All stories by A K Bhattacharya
Why Modi Prefers Babus At RBI Helm
Rediff.com5 days agoPerhaps because the Modi government had some differences of opinion with two of the economist governors (one of whom was appointed by the Manmohan Singh government), there is a view that its political leadership prefers a civil servant to head the RBI, notes A K Bhattacharya.
What You Can Now Expect Every Election
Rediff.com6 Dec 2024A freebie once granted can hardly be discontinued. All that can happen is to substitute it with a bigger freebie, notes A K Bhattacharya.
'In Equity Markets, One Has To Be Patient'
Rediff.com12 Nov 2024'While investors need to be prepared for making some losses, they should not lose big money chasing euphoria amid fear of missing out.'
Modi 3.0: Focus Shifts To Governance
Rediff.com7 Oct 2024'It would be reasonable to assume that Modi 3.0 would be more focused on projects and schemes which do not require any legislative change or which have the support of its coalition partners,' asserts A K Bhattacharya.
A Tale Of Two Modi Decisions
Rediff.com11 Sep 2024Why did the political system in the country react to these two decisions of the Modi government in a diametrically opposite manner? asks A K Bhattacharya.
We Haven't Seen This In 39 Years!
Rediff.com22 Aug 2024Dr T V Somanathan is the first finance secretary to be appointed Cabinet secretary since 1985. His appointment at this juncture seems to carry much meaning for the forthcoming trajectory of reforms and restructuring of India's steel frame.
Political Savvy Nirmalaji's Bold Budget
Rediff.com3 Aug 2024Few finance ministers announce any taxation measure that could upset the stock market. Ms Sitharaman decided to take that risk, observes A K Bhattacharya.
'We Want Chinese Style Growth'
Rediff.com1 Aug 2024'We have essentially tried to set out an agenda for the next five years and it, in essence, represents the political commitment to that agenda.'
Budget Must Focus On Raising Revenue
Rediff.com18 Jul 2024With the fiscal deficit target staring at the government, the FY25 Budget has limited expenditure options, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Time To Make Budget More Transparent
Rediff.com21 Jun 2024The Budget should use the extra RBI surplus to better effect, suggests A K Bhattacharya.
How Modi Can Overcome Coalition Challenges
Rediff.com19 Jun 2024If the concerns over risking political capital are overcome, the long-term gains for the Indian economy will be immense, asserts A K Bhattacharya.
What's Modi Up To?
Rediff.com24 Apr 2024No government in the past initiated the process of policy making for its next tenure even before going in for elections. Once the Model Code of Conduct is enforced by the Election Commission, should the government of the day refrain from taking an active interest in policy making for the next five years and let that be the function of the new government?, asks A K Bhattacharya.
Free Divestment From Finance Ministry
Rediff.com21 Mar 2024The new government that presents the full Budget for 2024-2025 in July should be ready to restructure the way divestment is managed and implemented, proposes A K Bhattacharya.
What to make of sharp variations in GDP numbers in election year
Rediff.com19 Mar 2024Questions will be raised over why those changes take place and whether non-economic factors are at play, says A K Bhattacharya.
Who Fared Better On Economy? Modi Or Manmohan
Rediff.com15 Feb 2024Whether it was the MGNREGS or the NFSA or the Aadhaar-based DBT scheme for cash transfer, the Modi government has built on the basic architecture created by the Singh government. Policy makers in the Modi government, instead of discarding them as products of the previous political regime, worked on them, expanded their scope and reach, and used new tools to improve their performance, explains A K Bhattacharya.
Budget: Will Nirmalaji Loosen Purse Strings For Poll Gains?
Rediff.com18 Jan 2024The finance minister's assertion that industry should not expect any spectacular announcements in the 2024 interim Budget suggest that the electoral imperatives of more tax concessions or higher expenditure on welfarist programmes could be far less pronounced than they were before the 2019 interim Budget, expects A K Bhattacharya.
Interim Budget: No Big Bang Announcements On Cards
Rediff.com21 Dec 2023If the Budget makes no big announcements on new schemes, projects, or tax giveaways, the government would face a major political dilemma as it may have to reluctantly consider shunning the practice of unveiling pre-election sops to woo voters, notes A K Bhattacharya.
Why 810 Million Indians Need Free Rations
Rediff.com20 Nov 2023Is it a case of poor targeting of a welfare scheme, or is it a reflection of the government's desire to expand the scope of this benefit to secure greater electoral dividends? asks A K Bhattacharya.
132,497 Indians Have Income Of 1 Crore Plus
Rediff.com6 Nov 20237 states account for over 80 per cent of the total direct tax collections by the Union government.
2000 Notes: What RBI Learnt From 2016
Rediff.com19 Oct 2023The communication was clear, transparent and worded in a manner that did not induce any fear in the minds of the people, point out A K Bhattacharya.