'The govt cannot release funds to states on request'

'If such a practice were feasible, every state would seek additional funds, posing a significant risk to the overall health of the economy.' IMAGE: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan addresses......

'No basis in the claim that poverty is down to 5%'

'Without a poverty line, how are we to know whether poverty is the same, or it has come down or it has gone up?' IMAGE: A homeless girl asks for alms outside a coffee shop in Mumbai. Photograph:......

'Nitish Kumar acts like a dictator'

'Nitish Kumar is fooling the people of Bihar.''He will not probe anything because if he does so, he will be trapped himself.' IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar offers flowers to Goddess......

Caste Is Missing In Prohibition Debates

The point made by sociologist M N Srinivas, that it represented a Sanskritic act that was linked to caste, is never raised in Indian debates and the disapproval of drink is almost universal, notes......

View Consumption Survey Numbers With Caution

Could the MPCE survey results be used as a basis of reconstructing the Consumer Price Index with new weights, asks Madan Sabnavis. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters The Survey on household......

The Lamborghini theory of India's consumption patterns

Lamborghini has sold 10,112 cars worldwide -- so India's 100 is certainly a big deal for them. But how big a deal is it for us to peg our consumption theories around, asks Rama Bijapurkar.......

'Premium and luxury segments becoming more prominent in India'

'The Indian economy is expected to grow in terms of per capita income and GDP, and with that, the luxury segment becomes more relevant.' Photograph: Kind courtesy Tanishq Jewellery/Instagram Titan......

Tax devolution not about richer vs poorer states

Tax devolution shares, which threaten to create a north-south divide among states, may have more to do with per capita income, and not so much with population. IMAGE: Kerala Chief Minister......

2036 Olympics: Coming Out Party For India

If Ahmedabad is India's preferred candidate, as seems likely, hosting Olympics 2036 should give it a leg up: A bigger airport, a better metro network, more hotels, flyovers and so on, observes T N......