Whither liberalisation
The post-GATT liberalisation era has come to India not only with its enchanting platter of economic efficiency, technological treasure trough …
"Industry must invest in clean projects "
Brian Robinson , chairperson, Australian Environment Protection Authority (epa) has enabled the Australian environmental enforcement system to …
Will liberalisation destroy the environment?
Get eight economists to discuss an issue and you'll get nine opinions. Down to Earth did precisely that. Eight noted economists were invited, …
Locating the State
In September 2004, Down To Earth carried a two-part editorial on the failure of the State to deliver basic services. In the September 15, 2004 …
The house that Digvijay built
Governments and the masses have very rarely worked together successfully in modern India. In Madhya Pradesh, chief minister Digvijay Singh has …
Software freedom
On Richard Stallman's personal homepage it says, "America means civil liberties. Patriotism is protecting them." Words that sum up the …
Why are we all falling ill
The pursuit of unsustainable economic growth, bad development policy, lack of good science, and poverty are a prescription for ill-health. These …
When wealth is not health
India's economic growth has come at a terrible price. In two decades, while the GDP more than doubled, vehicular pollution increased eight times …
Former militant Bijoy Hrankhal on Tripura's tribal needs
Bijoy Kumar Hrankhal was the founder member and vice-president of the Tripura National Volunteer, the first militant group in Tripura. He laid …
Meltdown
Till a couple of decades ago Bangalore was a sleepy city -- running to the rhythm of old trading networks and retired people taking their evening …
Impotent plan?
In August 2005, the Indian Parliament passed the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (nrega). The latest avatar of state-financed employment …
SEZ, how special?
Despite having burned its fingers with export processing zones, which mainly involved a number of substantial fiscal benefits, the government has …
On privatising water
What about privatising water? Should India move to do it? What tips the scales in its favour, and what doesn't? In 2003, two editorials in Down …
30,000 farmers demand Hirakud dam water
Western Orissa is witnessing an upheaval. In the eye of the storm is the Hirakud dam. Over 300,000 farmers dependent on its water for irrigation …
Treasure in troubled land
International aid has supported the economy of Afghanistan for 12 years. With aid flow gradually declining, the war-torn country will now have to …
‘Centre using finance commission to promote its flagship programmes’
Centre is urging Finance Commission to finalise tax-devolution formula keeping in mind the national development programme
Surgical strikes for fetching jobs
Like terrorism, jobless growth continues in India irrespective of who is in power. To tackle it, we need not cross borders
Sprucing up
...production techniques could go a long way in creating a pollution-free milieu as the final aim would be to achieve a no-waste company discipline
Cost of ecological balance
ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMICSAN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE· Edited by Rabindra N Bhattacharya·Oxford· New Delhi·Rs 550
Number of jobless swelled to 197 million in 2015
Nearly 2.3 million more unemployed people will be added this year. The increase in the number of jobseekers has occurred mainly in developing …
New raj wars the old
Its high time the panchayati raj institutions in India reviewed their actual role in spelling out developmental processes
Debate: Is GDP a true and accurate measurement of growth?
A new book, The Great Invention by Ehsan Masood, unveils the genesis of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and how it shaped the modern economic …
The axe and human civilisation
The use and abuse of wood is a major theme in the history of humankind according to a new book, A Forest Journey
Chips make them rich
Princeton University scientists come up with cost-effective technology for making better silicon chips
China debunks greens
China recently released a policy document debunking environmentalists' accusations that it was exploiting the Himalayan region for the benefit of …