A number of newspapers have carried stories on the presence of a mysterious "and" in one of the provisions in the Nuclear Liability Bill. I have put up a post on my office blog - Parliament’s Recommendations on the Nuclear Liability Bill – Why the “and”? The blog discusses the implications of what the insertion … Continue reading Nuclear Bill – deciphering the “and” gesture
Tag: polity in india
One-third of poor are not born poor
In recent years, a number of studies have been conducted on the number of poor in India. Some have estimated that 77% of India is poor, others say 37% of India is below the poverty line. The Wall Street Journal contains an article on a new poverty study which the reasons for why people are … Continue reading One-third of poor are not born poor
India’s intelligence Agencies – II
In yesterday's post, I had mentioned in passing the lack of any law, legal framework or accountability with regard to intelligence agencies being a major issue. I elaborate on the subject here. “Parliamentary approval of the creation, mandate and powers of security agencies is a necessary but not sufficient condition for upholding the rule of … Continue reading India’s intelligence Agencies – II
India’s intelligence agencies
India has a variety of intelligence agencies. Though not in the same league as the USA which has hundreds of agencies, there were many I had never heard of until I made a concerted effort to check for them. What is more disturbing is that none of these have been set up by any law. … Continue reading India’s intelligence agencies
Kashmir II: The last Month
In my last blog post, I had summarised the main events in Jammu and Kashmir's past history to try and give a context to the post I am writing today. I encapsulate the main events which have taken place within Jammu and Kashmir within the last month or so. In doing this, I have also … Continue reading Kashmir II: The last Month
Kashmir as it stands today – I
The recent violence in Kashmir has dealt a great deal of damage to the gains made there in recent years. In this and the next blog post (will be up soon), I encapsulate a summary of the main events concerning Kashmir, and also an attempt at making a timeline of recent events there. Main events … Continue reading Kashmir as it stands today – I
Major Government schemes II: Mid-day meal
In an earlier blog post this month I had put up a summarised version of an evaluation study done by the Planning Commission of India. The Planning Commission had evaluated the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. In this blog post, I am summarising their evaluation of the Mid-day meal scheme. The Mid-day Meal Scheme was launched by … Continue reading Major Government schemes II: Mid-day meal
How much does a Bandh Cost
Noted economist Prof. Bibek Debroy has written on how to estimate how much Bandhs cost. This seems to be in response to figures given by industry associations on the cost of the recent Bandh organised by the BJP and left-parties. I am pasting the article below: Price of a bandh Bibek Debroy Posted online: Fri … Continue reading How much does a Bandh Cost
Who holds intelligence agencies accountable?
I have put up a blog post on my organisation's blog on the issue of Parliament's oversight of intelligence agencies such as RAW and IB. In India, there is absolutely no scrutiny by our popularly elected Parliament of the intelligence agencies in the country. The blog post "Parliamentary Oversight of Intelligence Agencies" cites examples from … Continue reading Who holds intelligence agencies accountable?
How well are major government schemes working?
The background to this post comes in the realisation that though the government has launched big ticket "social-welfare" schemes in the last decade or so, the government should not merely be throwing money at problems existing in our society. Social welfare schemes should have well-designed, well-formulated structures which can maximise benefits to the poor or … Continue reading How well are major government schemes working?
Bhopal Gas Paper Leaks: Minutes of GoM meeting leaked
The minutes of the meeting of the government GoM constituted to look into the Bhopal Gas Claims and the recent Court judgement were put up on the website of The Hindu. I had saved a copy of the minutes: Full_Text__Minutes__133855a. Though there is nothing very sensational in the minutes, what it does reveal is that the … Continue reading Bhopal Gas Paper Leaks: Minutes of GoM meeting leaked
Do strict laws really help when nobody enforces them?
In another move by the government to show its doing something about the pressing inequities in society, the Home Ministry has proposed framing stricter laws to rein in Khap Panchayats and their extra-constitutional activities. The issue simply put, is: will stricter laws help in ensuring that the laws of the state are applicable to Khap … Continue reading Do strict laws really help when nobody enforces them?
