Sometimes, it would seem that governments are even fonder of monopolies than private businessmen. The latest piece of evidence in support of such a thesis comes in the shape of the new city gas

Blessing monopolies

Business Standard

Last March, when Cairn of the UK announced that it would list its Indian subsidiary locally, it appeared to be a victory for the Indian stock market. Unlike other companies from overseas, the Indian

These rules need changing

Health and nutrition may be prime concerns for an individual, but they have not been an area of notable success for the government. Otherwise, the state of health cover would not have been so

Wealth is not health

The Sensex may have gained 43 per cent in 2006, but it is unlikely that the average investor will be in a mood to celebrate this week, as the year comes to an end. That is partly because retail

Not for the small investor

The biggest constraint facing industrial development may no longer be poor infrastructure, it may be land. According to the series of reports being carried in this newspaper, just four state

Opportunity not landed

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha in a conspicuously amended form from its original version, will provoke more

Now without safeguards

One of the more significant developments in the Indian corporate world during 2006 has been the surge in international acquisitions by Indian companies. As was reported in this newspaper yesterday,

Mirror to domestic reality

The governments official view, articulated as recently as two days ago by Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath, is that allowing foreign investment in multi-brand retailing, of the Wal-Mart and

Unlocking an open door

Looking at the sharp increase in trade union membership between 1989 and 2002 (the figures for the second date have just been released), it would seem that trade union membership has been soaring. The

Working the numbers

Saddam Husseins hanging was a foregone conclusion once he was captured three years ago  for two reasons. First, there was never a question that the man was a tyrant, responsible for many summary

Wanted: Dead

A committee set up by the finance ministry has recommended ways to ensure that tax-savings instruments get taxed at some point in their life-cyclethat is, they move to an exempt-exempt-tax (EET)

EET`s not easy

The Linux vs Windows debate generally revolves around the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) issue. Decision-makers rely heavily on their assessment of TCOwhich includes hardware, software, installation

Tux`s progress

It can be no one's case that all NGOs (non-government organisations) are virtuous organisations, or that they and the individuals who get funds from abroad never misuse the money. But if you start

Licence-permit raj for NGOs

If there were any doubts about the influence of foreign institutional investors (FIIs) on Indian stock prices, these have to be buried. In April, FIIs brought in no more than Rs 537 crore, and the

Not a lucky number?

Is it careful signalling that the Reserve Bank governor has done, or is Dr Reddy waiting for some conceptual clouds to lift? Consider the following: the GDP growth rate in recent quarters has

Reading the signals

By raising the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat by Rs 50 to Rs 750 a quintal, the government has carried out a price correction that was overdue. Unlike the 1990s, when the MSP was hiked liberally

Correcting past mistakes

The muted buzz about global warming, inaudible till now to most people as they went about their daily lives, is rising suddenly in pitch to an insistent noise that is also gaining rapidly in volume.

Act before pressure builds

Since the Chinese are not known to mince their words, the dialogue between the government and Chinese President Hu Jintao when the latter comes calling later this month, promises to be interesting.

Hu's the problem?

Last weeks formal entry of Reliance Industries into retailing, with massive upscaling plans, is likely to do a world of good to both retailing and the Indian consumer. Retailing is likely to get a

Retailing milestone

The Reserve Bank of Indias new guidelines to rein in the mushrooming growth of non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) will stop the huge regulatory arbitrage that the foreign players have been

Level field, finally

It is difficult to avoid the impression that the death sentence handed out to former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is victors justice, the term that External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee used

Victor`s justice

Incisive columns and editorial comment by top opinion leaders

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