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Uttam Gupta

US sanctions: A bold move or another futile attempt
The US has imposed a fresh round of sanctions on Russia’s energy sector in a bid to cut its oil revenue. The crucial question remains: Will these measures be effective On January 10, 2024, the outgoing Biden administration of the United States of America (USA) made public its latest round of...
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Freebies could push Delhi to fiscal disaster
31 January 2025 | Uttam Gupta -
LPG subsidies: Give it to the poor and needy
20 January 2025 | Uttam Gupta -
Relief from high power bills: Delhiites are chasing a mirage
15 January 2025 | Uttam Gupta -
Farmers shunning use of nano-urea despite promotion
08 January 2025 | Uttam Gupta -
Capitalising on ‘China Plus One’: Will India step up?
01 January 2025 | Uttam Gupta -
State budgets on the brink: RBI sounds alarm
26 December 2024 | Uttam Gupta -
Slowdown in growth: Is it a temporary blip?
23 December 2024 | Uttam Gupta
Call for fast-tracking WTO agricultural negotiations
In a recent WTO meeting, India urges prioritisation of issues, including a permanent solution for public stockholding and special safeguard mechanism In a meeting of the Committee on Agriculture (CoA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) held in Geneva on December 4, 2024, India insisted that negotiations on unresolved/previously mandated issues...
Advancing the Centre’s liberalisation agenda
Agri-marketing reforms can be achieved by enabling bulk buyers to purchase directly at farm gates and creating multiple private-sector e-trading platforms In June 2024, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ welfare set up a 12-member committee, under the chairmanship of additional secretary, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai with the mandate to formulate...
Freebies: A winning strategy or economic pitfall?
The growing trend of offering freebies in elections raises significant concerns about financial sustainability, governance and its impact on voters’ mindset A major factor contributing to the success of the respective political party in the just concluded elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand was freebies - an acronym for “something given free...
Food subsidy: Go for direct transfer to curb leakages
Despite extensive measures implemented by the government, including digitisation, pilferage persists, revealing systemic flaws in how food subsidies are administered According to a Study titled ‘Rationalising Public Distribution System in India’ done by the Indian Council For Research On International Economic Relations (ICRIER), there was grain leakage under the Pradhan Mantri Garib...
Delhi discoms in crisis: Debt and regulatory gaps
A convoluted tariff regime, under-recoveries, power theft, and unpaid subsidies are threatening the sustainability of the Delhi discoms Delhi Government is looking at various options to address twin problems facing its three power distribution companies (discoms) namely BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL), discom for South & West Delhi; BSES Yamuna Power...
Are e-commerce giants violating FDI norms?
As policymakers consider future regulatory steps, the ongoing ED investigation may serve as a pivotal moment in clarifying the regulatory framework for e-commerce operations in India Reportedly, on October 7, 2024, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the offices of half a dozen sellers operating on the e-commerce platforms of Amazon and...
Nutrient-based subsidy: Support and scrutiny balance
While companies have the flexibility to set their MRP, these prices remain under close government scrutiny, ensuring affordability without undermining competition Just around the time when the Rabi Crops season (October 2024 – March 2025) has commenced, there was a shortage of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) in many parts of the country. DAP...