Commonwealth Games II: Delhi’s War on Beggars
Various anecdotal evidences from peers and one's own experiences reinforce impressions of Delhi's transition to a "world-class" city without the transition to world-class systems. One aspect of this is simply how extreme the difference between the purchasing power of those at the top and bottom of the economic pyramid is. However, when one hears reports … Continue reading Commonwealth Games II: Delhi’s War on Beggars
Survey on SC/ST Atrocities: The Crimes we never talk about
Media coverage on crime is heavily skewed in favour of reporting urban crime as opposed to rural, or caste-based crime. Though we occasionally hear reports of honour killings, or entire community households being burnt down, they are reported more as examples of a malaise afflicting society. This malaise itself is not talked about. This post … Continue reading Survey on SC/ST Atrocities: The Crimes we never talk about
India’s Constitution that Gandhi (never) wrote
India has developed a rich tradition of Parliamentary democracy over the past sixty years or so. However, time and again we face major disruptions and challenges to the form of government that our founding fathers established. It might therefore be worthwhile to examine whether there was any alternative form of democracy we could have adopted … Continue reading India’s Constitution that Gandhi (never) wrote
How expensive is corruption? Public Administration I
Every instance where corruption is a topic of discussion revolves around one central question (apart from the obvious immorality of it): How much does corruption cost society as a whole? I recently picked up a book in an order to understand the process of public administration better. Its preface gave at least one, objective estimate … Continue reading How expensive is corruption? Public Administration I
SLPs and Supreme Court: Honest activism causing delays in justice
The recent judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of Mathai @ Joby v. George and Anr. ( highlights how (probably) well-meaning activism can in the larger scheme of things, cause greater harm to the system if not backed by well thought out systemic changes. The judgement concerned the frivolous filing of Special Leave … Continue reading SLPs and Supreme Court: Honest activism causing delays in justice
Spectrum Scam: Confidential transcripts summarised
Some official and confidential documents relating to the 2G-Spectrum allocation scam were put up by the Hindu on its website for a while yesterday. A read through the 2gspectrumscam document reveals a disturbing network of politicians, businessmen, PR firms and journalists. What follows is a small summary. The CBI is investigating a criminal case under the Indian … Continue reading Spectrum Scam: Confidential transcripts summarised
Khap Panchayats: Krap or dangerously reasonable
Khap Panchayats have been in the news recently. Following the conviction of some members for killing a couple who married against the wishes of the Panchayat, leaders of various Khap Panchayats have sounded a defiant note and want changes in marriage laws. This post tries to look at the validity of their claim. First, a … Continue reading Khap Panchayats: Krap or dangerously reasonable
India No. 1on “The World’s Most Inappropriate Government Agencies”
A recent article in Foreign Policy Magazine titled 'The World's Most Inappropriate Government Agencies' lists the Backward Classes Bureau as one the world's most inappropriate government agencies. The body is separate from the National Commission for Backward Classes, and implements schemes for Backward Classes. Other such bodies in other countries include: 1. The KGB in … Continue reading India No. 1on “The World’s Most Inappropriate Government Agencies”
Local Government IV: India’s municipal bodies
Municipal Corporations Municipal corporations are formed in large urban areas, and usually have one head appointed by the government who is the ‘Commissioner’. The other head of the municipal corporation is the Mayor, who is elected either directly by the people, or indirectly from among the elected members of the municipal corporation.[i] Though the Mayor … Continue reading Local Government IV: India’s municipal bodies
BJP’s “Audacity of Hope”: Gadkari’s Maharashtra manifesto
An article in the April issue of Caravan Magazine drew my attention to the writings of Nitin Gadkari, the newly elected President of the BJP. Caravan mentioned a short 90-page book titled "Politics for Development" which was written by Gadkari. This post summarises my impressions of his book. One of the first things that … Continue reading BJP’s “Audacity of Hope”: Gadkari’s Maharashtra manifesto
Local Government III: States – Culprits or bystanders?
The Constitution gives the state governments the power to make laws on all matters relating to the local government, the composition and powers of municipal bodies, and other local bodies for the purpose of self-government.[i] All states therefore have legislations setting out in detail the powers and functions of municipal bodies, and other local bodies. … Continue reading Local Government III: States – Culprits or bystanders?
Local Government II: Central government and local bodies
The central government does not have a direct role to play in the functioning of municipal bodies. It however releases funds to state governments annually for urban development. These funds are released based on the recommendations of the Central Finance Commission’s report. The central government also has a role in municipal administration by promoting urban … Continue reading Local Government II: Central government and local bodies
How bodies such as the MCD, BMC, KMC function
India likes to tout the fact that its experiments with local self-government and decentralisation have worked wonders over the years. Starting today, I will be putting out a series of posts on how precisely these Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) function. Part I: Background Since independence, the urban population of India has grown nearly five times. … Continue reading How bodies such as the MCD, BMC, KMC function
Counting India’s poor
We have heard time and again the agenda of the present government being to promote "inclusive growth". One of the major debates in this area is how to increase access to public services, subsidies, essential commodities etc to the poor. Obviously, this can be done only when the poor are counted properly. Today's post … Continue reading Counting India’s poor
Parliament: Bleak Outcome for Defence
In August 2005, a new experiment was initiated by India's Ministry of Finance under P. Chidambaram. Every Ministry would have to prepare an "Outcome Budget" and present it in parliament along with its annual budget. An Outcome Budget, as the foreword to "Outlays and Outcomes - towards achieving better results" explains is essentially the following: … Continue reading Parliament: Bleak Outcome for Defence
What is a true welfare state?
