The agency attributed its move to the government's actions to boost economic activities.

Green Shoots Tracker

Business Standard

Hershey's Lancaster brand of milk candies. Stock indices have been named after them. The indices include stocks of movie studios, producers and brands they are associated with The Home Depot UCLA Clothing (University of California Los Angeles). The Vedanta group and Orissa. Starbucks Cognac from the house of Courvoisier. Generation is an independent, private partnership with offices in London and New York. The firm was co-founded in 2004 by Al Gore and David Blood. The Vivanta brand from the Taj group of Hotels. The Codd-neck bottle was designed in 1872 by BritishÂ soft drink makerÂ Hiram CoddÂ ofÂ Camberwell, London. He designed and patented a bottle specifically forÂ carbonated drinks. There are 11 correct entries for quiz No. 307.Saad Ahmad from Patna wins Rs 2,000 for quiz No. 308. Winner was chosen by drawing lots.

Answers to the Strategist quiz (#308)

This refers to Sreenivasan Jain's column "A grain of common sense" (The Thick Of It, June 12). A weak structure for accountability and auditing gives ample opportunities to officials of the food and civil supplies department and operators of the public distribution system (PDS) to tamper with the ration supplied. Though it is the department's duty to oversee the functioning of PDS, it's not possible to ensure the quality and quantity of the ration supplied given the difficulty in checking the manually maintained records. Even when the ration is stocked for a few days, there is much scope for manoeuvring. The operators have no stake in the entire system, and their commission is too nominal. And so, it's easy for officials to involve them, too. If the food security Bill is implemented, which has a provision to provide food to roughly 750 million people, the distribution will be virtually impossible via direct cash transfer. Hence, PDS seems indispensable. But then, it urgently needs to b

Letters: Overhaul PDS for food Bill

Food inflation should not be a source of concern going forward, because a likely normal monsoon will help stabilise food prices. Also, since real interest rates have turned positive in WPI terms, the case for further easing is amply clear

RBI pauses; rate cut cycle not over yet: Taimur Baig

As far as commercial banks are concerned, they remain committed to depositors and, therefore, may not reduce deposit rates drastically, owing to the stubborn retail inflation

Relevant policy in turbulent times: S S Mundra

The recent weakness in the markets triggered by the decline in the rupee should not come as a shock to investors. Historically, stock market sell-offs have coincided with rupee falls. A study by BofA Merrill Lynch shows since August 1995 stocks have dropped 13 out of the 17 times the rupee has weakened. But, there is some good news, too. Stocks have rebounded by an average 11 per cent since August 1995 in the three months following the rupee's sharp fall. The study shows that of the 17 times, stocks have bounced back 13 times in the three-months ensuing the rupee's depreciation.

Rupee fall: light at the end of the tunnel

The task now is to tackle the sanctions issue

A change in Tehran

RBI decides inflation concerns trump growth payoffs

End of the cycle?

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has an admirer of sorts in Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh who recently said the former poses a "managerial and ideological challenge" for the Congress. This remark irked some senior Congressmen who were vocal in their criticism and underlined the official party position that it does not see Modi as a threat. This, however, has not deterred Ramesh who sought to underline the apolitical nature of his focus on performance (a very Modi plank) in Bangalore last week. He warned the Karnataka government, basking in the glory of the party's thumping victory in the Assembly elections, that there would be no Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) funds if it does not deliver. "If this government does not change the way the MGNREGA and Indira Awas Yojana have been implemented, I will not hesitate to do the same thing I had done to the previous [Bharatiya Janata Party] government. There is no politics in it."

Stand and delivery

With a few months left for the crucial Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the state unit of Anurag Thakur-led Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) is doing its bit to help Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The state unit of the party's youth wing recently organised cricket matches under the banner of the Mukhya Mantri Cricket Championship to connect with  young voters in the state. Members of the BJYM claimed that more than 80,000 youngsters were contacted during these cricket matches. The Assembly elections will prove a test for Chouhan to become the only Bharatiya Janata Party chief minister after Narendra Modi to win three consecutive Assembly elections.

