Economy
Reforms: A disappointment
THESE days when all the attention is focussed on the implications and the impact of the terrorist attacks on the US, it was a surprise to find a seminar in New Delhi discussing how the Indian media reported on economic reforms.
Offloading foodgrains for work
THE Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) is undoubtedly one of the most significant policy initiatives taken by the present National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government at the Centre.
Politics
Denouncing SC
IMMEDIATELY following the unceremonious unseating of Ms Jayalalithaa as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister by virtue of a unanimous judgment of a five-member Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, the AIADMK has descended perhaps to its lowest depths by organ
ising a state-wide campaign, burning the effigies of the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Union Law Minister, and Tamil Nadu's former Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi. Leading lights of the party, including prominent Ministers such as Mr Ponnaiyan,
the State Finance Minister, previously regarded as No 2 in the Cabinet, and Mr Thambidurai, the State Law Minister, have vociferously and vigorously participated in the campaign.
Ask Amma
WITH our world glacially drifting towards World War III, our own local affairs become increasingly irrelevant. The US President, Mr George W. Bush, talks like a western lawman, bringing law and order, with his coalition gunslingers, to the wild east.
Taxation
Whither tax incentives for infrastructure?
Midway through the last decade of reforms, in view of the decline in public investment and the crying need to boost investment in infrastructure, it was recognised that private savings should be encouraged and channeled into infrastructure investments. T
o this end, special incentives were introduced in the Indian Income Tax Act by way of corporate tax holidays (Section 80-IA), tax-free dividend and interest income to the providers of finance for this sector (Section 10(23G)), and for the individual tax-
payers the facility to invest in approved infrastructure bonds floated by various financial and infrastructure companies to avail of tax rebates under Section 88.
Terrorism
US: Spectre of terrorism and recession
AS THE US struggles to come to terms with the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11, the critical tests have begun. The US President, Mr George Bush, has declared a war on terrorism and vowed that it would not end ``until every terrorist group of
global reach has been found, stopped and defeated''.