This post tries to pen down my recent pre-occupation with the concept of the 'welfare state' as we understand in India. The dominant story of our democracy through the last 60 years has been of bringing the majority of our population out of poverty, and providing them a social security net. Even the economic reforms … Continue reading What is a true welfare state?
Selective transparency: CAG Reports on Defence
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India audits the accounts and performance of government ministries, departments, and various schemes that are being run in the country. It is a body set up under the Constitution of India (Article 148), and its reports have to be tabled in Parliament (Article 151). A report or document tabled … Continue reading Selective transparency: CAG Reports on Defence
THE INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC OF REDDYS PART ONE AN EXPRESS INVESTIGATION From Minister to Collecto
THE INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC OF REDDYS PART ONE AN EXPRESS INVESTIGATION From Minister to Collectoread more...
How Rajya Sabha succeeded: Women’s Reservation
I do not wish to enter the debate on the efficacy of reservation of women in Parliament. I do not wish to do so for the simple reason that I think it is a good idea. In this post I wish to focus on the story of how the Rajya Sabha passed the Bill. This … Continue reading How Rajya Sabha succeeded: Women’s Reservation
Size of the State
One of the points made repeatedly by those in different fields of policy-making is to invest enough to make the Indian state more capable of governing the country properly. This debate also finds some co-relation in the continuous debate in the USA where Democrats make the case for a larger government which regulates greater areas … Continue reading Size of the State
Bestseller III: Update on Bestseller spewing anti-Muslim Propaganda
I had written a couple of posts (Bestseller I and Bestseller II) on a High Court judgement banning a book spewing anti-muslim propaganda. In today's Indian Express, Pratap Bhanu Mehta discusses the judgement in a larger piece on religious freedom and freedom of expression: "...courts have been unduly squeamish about protecting free expression. This squeamishness … Continue reading Bestseller III: Update on Bestseller spewing anti-Muslim Propaganda
Secret uncovered: How our cabinet works
Today, I am summarising some key rules regarding how the business of the Government of India is conducted. At the top of the Executive wing f the government in India is the Union Cabinet consisting of the Prime Minister, various departments directly under his control, and his Council of Ministers. One of the key Rules … Continue reading Secret uncovered: How our cabinet works
Erstwhile ‘State’ of Joy
After having spent five years as a student in Kolkata (West Bengal), I revisited the city after a year earlier this month. The difference in perspective as a student and now as an employed professional prompted me to look at the state, and its governance anew. Given below are some facts and figures I found … Continue reading Erstwhile ‘State’ of Joy
Performance of Telecommunications Ministry written about
This ministry is not in service Anandita Singh Mankotia Posted online: Friday , Feb 12, 2010 at 0128 hrs From the outside it might look like the country’s telecom sector is bustling with activity. Seven to eight big operators, 17-19 million net subscribers added each month, the sector’s resilience to the financial meltdown last year … Continue reading Performance of Telecommunications Ministry written about
Bt Brinjal: Consultative process and democratic governance
Yesterday, the Minister for Environment and Forests decided against letting Bt Brinjal be commercially produced in India. The Ministry also put out a detailed explanation of the reasons for the same. I attempt to summarise it, state the facts, and then point out the sheer frenzy generated by activists. The point here is to note … Continue reading Bt Brinjal: Consultative process and democratic governance
Commonwealth games: Child Labour galore
An article in Foreign policy highlights how contractors behind schedule are taking advantage of lax labor laws and coercing their employees to bring their children to work alongside them, promising payments of bread and milk. The article makes the following points: 1. India has very weak enforcement of child labour laws. In fact, it is preferable … Continue reading Commonwealth games: Child Labour galore
Lobbyists BT-ing the new Brinjal
The recent controversy over the introduction of BT-Brinjal is a fantastic example of how much sustained lobbying can prevail over well documented facts. The BT-Brinjal has been demonized over and over in print as well as on television. Some have even called it "Zehrila Baingan" (poisonous brinjals), so they don't have to bother explaining what … Continue reading Lobbyists BT-ing the new Brinjal
Should MPs have the job of developing their local area?
Since 1993, Members of Parliament have been given a certain amount of money they can use to recommend works of a developmental nature in their constituency. The scheme is known as the MP Local Area Development Scheme, or MPLADS. This scheme has become the subject matter of a crucial debate recently. Initially, all MPs were … Continue reading Should MPs have the job of developing their local area?
Anirudh Burman 