Economists!

Economists just have to dissect everything. When Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan went to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to present him the annual dividend cheque from various state-owned enterprises under his charge, he expected to be congratulated for their peformance. The PM, however, asked him how much of the increased dividend was due to higher profits resulting from the hike in steel prices and how much was due to the companies’ increased efficiency. Paswan, it appears, was prepared for the question and told the PM that 28 per cent of the increased dividend was due to the rise in steel prices.