Warlike fortification of approaches to Delhi with nails, concertina and concrete is lousy politics, lousier optics. It shows the government is paranoid and insensitive. This is no way to deal with protests in a democracy. Turning your capital into a barricaded fortress in the 21st Century is a bad joke.
Swimming pools have opened, so should physical court hearings
Chief Justice S.A. Bobde must ensure physical court hearings begin sooner than March, now that India is re-opening swimming pools, cinema halls and schools. E-courts served well during a difficult year, but was often a closed system, and hurt junior lawyers disproportionately. It’s now time to restore speed and transparency.
Infra push for poll-bound states is pragmatic populism but must not neglect other regions
Push to infrastructure in poll-bound states in Union Budget 2021-22 is pragmatic populism. A 24×7 politician like PM Modi never loses sight of elections. But he deserves credit for abandoning the sop route to woo voters. This mustn’t, however, imply neglect of other states, creating a new electoral caste system.
Paperless Budget right step but transition needs fool-proof digital security
India’s first paperless Budget is the right step. Now, the government should move bulk of the work online, ending its notorious culture of piling up files. But government sites have been hacked and even senior officers continue using personal emails. The transition can’t occur without first ensuring fool-proof digital security.
Finance Commission should be applauded for incentivising demographic performance of states
Fifteenth Finance Commission chief N.K. Singh should be applauded for keeping his promise to not hurt southern states on tax transfers because they’ve done well on managing demographics. Laggard states should see the commission’s 12.5% weightage for demographic performance in calculations as an incentive to catch up with the south.
Budget’s transparency in fiscal deficit is refreshing. But it must extend to all economic data
Modi government’s decision to be transparent about the real fiscal deficit and not hide food subsidies in the Budget is refreshing. But it’s only a beginning. The same transparency should be extended to all economic data. That is the best way to reassure investors and respond to global rating agencies.