Waiting for the states

The future of key economic reforms seems to depend more on the states

Last week, a senior government official made a reassuring comment about the need for states to be focused on the pending economic policy agenda that should help India achieve economic growth of seven to eight per cent on a sustainable basis. The official also listed a few areas where reform measures needed to be undertaken in the coming months to improve the ease of doing business and attract more investment. 

This statement was reassuring because it came at a time when governments, instead of outlining the urgent reforms that should be undertaken after the general elections, are busy announcing sops and