Best of BS Opinion: Corporate tax cuts, pollution challenge, and more

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s big bang September 20 announcement on tax cuts has divided analysts on its efficacy in spurring growth. Former Chief Economic Advisor Shankar Acharya says these seemingly generous cuts will have a marginal impact in the short run but could have a significant impact in the medium term if the government were to undertake meaningful reform measures, such as labour, land and tax policies and improving the climate for ease of doing business. Read it here. Other views consider Adani’s airport plans, the intrusion of investigative agencies in lawyer-client relationships, renewable energy and the role of state pollution boards. Kanika Datta sums them up.

The Adani group may end up doing to the airport infrastructure business what Reliance Jio has done in telecom, says Shyamal Majumdar. Read it here

Allowing investigative agencies to express judgement about the quality of legal advice given by lawyers to their clients is a sure path to a dystopian society. Somasekhar Sundaresan explains why here

State electricity boards are declining to buy power from solar power generators, regardless of court orders, to protect the interests of state-owned thermal power generators. It is vital for state agencies to be pressured to honour their commitments if India is to meet its renewable energy target under the Paris agreement, says the first edit. Read it here 

The closure of Kanpur tanneries by the UP pollution control board underlines the urgent need to build state capacity to enable industry to cope with environmental challenges, says the second edit. Read it here

QUOTE OF THE DAY

‘India should not terrorise us with its tax and customs rules’

Olivier Andries, CEO of the French engine maker for Rafale, to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh