India Infrastructure Report: Old Wine in Old Bottle

In the never-never land Indian capitalism, all that is required to generate wealth for the people is to promote the market and invite in private and foreign capital. In infrastructure, private ownership will be more … Read moreIndia Infrastructure Report: Old Wine in Old Bottle

India External Debt: More than Meets the Eye

It has been claimed by the Government of India (GOI) that India’s  debt burden is not significant. In a report to the World Bank (India’s External Debt – A  Status Report, GOI, June, 1999), it … Read moreIndia External Debt: More than Meets the Eye

Animating Cartoons and Automating Consumers

With advances in electronics art, entertainment and information delivery are being restructured creating a new information order. As technological development transforms the various elements of television, films and distant learning introducing the new domain of … Read moreAnimating Cartoons and Automating Consumers

Infrastructure Sector and the Withdrawal of the State

(Courtesy: Economic & Political Weekly: Volume XXX.P.2114/34/1995) The “new” will always be far more evocative than the “old”, particularly as the old is visible as the present with all its ugly manifestations, warts and all, … Read moreInfrastructure Sector and the Withdrawal of the State

Degrees In Pseudo-Science

THE University Grants Commission (UGC) on February 23 wrote to Indian universities announcing its clearance for the introduction of regular courses in Vedic Astrology in universities under its purview from the coming academic year. This … Read moreDegrees In Pseudo-Science

Trading In Water

VIRTUALLY since the dawn of human civilization, the total amount of fresh water available for human consumption and use has practically remained constant. It is just half a per cent of the total water on … Read moreTrading In Water

Poznan Climate Conference: Half Way To Nowhere

THE post-Kyoto Protocol phase, or “second commitment period” of the global treaty on climate change which is to take effect from 2012 onwards, is scheduled to be finalised at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP … Read morePoznan Climate Conference: Half Way To Nowhere

Terrorism & National Security – Learning From The Mumbai Assault

  IN the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attack in Mumbai, it is only to be expected that a raging debate has erupted about national security and possible lapses. However, little light has been shed … Read moreTerrorism & National Security – Learning From The Mumbai Assault

G8+5: Numbers Don’t Add Up For Climate Change

G8+5: Numbers Don’t Add Up For Climate Change   THE G8 Summit held in Heiligendamm, Germany on June 6-7, 2007 had climate change as a focal theme. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel, currently holding the … Read moreG8+5: Numbers Don’t Add Up For Climate Change

India’s Climate Action Plan

  The Prime Minister, as head of the Council on Climate Change, released the much-anticipated National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) on 30th June 2008. The NAPCC was expected to lay down a national … Read moreIndia’s Climate Action Plan

Owning Our Data The Microsoft Way

There has been a major battle that was fought and lost on Open Document Format, when the International Standard Organisation (ISO) finally accepted Microsoft supported OOXML as another document standard. Initially, ISO had voted against … Read moreOwning Our Data The Microsoft Way

New policy on ethanol-blended petrol: will less sugar be more sweet?

                        New policy on ethanol-blended petrol: will less sugar be more sweet? The government has been actively pursuing a policy of promoting ethanol- blended petrol (EBP). Petrol blended with 5% ethanol (E5 petrol) was introduced … Read moreNew policy on ethanol-blended petrol: will less sugar be more sweet?