Page 11 - Bs Opinion

For India's urban rejuvenation, the case for practical, scalable fixes

Skipping the ideal and pushing doable urban reforms immediately is key to reviving India's sputtering city growth engines

Social welfare spending is improving quality of lives across states

Devolved funds and tailored welfare schemes empower grassroots development, lifting poor families and driving rural equality

State legislatures shape the destiny of people; they must act like it

They handle Budgets and laws, but their dismal sitting days shows a lack of debate & scrutiny

16th Finance Commission's balance and tilt in Centre-state fiscal ties

The 16th Finance Commission tilts Centre-state fiscal ties by retaining 41% tax devolution while ending revenue deficit grants, raising concerns over fiscal balance

Population debate needs nuance, not panic over India's fertility shift

India's falling fertility calls for region-specific, rights-based policies-not a shift from population-control fears to pro-birth alarmism

Ankara's ambiguous outcomes: Trump overwhelms Nato's best intentions

The NATO summit reaffirmed collective defence and support for Ukraine, but Donald Trump's remarks on Spain, Greenland and Iran exposed deep alliance tensions

Improving cash transfers: Time to construct a firm policy framework for DBT

An EAC-PM study finds women's cash-transfer schemes improve savings and spending, but raises questions over their long-term fiscal sustainability

Young professionals should prioritise office work over remote jobs

Studies show remote work is responsible for nearly two-thirds of the unemployment gap between college graduates under 29 and older graduates

Global risks persist despite markets' optimism after the Iran conflict

Risks to the global economy persist, and it is far too early to celebrate finger on the pulse

Connected vehicles demand stronger cybersecurity and common standards

The ban on three Chinese-origin EV apps has exposed cybersecurity risks in connected vehicles, underscoring the need for robust standards like AIS189 and stronger digital safeguards

Expanding women's access to credit key to inclusive economic growth

Optimism implicit in the ASUSE data should not suggest a dynamic change in women's participation rate in the workforce swot

Karnataka's next challenge will be to make growth inclusive statewide

Beneath its spectacular growth over the past three decades lies a stark historical imbalance that needs policy intervention policy pillars

Kerala plans for a structural shift amid India's ageing challenge

Kerala's elderly welfare reforms highlight the economic impact of population ageing and offer a roadmap for states preparing for India's shrinking demographic dividend

India's energy stress test: How agile policy kept the economy moving

That was no small achievement. India imports nearly 90 per cent of its crude oil and around 60 per cent of its LPG, much of it normally arriving from the Gulf

Engines of employment: Large cities create more opportunities

The first PLFS report on million-plus cities highlights stronger urban employment and wages but reveals wide disparities in female participation and manufacturing pay

Respecting consumer choice: Ethanol blending programme needed better design

India's E20 rollout should balance energy security with consumer choice, smoother vehicle transition and a shift towards more sustainable ethanol feedstocks

VB-G RAM-G weakens rural employment guarantees, shifts power to Centre

The revamped rural jobs programme weakens the safety net and shifts power from states to the Centre

Strengthening India's energy security beyond the Strait of Hormuz crisis

We can hope for peace opening the Strait of Hormuz, but must prepare for war closing it

Best of BS Opinion: When context changes, playbooks must change too

A film campaign could once move from trailer to teaser to release and hope for the best. A brand could once follow global formulas and expect Indian consumers to adapt

India and the pitfalls of geoeconomics: A clear security doctrine is needed

A clear security doctrine is needed to ensure economic tools do not harm both the user and the target