Best of BS Opinion: BSNL-MTNL merger, Delhi's pollution menace, and more

From the drawbacks in the four-point turnaround plan for the public sector telcos announced by the government to the challenges India faces given some of its neighbours' growing friendship with China and the additional steps the Delhi government needs to take to curb pollution, here's a selection of Business Standard Opinion pieces for the day.

Does the government genuinely believe that BSNL and MTNL can be turned around into useful contributors to their sector? Can India afford to not keep the promises it makes to its neighbours in the face of China's growing clout in the region? Will curbing straw flaming alone help Delhi get rid of its pollution menace? Alokananda Chakraborty sums up.

The High-Level Advisory Group's report on ways in which India could improve its exports correctly points out that there are India-specific problems that are plaguing its performance, argues our top edit. Click here to read...

The Delhi government’s contention that air pollution during this Diwali was the lowest in the past five years, though backed by credible data, provides only cold comfort, argues our second edit. Read on...

The government's “revival plan” for the ailing public sector telcos, BSNL and MTNL, is necessary but insufficient, writes Rahul Khullar, former chairman, TRAI. Read on...

Pranab Bardhan, professor of Graduate School, University of California, discusses the form of nationalism that Hindu nationalists are trying to dismantle. Read on...

The government must work at its goal of connecting the unconnected more aggressively, writes Nivedita Mookerji. Click here to read...

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"I get a sense among certain young people on social media that the way of making change is to be as judgemental as possible about other people."
 

Former US President Barack Obama