Page 8 - Business Standard Editorial Comment
Why the Supreme Court is right to question ECI's voter review in Bihar
The court has correctly stepped in to point out that, under the law as written, a unique ID must be accepted as proof of identity, more so as the ECI plans a countrywide SIR
 "Why the Supreme Court is right to question ECI's voter review in Bihar")
India's contract labour surge carries risks for jobs and the economy
Contract workers are typically not directly employed by factories but are hired through third-party agencies
 "India's contract labour surge carries risks for jobs and the economy")
Healthy outcomes: Address key gaps to make infant survival universal
India's infant mortality rate hits a record low, but stark regional gaps in nutrition, immunisation, and newborn care threaten to slow public health gains
 "Healthy outcomes: Address key gaps to make infant survival universal")
Market signals: A combination of factors has pushed up bond yields
Bond yields rise despite RBI rate cuts as fiscal risks, GST revenue loss, and global conditions fuel market anxiety, dimming hopes of easing borrowing costs
 "Market signals: A combination of factors has pushed up bond yields")
The reform agenda: Why pushing strategic disinvestment will be crucial
Simplifying the GST structure is not the only reform on the government's agenda.
 "The reform agenda: Why pushing strategic disinvestment will be crucial")
A critical mission: Recycling critical minerals can offer near-term cushion
What makes recycling particularly urgent is the long gestation period associated with mining and exploration
 "A critical mission: Recycling critical minerals can offer near-term cushion")
Bima Sugam can deepen insurance penetration, but must be fair, transparent
Bima Sugam aims to transform insurance with a digital one-stop platform for buying, managing, and claiming policies, targeting "Insurance for All by 2047
 "Bima Sugam can deepen insurance penetration, but must be fair, transparent")
Updated industrial classification will help capture new economy data
India's NIC-2025 update to include digital, green, and gig sectors, ensuring accurate economic data, global comparability, and better policy planning
 "Updated industrial classification will help capture new economy data")
It's raining crises: Cities need urgent plans for climate change impacts
At first glance, the easy culprit to pinpoint is growing indiscriminate urbanisation
 "It's raining crises: Cities need urgent plans for climate change impacts")
A new GST: The indirect tax system simplified for greater efficiency
The removal of the 12 and 28 per cent slabs and the shifting of items from these slabs to 5 and 18 per cent will make a large number of consumer items cheaper
 "A new GST: The indirect tax system simplified for greater efficiency")
Fighting air pollution will take more than masks and symbolic fixes
The human cost is staggering. If India were to bring its pollution levels down to WHO norms, life expectancy will increase for everyone
 "Fighting air pollution will take more than masks and symbolic fixes")
Chips on the table: Phase 2 of semiconductor mission must shift the focus
Modi says India will capture a major share of global semiconductors as ISM Phase 2 shifts focus to ecosystem support and supply chain resilience
 "Chips on the table: Phase 2 of semiconductor mission must shift the focus")
Horticulture push: Diversification can lift farm incomes, living standards
If India can align technology adoption, efficient market integration, and supportive policies, horticulture has the potential to become the durable engine of farm growth
 "Horticulture push: Diversification can lift farm incomes, living standards")
A GST reset: Simplify the tax structure to boost revenue collection
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in his Independence Day address that the GST system would be rationalised
 "A GST reset: Simplify the tax structure to boost revenue collection")
Safety with affordability: New rules on medical devices should balance them
Imports should be restricted to original manufacturers or certified partners, while devices that are too old or have exceeded usage thresholds should be barred
 "Safety with affordability: New rules on medical devices should balance them")
From rivals to partners: Sino-Indian relations see a cautious reset
The fact that an article on the Xi-Modi meet appeared on the front page of the China Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's mouthpiece, suggests a significant shift in Beijing's outlook
 "From rivals to partners: Sino-Indian relations see a cautious reset")
Faltering ties with US drive deeper bilateral ties between India, Japan
Modi's Tokyo visit boosts India-Japan ties with 21 pacts, $67 bn investment push, and deeper cooperation amid US trade tensions and Indo-Pacific challenges
 "Faltering ties with US drive deeper bilateral ties between India, Japan")
Among the challenges ahead for India, trade is the biggest risk to growth
Nearly all segments of the economy supported growth in the first quarter
 "Among the challenges ahead for India, trade is the biggest risk to growth")
Down the learning curve: Govt schools need greater accountability
But the steadily deteriorating standard of government schools has played a key role in providing the impetus for this preference
 "Down the learning curve: Govt schools need greater accountability")
Enabling growth: Why structural reforms are needed in manufacturing
The deeper challenge lies in the sector's role in the economy. Despite years of policy attention, manufacturing contributes just 17% of gross domestic product and only about 12 per cent of jobs
 "Enabling growth: Why structural reforms are needed in manufacturing")
