Re-inforce people’s trust trust to restore growth

Economic Times, February 25, 2013

By Pradeep S Mehta

A new leader, a growth panel, and judicial, electoral and governance reforms are the steps to restore people’s trust. Among a menu of discordant happenings and noises, one arm of the government says that we can expect five percent growth, while another says it is a mistake, and we can expect higher growth. Consequently, and also due to variety of other factors, people are losing their faith and confidence, and worse, do not trust the polity or the bureaucracy or business. The system needs an overhaul. Many of these steps need to be taken up by the government in a proactive fashion, and with the active involvement of states. Only then can we destroy the enemy, who is among us. More...

India and the WTO procurement deal
The Hindu Business Line, February 21, 2013

By Archana Jatkar, Vinitha Johnson

Government procurement holds out promise in the context of slowdown, but India should weigh its options. In 2010, India attained an ‘observer status’ in the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). Its ascension to full member status in GPA hangs in the balance. It gathered momentum with the slowdown in world trade and increase in current account deficits of several major economies. More...

The Competition Commission is not as bad as is portrayed
Financial Express, February 11, 2013

By Pradeep S Mehta

“What is very important is the quality of the regulator, the whole principle; architecture ultimately depends on the calibre, quality and the professional capability of those who are going to actually carry on the process of regulation.” Thus spoke Ashok Chawla, chairman, Competition Commission of India (CCI) while launching the CUTS/CIRC third biennial report on the State of Competition & Regulation, 2011 in Delhi on December 27. The report inter alia bares the quality of regulation and the independence of regulators, including the competition agency, in India. Perhaps, Chawla was expressing his angst on how they are doing. A lot can be said about the CCI’s abilities to come out with some excellent reasoning in its judgments. With time, we hope that this is a pervasive feature of all of its orders. More...

Cross border Trading on opportunities
The News, Pakistan, February 03, 2013

By Pradeep S Mehta and Abid Suleri

One feels sorry about the recent tension between India and Pakistan across the line of control not only due to the losses of precious lives on both side but also due to the fact that such unfortunate incidents may ruin the nascent peace process. However, it is heartening to note that tension is easing off and both the governments still seem to continue working towards implementation of SAFTA through bilateral trade normalisation. Last two years had witnessed a number of promising developments on commercial relations between India and Pakistan. And they have to be nurtured as against just crying over Pakistan’s decision to delay the grant of Most-Favoured-Nation status to trade with India. Recent developments show that Pakistan has provided de facto MFN to India. More...