TOI2013 ⁽¹¹⁾

Read full article Abstract: The ongoing 'Bhagwati versus Sen' debate has generated more heat than light, necessitating correction. As an equal co-author of India's Tryst with Destiny, which defines the Bhagwati position, my stake in the debate is second to none. Two extreme characterisations of the positions of the two sides have emerged. The first has it that the differences between them are minimal with each side expressing the same ideas in a different language. The second depicts Bhagwati as advocating solely growth and Sen solely social spending. Both characterisations are plain wrong.

Read full article Abstract: For some time now, a debate has raged on both the economic performance of Gujarat and its chief minister Narendra Modi. Critics of Gujarat say that the state hardly ranks at the top of any indicator and that the hype over it is the result of effective public relations by Modi. Modi critics say that he is hardly the only successful chief minister in the country: look at what Nitish Kumar has accomplished in Bihar, Prithviraj Chavan in Maharashtra and Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Haryana.

Read full article Abstract: So much has already been written on the food security Bill that there would seem to be no justification for another column on it. Yet, a recent look at some consumption data has convinced me otherwise. How the food security Bill impacts people's lives ultimately depends on the effect it will have on the consumption basket of the beneficiaries. If you believe in serious analysis over flag waving, assessing this effect turns out to require careful detective work.

Read full article Abstract: The problem is likely to be less severe than UN statistics indicate, given faulty yardsticksIf asked to name the state with the lowest incidence of child malnutrition in India, readers will overwhelmingly pick one of Kerala, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab or West Bengal. But they will all be wrong by a wide margin: none of these states appears among even the top five performers. According to the recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India,Arunachal Pradeshwalks away with the top prize. Based on 2010-11 data, Nagaland,Sikkim, Manipur and Mizoram, in that order, follow on the top five list. Maharashtra ranks a close sixth but the next four slots again go to northern and northeastern states —Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Jammu & Kashmir and Assam. Only then do Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab find a place on the list (caveat: I exclude Madhya Pradesh due to possible data inconstancies).

Read full article Abstract: The three-year compliance period for the Right to Education (RTE) Act is just over. What has the Act accomplished? Sadly, not very much that is positive. A key provision in the law abolishes board examinations and grants automatic promotion to each child to the next grade at the end of the academic year. It also requires the award of a diploma to all at the end of eight years regardless of the knowledge and skills acquired. It is anybody's guess what value such a diploma will command in the marketplace.