as a global front runner in the clean energy ecosystem. Introduction Despite the covid pandemic, steady growth has helped India cross the 100-gigawatt (GW) target of installed capacity. Today, we stand 4th in the world… Continue reading Clean energy prospects beyond the 100GW milestone
How green is my central bank
Synopsis: Green climate and other bonds, and fixed-income assets, cannot guarantee carbon neutrality. Introduction The Bank of Finland has announced that its investment portfolio will be carbon-neutral by 2050. Also, many western central banks are making similar announcements. However, the author of this article states that resorting to green climate financing by central bank (RBI)… Continue reading How green is my central bank
India’s revamped FTA strategy
Synopsis: Early Harvest Schemes (EHS) as an FTA strategy is misaligned with India’s immediate requirement of an employment-promoting trade policy. Introduction Recent statements from the commerce ministry have indicated that India is going to revamp its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) strategy and that FTA negotiations would be expedited towards early conclusion. The revamped FTA strategy… Continue reading India’s revamped FTA strategy
There finally seems to be a path forward for GST. Centre and states must strike bargain
Synopsis: After one and a half years of dispute, and with the economy showing signs of recovery, a path forward for the GST finally seems visible. This opportunity needs to be seized What has set back the GST for the past year and a half? Lack of revenues: In 2016-17 the various taxes that were… Continue reading There finally seems to be a path forward for GST. Centre and states must strike bargain
Transient easing: On inflation
Synopsis: Cutting fuel taxes is a sure-shot way to address a major component of price pressures. Introduction The latest retail inflation data suggest, that price pressures have begun to moderate in the economy, with CPI showing inflation having slowed for a second month to 5.3%, after July’s 5.59%. However, price trends among the constituents of… Continue reading Transient easing: On inflation
