governance, political economy, institutional development and economic regulation
No, this is not about Modi’s expanding girth. It’s about how archaic are our systems for “group think” on public affairs. It is not just about having to elect an MP, an MLA or a Councilor to represent us. “Group think” systems are institutionalized at various levels. In business and industry we have the “federations […]
Read More Democracy’s Flabby MiddlePompeia, Julius Caesar’s wife, must have turned in her urn, when Dr. Singh compared his need, as PM, to be above suspicion, as Caesar demanded of her. When Pompeia did not stand up to the test, she was gone in a second. With the serial disclosures on scams and the studied silence from the PMO, […]
Read More Being Caesar’s WifeAre scams babu made? If a “competent authority” is hell bent on making money, generally, there is very little babus, even honest ones, can do to stop them. But many “scams” are just the outcomes of poor decision making and in these babus cannot escape the blame. Personal honesty is never more than, at best, […]
Read More Babu-traps 101Growth “wallahs” (RBI, MOF) routinely underestimate the interlinked role of land, water and housing in development. In India’s context, these are critical for a long term growth strategy. Our growth czars are disingenuous in routinely deriding the use of equity markets and foreign investment as valid indicators for economic health but are quick to […]
Read More Mouldy Growth FundamentalsDisruptive innovation (DI) is a force multiplier in business and technology. Value creation is all about getting there ahead of the competition. DI annihilates the competition, not by doing the same things better but by doing them differently, thereby changing the rules of the game. The recent greats in this line of business are […]
Read More Arvind Kejriwal: Disruptive InnovatorThe goonda raj, unleashed in Delhi from 1975, pulled the rug from under the principled politics of the previous three decades. Even the followers of Gandhian turned Socialist, JP Narayan and Lohiya succumbed to achieving ends without giving a thought to the means adopted, assiduously emulated and enhanced the bad practices of the sole national […]
Read More Wanted Political PrinciplesElections are around the corner. Babus are petrified of taking decisions. But government is burning the midnight oil to grant “relief” to Reliance, Tata and Adanis to compensate for the poor planning and foresight of these companies under the guise of “protecting consumer interest”. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) decided in April 2013 […]
Read More Gas and Power: shine a light please on “deals”.There is an ill wind blowing in India which is sweeping away established institutional norms. This is a pity because the Indian political architecture is a copy of the UK system which has no constitution to guide it and works solely on the basis of conventions. Take the convention of sanctity of cabinet decisions or […]
Read More Enter Rahul the RudderThe Indian Express walked into Pakistan’s familiar trap: equating Pakistan’s puppet, civilian regime with the Indian State and more shamefully equating their rogue army with our brave hearts in uniform. http://www.indianexpress.com/section/editorial/35/. See the last line of the editorial today. Similarly, Indian reporters are so desperate to get an “exclusive” that they let the oft repeated […]
Read More Walking into Pak Trap
Opinion India 