For the record

Contrary to public perception, coalition governments do not slow growth. Instead, they spur public spending

Making sense of climate debate

Ever since climate change and its probable effects on earth became common knowledge, much has been written about the topic. The world has been riveted by various climate change negotiations that have taken place and at times frustrated at their slow pace.

Voiceless representatives

IN his Budget speech this year, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee forecast a bright future for the Indian economy, announcing fiscal 2012-13 to be a year for revival. At the same time, he ensured that the “pro-market” Budget took one more step towards limiting Parliament’s role in crucial economic decision-making.

Liquid pressure

When media reports suggested water as among the reasons for the political conflict over Telangana in Andhra Pradesh, many readers were not surprised. Analysts see water as a critical cause for almost every other political conflict. Competition for Nile water is acute between Egypt and Ethiopia. Fierce disputes also divide Turkey and its southern neighbours in the Jordan basin. India has water disputes with Bangladesh and Pakistan.

30,000 farmers demand Hirakud dam water

Orissa farmers make it clear that water from the Hirakud dam is for irrigation, not industry

SEZ, how special?

Roughshod riding SEZs will trample on farmers' rights A farmer in Cheete Kalan village in Amritsar, Harjeet Singh Hundal, has big plans. For the past year, he has been using organic manure on his fertile and irrigated agricultural land and he can't stop talking about it.

Impotent plan?

Imampur village is in Nagar taluka of Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district, a rain shadow area. For more than two years now, the agriculture department has been implementing a watershed project here, using egs money. But when dte visited Imampur, it found out that while an entire hillock was covered with continuous contour trenches (ccts ), there was no tree plantation. Why?

Meltdown

Stunted stunt Driven by IT, plagued by it

Jobs Jobs Jobs

Jobs are what all Indians want. Governments know this. But they do not know how to create jobs. The problem is that the much-touted mantra of economic growth does not generate jobs. In fact, the reverse is quite true: India suffers from the growth-without-jobs syndrome.

The anatomy of congestion