Page 14 - Editorial Comment
Blending dilemma: Conflicting priorities on flex-fuel need clear policy
Ethanol in India is derived primarily from sugarcane, a crop that is not only water-intensive but is also being increasingly diverted to ethanol production
 "Blending dilemma: Conflicting priorities on flex-fuel need clear policy")
Back to a Maga future: Mr Trump's second coming signals more disruption
Mr Trump earned the loudest and longest cheer for his intention, backed by an executive order, to declare a national emergency on the southern border
 "Back to a Maga future: Mr Trump's second coming signals more disruption")
Threat or opportunity: India needs to be prepared for AI-driven changes
A recent study by Bloomberg Intelligence indicates that jobs in banking and finance are among the most vulnerable to AI induction
 "Threat or opportunity: India needs to be prepared for AI-driven changes")
Widening net: New US sanctions to affect supply of Russian energy
Two large producers and exporters have been brought into the sanctions net: Surgutneftegas and Gazprom Neft
 "Widening net: New US sanctions to affect supply of Russian energy")
Amplifying misinformation: Meta's decision will harm public interest
Fact checking was initiated after the 2016 US elections and the Brexit referendum, which were both influenced by rampant disinformation on Facebook
 "Amplifying misinformation: Meta's decision will harm public interest")
Local, not global: Indian brands are rare in foreign marketplaces
Haldiram's, in contrast, is one of the handful of Indian-owned and -developed brands that not only grew but held its own against the snack foods flood from multinationals
 "Local, not global: Indian brands are rare in foreign marketplaces")
Risk appetite: How Indians are diversifying their savings portfolios
Expectedly, urban households display a greater inclination to adapt their investment choices to dynamic economic conditions
 "Risk appetite: How Indians are diversifying their savings portfolios")
Rules of protection: Draft regulations should enhance data security
The Act and the Rules refer to individual digital users as "data principals", and the Act is expected to offer individuals greater control over their personal information
 "Rules of protection: Draft regulations should enhance data security")
A flexible approach: Orderly rupee depreciation should be allowed
The rupee has a lot of catching up to do because its slide has been postponed when compared to its peer currencies and competitors
 "A flexible approach: Orderly rupee depreciation should be allowed")
Hot button issue: How the scale of climate challenge is increasing
The World Meteorological Organization has said that 2024 was globally the warmest on record, exceeding the Paris Agreement threshold
 "Hot button issue: How the scale of climate challenge is increasing")
MAGA vs techies: Trump's H-1B dilemma exposes ideological fault lines
The H-1B visa debate pits MAGA hardliners against tech billionaires, revealing deep divisions over immigration and economic policy in Trump's incoming administration
 "MAGA vs techies: Trump's H-1B dilemma exposes ideological fault lines")
HCES shows some reassuring trends, urging CPI and policy overhaul
Shifting household consumption patterns and evolving priorities call for updates to inflation indices and a rethink of food and subsidy policies in India
 "HCES shows some reassuring trends, urging CPI and policy overhaul")
NITI Aayog urges reforms to ease worker housing near industrial hubs
To truly unleash the potential of India's manufacturing sector, there is a need to think of dense, large-scale housing for workers as infrastructure
 "NITI Aayog urges reforms to ease worker housing near industrial hubs")
Manmohan Singh's legacy: 1991 reforms, rights-based laws, nuclear deal
Singh's term as Prime Minister also witnessed several landmark decisions which, in a way, were built on the foundation he laid as finance minister
 "Manmohan Singh's legacy: 1991 reforms, rights-based laws, nuclear deal")
Migration slowdown reveals shifting patterns, rising suburban growth
EAC-PM study highlights reduced migration to metros, rise of counter-magnet cities, and calls for balanced urbanisation with jobs closer to rural and suburban areas
 "Migration slowdown reveals shifting patterns, rising suburban growth")
Growth in informal enterprises signals job creation but raises concerns
ASUSE data shows a rise in unincorporated sector jobs, but reliance on own account enterprises sparks questions about economic health and formal sector job creation
 "Growth in informal enterprises signals job creation but raises concerns")
Trade reforms, global value chains key to India's export strategy
Export promotion requires consistent and open trade policy
 "Trade reforms, global value chains key to India's export strategy")
India's ageing population needs robust elder care, not just new schemes
The current elderly population of India (those aged 60 and above) is about 153 million
 "India's ageing population needs robust elder care, not just new schemes")
State finances improve, but reforms needed to address lingering issues
The latest RBI study showed that the adoption of fiscal-responsibility rules had helped states
 "State finances improve, but reforms needed to address lingering issues")
Google's Willow chip: A quantum leap in error correction and scalability
Quantum computing has to tackle error correction if it is to become viable in the commercial sense
 "Google's Willow chip: A quantum leap in error correction and scalability")