Youth on the front foot

At a recent function in Mumbai at which Finance Minister P Chidambaram was chief guest, the compere asked the audience to give him a standing ovation before he delivered his keynote address. Though the request was inexplicable, everybody in the auditorium complied - except the media and one senior public sector bank executive. Now, it's easy to explain the media's non-compliance in the interests of impartiality, but what about the executive? Well, he is due to retire in a few months, so he clearly did not see any reason to applaud a minister to whom he will be no longer responsible.

Retiring ways

This refers to T N Ninan's column "Where are the doers?" (Weekend Ruminations, June 15). The government appoints ministers on the basis of their loyalty to the party, and not on their competence. Only when the government husbanded talent and gave E Sreedharan, V Krishnamurti, M S Gujral and Nandan Nilekani full powers to work without too much interference, did they set examples. After a series of scams, the government has developed a regular practice of appointing group of ministers (GoM) to oversee problems and suggest solutions. This delays the decision-making process since divergent views of various members have to be resolved. Gas and coal prices, foreign direct investment in different sectors, defence purchases, among others, have been held up even after the GoM reports. The government is shackled by a bureaucratic mindset. Despite tall claims of economic revival, the facts make grim reading. There are at least 10 posts lying vacant in the Cabinet with many Congress members aspiri

Letters: The GoM solution

This refers to A Seshan's letter "KSK: Gentleman-economist" (June 12). I worked with K S Krishnaswamy during his last phase in the Reserve Bank of India (1979-81) as deputy governor when he switched over from economic research to banking control. He was expected to handle the kind of work he hadn't done earlier. He invariably maintained his characteristic smile during the learning period, making it a treat for his subordinates who tried to familiarise him with his new assignment. Soon enough, he acquired mastery over the new task. It involved, inter alia, discussing operational problems with bank chairmen and clients of the banks. His visitors often passed through me; and on their way back, they would drop in my chamber, wreathed in smiles at KSK's cordiality. Once, a file placed before him - before he was to receive a visitor - came back later with the noting: "It turned out to be a pure courtesy call; he transacted no business."R C Mody  New DelhiLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mai

Letters: KSK - Cordially yours

This refers to Devangshu Datta's column "The axioms of dynastic democracy" (Viewpoint, June 15). As the success of dynastic succession in corporate India shows (with the Birla and Tata groups as shining examples for a century), it is not an evil per se if accompanied by proper training of the heir apparent. The need for such careful grooming in polity is even more since the stakes involve national interest. Dynastic succession irrespective of merit still prevails, despite the fact that voters have discarded such policy whenever they had a better and clear alternative. Indira Gandhi lost power in 1977 to Jai Prakash Narayan-inspired coalition in 1977, Rajiv Gandhi to V P Singh in 1989 and Sonia Gandhi to Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999. At the state level, fluctuating fortunes of the DMK confirm the voting presence for meritorious leadership. It is unfortunate that political parties refuse to read the electorate's message. Now the malaise has gripped the BJP, too, which has extended succes

Letters: All in the Parivar, too

A Business Standard and Indicus Analytics Initiative

Indicus price monitor

Business Standard brings you a snapshot of average current rates and unit sizes in localities that offer property in a price range of Rs 2 crore to Rs 4 crore. If you are looking at buying real estate and your budget falls within this range, an idea about prevailing rates would come in handy

Realty check

Every Monday, Business Standard analyses one family's finances and suggests a suitable way forward

Case study

Making sense of the rupee's fall against the dollar

StatsGuru-17-June-13

Great organisations are built on people who act like leaders and speak up even at the risk of sounding stupid

Business Standard

Business Standard

Page 720 - Business Standard

Green Shoots Tracker

Answers to the Strategist quiz (#308)

Letters: Overhaul PDS for food Bill

RBI pauses; rate cut cycle not over yet: Taimur Baig

Relevant policy in turbulent times: S S Mundra

Rupee fall: light at the end of the tunnel

A change in Tehran

End of the cycle?

Stand and delivery

Youth on the front foot

Retiring ways

Letters: The GoM solution

Letters: KSK - Cordially yours

Letters: All in the Parivar, too

Indicus price monitor

Realty check

Case study

StatsGuru-17-June-13

Leading with conviction

Not the sole cure