Page 39 - Business Standard Editorial Comment

Why there is an urgent need to rationalise both GST slabs and rates

Rationalisation of the tax structure is expected to be discussed in the GST Council meet on Sep 9. The group of state ministers would be well advised to initiate the process

Trade imbalance: India needs to urgently enhance its R&D investment

By prioritising this, and cultivating a robust ecosystem for innovation and business growth, India can build the foundation to achieve sustainable economic growth and avoid the middle-income trap

Ease of lending: How Unified Lending Interface will improve credit access

Seamless delivery of credit and a quicker turnaround time without requiring extensive documentation will benefit both borrowers and lenders

Unsafe at any place: Hema Committee underlines distance to gender equality

Recent revelations in the Justice Hema Committee report on women in Malayalam film industry and events following the rape and murder of a medical student in Kolkata point to a disturbing regression

Ukraine-Russia war: Why India's mediatory moves may remain limited

With its incursion into Russian territory, Ukraine crossed a red line with respect to the terms on which the Western allies extended it aid, potentially altering the dynamics of the peace process

Unified Pension System: Reversal of pension reform should have been avoided

The new modified pension scheme is better than OPS, but switching to NPS was one of the biggest reforms in recent decades and would have benefited the country in the long run

Out for delivery: E-commerce policy should aim to enhance competition

It must provide a level playing field and not differentiate between platforms based on ownership and investment. A neutral policy will help boost investment, create jobs, and increase consumer welfare

Learning from Covid pandemic experience to contain the Mpox outbreak

Although there is no need to raise the alarm at this stage, the government should focus on raising awareness among the public and prepare contingency plans

Why RBI cannot ignore food price pressures in overall inflation management

High food inflation can lead to the unanchoring of inflation expectations, which could significantly complicate overall inflation management

Containing subsidies: Why states must reassess and rationalise expenditure

Doing so, especially given their constrained fiscal space, would help states ensure the subsidies are better aligned with their intended objectives and public funds are used more efficiently

Sustainable development: What will it take for India to meet the SDG goals

Given the current level of public debt and deficit, India's public finances will need deft management both at the Union and state levels

Investment revival: Why reliance on govt spending alone is unsustainable

As the fiscal space tightens, it will be important for private investment to pick up to sustain economic growth over the medium to long term

What peace in Bangladesh, Myanmar means for security in India's Northeast

Together with the escalation in Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu, the deteriorating security architecture in Myanmar and Bangladesh will test the Indian government in new and complex ways

Strengthening statistics: Why India needs periodic and reliable data

It is important for policymakers in a rapidly changing economy to have timely and accurate data for making effective policy interventions

Govt plans 'tech' tonic to boost India's agricultural productivity

In the wake of climate change and the pressing need for sustainable agricultural practices, artificial intelligence-based solutions and geospatial technology can change India's agricultural landscape

Lateral entry: Why appointing specialists to bureaucracy is a good idea

But the government would do well to maintain the overall representation of reserved categories at different levels of bureaucracy as mandated by relevant rules

Crimes against women: India's law and order machinery needs a reboot

National Crime Records Bureau data shows a 4% rise in the number of crimes against women in 2022 over 2021, and nearly a 20% increase compared to the number of gender crimes reported in 2020

Why taxing mining companies retrospectively is a retrogressive step

States would do well to exercise the discretion that the Supreme Court has given them to leaven the impact of a judgment that benefits them immensely

Telemarketing calls: Latest Trai order must be implemented effectively

While the telecom regulator and the govt have tried to check unsolicited calls in the past too, the implementation of the prescribed norms has fallen short of what has been envisaged

Road to Viksit Bharat: India will need continuous reforms at all levels

The government's focus should be on rapid economic growth, and it would do well to avoid issues that could hamper its ability to intervene in economic matters effectively