Talk Point: There are still unanswered questions about the legality of demonetisation
On 8 November, 2016 the Prime Minister announced on television that 86 per cent of the money in circulation in the Indian economy stood demonetised. There are still unanswered questions about the legality of the entire exercise and even the process followed to arrive at the decision.
Talk Point: Was the short-term disruption worth it? The answer is a qualified “no”
Demonetisation was a courageous policy decision fraught with high risks. The purported objectives of the decision were to eliminate fake currency, weed out black money, and address tax evasion. Later, digitisation of the economy was also added to the list of objectives. How has demonetisation fared on these objectives?
Talk Point: Demonetisation was a passion play by PM, there was no cost-benefit analysis
One year later, it is clear that the economic upside to demonetisation—if there is one—is a long-term proposition. How the government is going to ensure long-term gains is still unclear.
Talk Point: Demonetisation hasn’t even attacked 1 per cent of the black money
Exactly a year ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ambitious but enormously disruptive decision to invalidate Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes, ostensibly...
Talk Point: One should not hyper-analyse a particular shot fired in a war
Demonetisation was the first major formal recognition by the Government of India that the issue of black money needs to be tackled decisively. What has India gained and lost from demonetization and what are the lessons learnt?
Talk Point: SME sector is yet to see its output recover to pre-demonetisation levels
Economic activity in the informal sector are yet to recover from the shock as no job creation seems to have taken place in this sector.
Talk Point: To anybody who values press freedom, there is plenty available
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s lecture was a bit stern in parts, there is no need for the press to panic and call the fire brigade.
Talk Point: Is PM Modi’s statement on press freedom a veiled warning?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the freedom to write, and to decide what is to be written, does not include the freedom to be "less than accurate", or "factually incorrect. Is PM Modi’s statement on press freedom a veiled warning to dissenting media voices?
Talk Point: PM’s statement on press freedom resembles a familiar game of intimidation
The political executive has always had an uneasy relationship with the press. It extols its virtues while trying to curb its freedom, says lawyer Gautam Bhatia.
Talk Point: It isn’t the government’s business what editorials are talking about
Whether the Prime Minister's statement on press freedom is a “threat” for dissenting media houses will depend on what media houses consider their jobs to be.