Scrutator's

Thursday 09th November 2017 01:43 EST
 

The papers got their front-page lead stories right: India has leapt 30 places on the World Bank’s list on ‘ease of doing business,’ in just a year, from 130 to 100. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley looked pleased, as well he might, but said there could be no resting of oars: the task now would be to climb a further 50 places and join the top league. Which meant the
government would press ahead with its reforms agenda. This is seen as an endorsement of its programme of tax reform,
reduction of government’s role in economic activity, measures to reduce corruption. Economic reform had clearly gained traction. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, the Finance Minister said indirect tax reform, that is the Goods and Services Tax (GST), was working, glitches and all, hence was a positive measure that would bring far-reaching benefits to the people. That said, the gains of GST had to be visible on the ground for final public approval.

Way forward

Minister Jaitley said dealing with construction permits, enforcing contracts and registering property – where India lags behind – progress had been tangible, but more can and must be done. Annette Dixon, Vice President for South Asia said ‘a reform that was as bold and transformational as GST’ would take time to show results. ’The transformation will be difficult.’ So it will. But that is true writing a good novel, researching a scientific discovery, climbing a mountain, scoring a
goal from distance in football or scoring a century on an uncertain wicket in cricket. Labour has it rewards (Business Line, Times of India, Mint November 1)

Rahul Gandhi’ scorns WB statement

Congress Vice President pooh-poohed the World Bank statement, saying India had no need of ‘foreign approval.’ The world Bank is an international body specializing in economics and produces reports on individual countries, from time to time, and also on matters pertaining to the global economy. Congress governments, along with others, have applied for and received loans from the World Bank. Gandhi’s colorful language on the bank’s ‘ease of doing business in India’ report is a pointer to his illiteracy on serious subjects, and was scathingly dismissed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and IT and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Gandhi is comic without intending to be. (Hindu November 1)

Markets abuzz

In the wake of the World Bank report Nifty and Sensex scaled new heights in the expectation that India’s credit worthiness would bring in more foreign money. Industry was equally optimistic for much the same reason. (Business Line November 2)

Tamil Nadu rainfall joy

Following last year’s severe drought, the roaring start to the North East monsoon has come as a considerable relief to farmers. This has been caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, said the Meteorological Department. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have also experienced heavy rainfall. The rivers of peninsula are rain-fed, particularly the Cauvery, hence this should fill reservoirs and lakes and help irrigation (Business Line November 1)

Air India, AI Express in joint sale

The government has decided to on a joint sale of Air India and Air India Express. ‘The rationale is that we can find prospective buyers from international airlines if we call bids for Air India an Air India Express together. Since Alliance Air operates flights mainly on regional domestic sources, it makes more sense to sell it off separately,’ said an official source (Hindu November 1)

Indian wheat for Afghanistan

Days after hosting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, India shipped its first consignment of wheat to Afghanistan via the strategically place Iranian port of Chabahar, which India is constructing as a commercial hub to service western  Afghanistan, as well for its exports to the Caspian markets, thence to the Russian Federation. Chabahar is India’s answer to the Pakistani ban on transit facilities for Indo-Afghan trade. India is preparing for the long game (Hindu October 30)

Italian PM in India

India and Italy opened a new chapter in relations putting aside the diplomatic fallout from the spat over the case of Italian marines firing on an Indian vessel killing a number of Indian fishermen. The case been referred to the International Court of Justice. Italian Prime Minister Pablo Gentiloni and his wife met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for wider-ranging talks on trade and security issues including Indian membership
of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The talks with Modi exceeded their allotted time. Six agreements were signed. These included railways safety energy, defence cooperaion and the promotion of mutual investments.

Italian support

‘Italian supportive role in the EU and NSG will help our cause with the EU-India FTA (free trade agreement) and our bid for NSG membership . Italy and India are natural partners and this partnership must be allowed to take free flight,’ said former Indian ambassador to Italy. Anil Wadhwa. (Hindu, Business Line, Times of India October 30, 31)

Defence Ministry in doldrums

At a time when China is bringing its military modernization to global levels, and is actively aiding Pakistan to improve its nuclear capability, the reported paralysis in India’s Defence Ministry is alarming. Acquisitions of hardware have been delayed by long-winded procedures and a lethargic bureaucracy. Most alarming of all is the report that talks India’s joint production with Russia of Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft ‘have gone into a ‘steep nose-dive’. In May 2016, a media report stated that then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had approved the final stage of the project and sent in to the Cabinet for confirmation. Thereafter silence (Times of India October 31)

Navy to get 111 helicopters

The new Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman may be energizing her ministry from its slumbers, as a report that acquisition of 111 helicopters by the Navy has been passed, indicates. The arrival timelines will be noted with interest (Hindu November 1)

India to join Israeli drill

India is to participate this month in its first ‘Blue Flag’ air exercise with Israel, with other participants such as the US,  Germany. France, Italy, Greece and Poland. An IAF officer said it was a unique opportunity to share best practices with some of the world’s most capable air formations (Times of India November 1)

Intelligence wing for ITBPF

The government has cleared a Home Ministry proposal for an intelligence wing to strengthen the effectiveness of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force along the Himalayas. The decision has come in the wake of heightened tension with China in this region. An official stated: ‘We will soon start earmarking personnel for the intelligence wing. They
will undergo training before being deployed (Telegraph (November 2) Ladakh’s high road. 

The Border Roads Organization has built a 86km motor road at the world’s highest altitude at 19, 300ft between the villages of Chisumic and Demchok, some 23km from the capital Leh. The link, which reduces the distance between the points by 100kms, will be used for only for military traffic as of now traffic. The road is close to Hanle, the site of the world’s highest telescope (Telegraph November 2)

IITs produce novel neuron

Scientists in artificial intelligence at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have come up with a brain like chip made of fabricated neurons. A team of researchers in collaboration with a peer group from IIT Gandhinagar to produce an artificial neuron. Their work was published recently in the journal Science Reports. The silicon neuron is an analogue device that mimics the biological neuron by firing a spiky signal when it detects simultaneous external inputs. Udayan Ganguly of the Electrical Engineering Department of IIT Bombay in whose lab this research was done says ‘The energy efficiency in biology partly lies in the neurons’ ability to code information as tiny voltage spike …with improved energy efficiency compared with digital implementation.’ (Hindu October 29) 

Russian film festival

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and India the two governments have sponsored a Russian film festival in Delhi, Mumbai and Goa, the venue of a subsequent international film festival. The Russian Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, Russian Ambassador to India Nicolai Kudashev and leading representatives of Russian and Indian cinema will be present. The opening ceremony will include a tribute to the iconic Raj Kapoor with
the showing of his 1970s film Mera Naam Joker(My Name is Joker) that proved a hit across the Soviet Union. Special guests for the evening will include Randhir Kapoor and Ksenya Ryabinkina who played one of the key roles in the film (Hindu November 3) 


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