‘Entertainment deficit’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his reply to Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in the Rajya Sabha on Saturday, took potshots at Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, by saying that he enjoyed listening to the Congress President as he provided ‘entertainment’. Modi went on to add, “I was listening to Kharge ji and enjoyed a lot. The entertainment that we are missing in Lok Sabha was completed by you (Kharge).”

Political watchers, however, are wondering, with diminishing numbers of Congress members in both Houses, who would be providing “entertainment” in the next LS or RS.

Politics, dil se

All reports on Kollywood star Vijay’s political foray invariably list out the names of other matinee idols who had taken a shot at the CM’s chair in the past and in the not-so-distant past. But what is unique and admirable in Vijay’s case, his fans claim, is that unlike his predecessors, their real-life hero is making his political move when he is at the top of his game. And by extension, he has sacrificed at least ₹300 crore even before his party is registered, they claim (Vijay reportedly charges ₹150 crore per film and he does about two movies a year). This “original and straight-from-the-heart” script will be a sure blockbuster, they contend.

Sound and fury?

In the latest political skirmish over economics, the government and the Opposition have released contrasting documents. The government’s White Paper blames the previous regime for fiscal mismanagement, while the Opposition’s Black Paper accuses the current administration of bias against non-BJP governed States. As politicians trade blows, the real question remains: will these papers bring any tangible change for the common man, or are they just more noise in an endless cycle of political rhetoric?

Name makes a difference

It’s easy to name a company but there is a lot more to it as Raj Prakash, CEO, Zifo, and his team realised. In 2008, Raj and his team debated for a whole day on what the name of the new company should be. A member suggested Zifo, and everybody agreed to it. Zifo does not mean anything. When a clarification was asked by a government official on what Zifo means, a member said it was Zeal and Innovation Focus. But the story did not end there. After a few days passed, someone suddenly raised a valid question: Hope the word does not mean anything adverse in any other country? Raj said none thought about this point. The company has presence in many countries, and so far no one has complained about the name. However, the fear remains, he adds. So, when you name a company differently, first look for what it means in other countries.

RBI @90

RBI will be hosting a grand function at the iconic National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) on April 1 as part of the “RBI@90 years celebrations”. Governor Shaktikanta Das, in his February 8 monetary policy statement, said “Over the years, the Reserve Bank has established itself as a credible institution which stands for stability, trust and economic progress.” The RBI had celebrated its 80th anniversary (on April 2, 2015) at the same venue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address at the inaugural session of the RBI Conference on Financial Inclusion then, had appreciated the role played by the RBI over the last 80 years and complimented the then Governor Raghuram Rajan for his grasp and clarity on economic issues.

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