Gloating in False Growth?
“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” Those are the famous words from the 1995 thriller ‘Usual Suspects’. That’s a line that one recalls looking at the...
GDP numbers present ‘greatly distorted picture’ of economy, says Congress
The 7.8% growth rate of India’s gross domestic product in the April-June quarter presents a “greatly distorted picture” of the economy, claimed the Congress on Monday. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation had published the...
People’s BRICS Delhi Declaration
As India hosts the BRICS Summit in 2026, we, the people of one of BRICS’s founding countries, call on BRICS members to forge a development model based on solidarity, dignity, participatory democracy, and respect...
Why Chidambaram’s Prescription is Dangerous
An Interview of former minister P Chidambaram in yesterday’s (Aug 27) Business Standard tells us what has been wrong about policymaking in this country and flawed policymaking is not an innovation of Modi government....
Naked Dance of Crony Capitalism
There are a number of issues surrounding the recent approval by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) of a repayment plan of ₹6.5 crore against claims of ₹22,006.57 crore involving Zee Group Founder and...
‘Work From Home’ Is a Cruel Joke for India’s Gig Workers
As India prides itself over its ‘gig economy’ and ’10-minute delivery,’ gig workers have constantly faced worsening odds each year for the past decade, with no support from the state or employers. Every summer,...
Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026: Expanding State Surveillance, Eroding Citizens’ Rights | Editorial
Finance Matters | July 31 2026 The Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026 is yet another piece of legislation the NDA-II govt has pushed through, amidst pandemonium in the Lok Sabha, without debate or the...
The India of the elites and that of the cockroaches | Editorial
Finance Matters | July 24 2026 India has two realities, like two parallel universes. In one of these universes a handful of super rich seem to be doing great, in fact they are thriving....
Realising Rights: An Introduction to the Handbook of Welfare in India
An excerpt from Realising Rights: A Handbook of Welfare in India In the 2000s, the character of the welfare regime began to change. From 2004 onwards, major social policies reflected a significant shift towards...
Meet the Women Living India’s Microfinance Loan Nightmare
Women bear the burden of a lending system that profits from chronic financial distress as they borrow to pay for food, healthcare and survival. Forty-five-year-old Shabreen (name changed) lives with her two sons and...
A Census in Question!
With the first phase of India’s long-delayed Census now completed, attention is shifting from the exercise itself to the questions surrounding it. The Census is far more than a population count, it is the...
Whither State Care? India’s Non-Contributory Pension System
Social protection and social security are crucial components of a country’s development agenda. Social security mechanisms not only reflect economic growth but also indicate the capacity of the state to deliver welfare to its...
Left out or opting out? India’s absence: What it means for global climate action
When Colombia and the Netherlands convened the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta at the end of April 2026, the intent was clear: to move beyond broad commitments and begin structuring pathways for...
India’s Fossil Delusion and Just Transition Opportunity
It is more than 45 days into the direct and major US-Iran war. Since then, the global oil prices have skyrocketed to about $140 a barrel, commercial LPG prices have risen by ₹195.5 and India’s strategic...
Risk-Based Premium for Deposit Insurance: What It Means for Banks
The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) has implemented a risk-based premium system from April 1, 2026, replacing the flat rate structure and linking premiums to banks’ risk profiles. The Deposit Insurance and...
Page 1 of 15
