The Union government’s fiscal discipline has not been matched by state fiscal discipline, thanks to the tendency to promise unconditional freebies to the electorate.
Dismissing unconditional cash transfers through the parochial logic of ‘unearned assistance is undeserving’ narrows the space for policy innovation and restricts possibilities for social mobility.
In 2025-26, Bihar is estimated to spend Rs 1,08,094 cr on committed expenditure, which is 42% of its estimated revenue receipts. This offers little scope for spending on development.
Delhi has historically been in revenue surplus, but last 2 years have seen a deceleration. Subsidies & cash transfers may escalate the deficit, unless accompanied by a hike in revenues.
Indian middle class seethes at growing phenomenon of political parties taking their tax money and spraying it among the more numerous poorer classes to buy their votes.
Global media also took note of the railway accident in Maharashtra, writing about safety of train travel in India, as well as the reality of the economic downturn in the country.
Contrary to naysayers, the RSS practices what it preaches. It is closer to the Gandhian teaching of improving the individual morally and spiritually to change the external environment.
This is the game every nation is now learning to play. Some are finding new allies or seeing value among nations where they’d seen marginal interest. The starkest example is India & Europe.
The “ism” that Shekhar Gupta has perfected is “Bakwas-ism”. He knows why Trump is against the Republicans like Haley, Cheney etc. but acknowledging that will mean he has to talk of the political capture that the old establishment (aka deep state) has across both parties and how that has undermined genuine democracy in the US.
In a world where lots of analyses are available, bad analysis just stands out immediately. Anyone who’s followed the US for a while (e.g worked with Americans daily as part of their jobs), knows that the undercurrent has been there since the last 10 years.
I am not sure if Mr. Gupta realizes that each such column reduces his stature. For a change, go to the ground again and ask genuine questions, don’t judge and don’t try and make people give the answers you like, but I understand that’s asking for too much from an ideologue.
Trump is a frugal populist, he is planning to cut down govt sepnding on useless unproductive stuff while Modi is throwing money to win votes as if he owns the entire tax of the country.
Trump is a certified loose character. Has lived a life of debauchery and fraud. Also, is a convicted felon. Unfortunately, he has been elected as the US President and therefore, the world has to deal with him.
To compare him with Modi or Meloni or anyone else is to insult them. These people are political leaders. But Trump is an unscrupulous businessman with a shady past.
Shekhar Gupta is too clever and cheeky.
Clubbing Modi with Trump is such non-sense.
Mr. Shekhar Gupta is intelligent and wise enough to know that Modi is totally different from the likes of Trump, Le-Pen, etc. and yet he cleverly clubbed them together. Just to throw shade at him. Mr. Gupta’s intense dislike, bordering on hatred, for Modi comes through in such articles.
Trump is a convicted felon who has led an immoral, unethical and unprincipled life all along. Everything about him stinks.
Only Mr. Gupta can equate Trump with Modi.
That, quite unfortunately, has been the hallmark of his “un-hyphenated journalism”.
Unfortunately, I have a head and heart, conscience, some wisdom must have been picked up along the course of life, so can never love the populists. ( That one sentence was worth the column ).
Shekhar Gupta, as ever, sees reality in a way that supporters of empty ideology do not.
The “ism” that Shekhar Gupta has perfected is “Bakwas-ism”. He knows why Trump is against the Republicans like Haley, Cheney etc. but acknowledging that will mean he has to talk of the political capture that the old establishment (aka deep state) has across both parties and how that has undermined genuine democracy in the US.
In a world where lots of analyses are available, bad analysis just stands out immediately. Anyone who’s followed the US for a while (e.g worked with Americans daily as part of their jobs), knows that the undercurrent has been there since the last 10 years.
I am not sure if Mr. Gupta realizes that each such column reduces his stature. For a change, go to the ground again and ask genuine questions, don’t judge and don’t try and make people give the answers you like, but I understand that’s asking for too much from an ideologue.
Trump is a frugal populist, he is planning to cut down govt sepnding on useless unproductive stuff while Modi is throwing money to win votes as if he owns the entire tax of the country.
Trump is a certified loose character. Has lived a life of debauchery and fraud. Also, is a convicted felon. Unfortunately, he has been elected as the US President and therefore, the world has to deal with him.
To compare him with Modi or Meloni or anyone else is to insult them. These people are political leaders. But Trump is an unscrupulous businessman with a shady past.
Shekhar Gupta is too clever and cheeky.
Clubbing Modi with Trump is such non-sense.
Mr. Shekhar Gupta is intelligent and wise enough to know that Modi is totally different from the likes of Trump, Le-Pen, etc. and yet he cleverly clubbed them together. Just to throw shade at him. Mr. Gupta’s intense dislike, bordering on hatred, for Modi comes through in such articles.
Trump is a convicted felon who has led an immoral, unethical and unprincipled life all along. Everything about him stinks.
Only Mr. Gupta can equate Trump with Modi.
That, quite unfortunately, has been the hallmark of his “un-hyphenated journalism”.
Unfortunately, I have a head and heart, conscience, some wisdom must have been picked up along the course of life, so can never love the populists. ( That one sentence was worth the column ).