What are the fundamental factors in examining the health of an economy? The economists differ in pin-pointing the fundamental factors. The focus is usually on the level of inflation, fiscal deficit, trade surplus, growth, interest rates, etc. Some consider the amount of capital formation and g...
The recent revision to the base year for the index of industrial production (IIP) reflects the recovery of the industrial sector of India. Earlier, the base year was 2004-05. The present base year has been revised to 2011-12. What is IIP? The IIP indicator measures the short-term changes in the volu...
After the liberalization of air services in India air prices became competitive and cheaper. The airlines, as a result, could bring more passengers. The main shift was from the upper class train passengers. This was because the gap between upper class train fares and air fares narrowed. So the ailin...
Parimal Dey has been a resident of Vidyasagar-4 colony under 99 Ward of Kolkata Municipal Corporation from his childhood. Now he is about 70 years old. He has done a unique job recently. In his local area there had been a colossal dumping ground. The place was originally a tank but it became a smell...
The issue of climate change and its impact on agriculture is a matter of concern. In an interview with BE’s Kishore Kumar Biswas, Purnendu Bose, Minister-in-Charge, Agriculture, Govt. of West Bengal, has touched upon several issues, like the government’s outlook on this matter. Bose clarified th...
In the present world there is no serious plan for implementation of housing projects to arrange heating and cooling in different seasons. Depending on the situation proper heating and cooling facilities in the houses are the demand of the hour. But we are living in a world where at least...
The recent landslide victory of BJP in the Uttar Pradesh assembly election has sparked a debate on the implementation of the electoral promise of waiving agricultural loan in the state. This is not new, it can be traced back to the 1970s or even before, agricultural loan waiving became a short...
Afew days ago Arun Maira, author and management advisor, a former member of the erstwhile Planning Commission, appealed to a houseful of industrialists in Kolkata to consider job creation as their most important target. “Not merely think of ease of doing business, think of job creation...
The recent GDP data of CSO (Central Statistical Office) have caused sharp criticism among a section of economists and other observers, as it has shown only a marginal impact of demonetization in GDP in the Q3 of FY 2017-18. The IMF and RBI, among other organizations have slashed India’s GDP estima...
One of the most ambitious and biggest infrastructure programmes of the government of India has been the station redevelopment programme of Indian Railways (IR). As many as 400 key railway stations in the country have been set with massive redevelopment targets. They are going to pr...