| JANUARY 2008 |
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Give up the ostrich act
The Financial Express – January 29, 2008
Back from the somewhat sombre and not the usual ebullient atmosphere at Davos, the finance minister will find that the general mood back home, though not as disturbed, is not as cheery as some of our delegates made it out to be to in their soundbytes at the Swiss ski resort. Most of them made out that the Indian Economy will remain largely unaffected by the ongoing turmoil in global financial Markets and a likely US recession. |
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Public spending on infra, social sectors to go up
Business Standard – January 24, 2008
“The government may provide a fiscal stimulus, but it should be done without sacrificing FRBM targets. Past experience has shown that higher transfer payments have not increased productivity capacity within the country. The government can also reduce incidence of indirect taxes, which stands at 30 per cent in India , as compared with 17 per cent in China ,” said Rajiv Kumar , director, Indian Council of Research in International Economic Relations (ICRIER). |
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Number of farmers in India overstated: Govt
The Financial Express – January 21, 2008
“Number of people depending on agriculture is being overstated,” he said while addressing a conference on ‘Productivity Growth in a Globalising Economy: Implications for Business and Policy’, organised by think tank ICRIER in New Delhi . |
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New study may flare up debate over iron ore export
The Financial Express – January 18, 2008
Icrier—an independent think tank—is conducting a study on iron ore export. The study will lok at the benefitsas well as drawbacks of iron ore exports. |
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Priorities for the forthcoming Budget
The Financial Express – January 15, 2008
The annual pre-Budget meetings of the finance minister with different stakeholders are by now an integral part of the Budget preparation. While some may question the usefulness of these meetings with trade unionists, agriculturists, industry representatives and economists, for me they represent a necessary consultative process. |
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Economists' prescription: Don't cut direct tax rates in Budget
Economic Times – January 9, 2008
ICRIER Director and Chief Executive Rajiv Kumar said the advice given to the Finance Minister was that both personal income tax and corporate tax rates should not be altered. |
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Interest rates to stay stable or moderate: Economists
Hindu – January 9, 2008
ICRIER Director and Chief Executive Rajiv Kumar said if interest rates are cut, inflation and liquidity will not be stoked. Even after rising by 0.5 per cent, inflation was just 3.5 per cent for the week ended December 22. |
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Economists tell Chidambaram not to cut personal taxes
Reuters India – January 8, 2008
"We suggested that the government should not touch the personal income tax rates. If you have buoyancy in tax revenue, it should be used to increase infrastructure spending or rationalise indirect taxes," said Rajiv Kumar , director at the Indian Council For Research on International Economic Relations. |
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Call-center staff pays the price of job's high stress By Amrit Dhillon
Washington Times – January 7, 2008
The report, to be published later this month, supports the findings of a health survey by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations that found that the outsourcing industry was most at risk from diseases that would affect productivity. Researchers expect heart disease, strokes and diabetes to hurt India 's productivity in coming years. |
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Surabhi Mittal: Need for export-oriented horticulture growth
Business Standard – January 1, 2008
The sector demands a host of initiatives to take it to the next level of competitiveness. The foreign trade policy of India (2004-09) emphasised the need to boost agricultural exports, especially of horticultural products. In spite of India being the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world, its exports of these items are negligible. |
