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June 2012

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Action for India's Renewal
Economic Times, June 25, 2012

By Pradeep S Mehta

The world is in turmoil and so is India, but for different reasons. The common denominator is that bad governance everywhere is the main reason for the apocalypse. In India, we have an elected government, but rudderless, and an Opposition that is suffering from sclerosis. There is severe polity paralysis and policy stasis, sprinkled with a dose of profligacy. While many politicians are busy in making money in partnership with civil servants and businessmen, most of our people are suffering from the adversity. Not all politicians or civil servants or businessmen are crooked, so it would be unfair to use a paintbrush. It is time for every citizen to be counted in the peaceful campaign to tackle corruption and kickstart stalled policy. More...


India needs to press ahead on Road Safety
Live mint, June 23, 2012

By Pradeep S Mehta

The road safety scenario in India is terrible and no serious attention is being paid. The Sunder committee recommends a National Road Safety Board to oversee road safety issues and to evolve strategies for policy implementation. India’s dismal record in road safety is, among others, due to involvement of multiple government departments and ministries at the central and state levels. It is in the interest of the nation and its citizens that the National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board Bill, 2010, for creation of a centralised agency is passed at the earliest. Prior to that, the Road Ministry should undertake an intensive and extensive consultative process to ensure that shortcomings are addressed and that the Bill has enough teeth. More...


Inland water transport sector susceptible to anti-competitive practices
The Financial Express, Bangladesh, June 21, 2012

By Pradeep S Mehta

India's inland water transport system is vulnerable to anticompetitive practices. The sector is however yet to be scanned through competition lens, despite its importance in economic activity. Given the incidents of anticompetitive conduct that have been reported in other countries over the years, it is difficult to expect India to be an exception. Cartelisation in the sector would have bad consequences on the economy as well as on the public using the transport services, which would have an impact on poverty. Although the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has over the years attempted to understand the nature of competition in several potentially vulnerable markets, the nature of competition prevailing in the sector is yet to be explored. This calls for a more detailed focus from CCI. More...


Untangling Regulatory Overlaps
Financial Express, June 19, 2012

By Pradeep S Mehta

Nowhere in the world are banking mergers outside the remit of competition laws. The only exception is Turkey, where the central bank oversees banking mergers, but it is empowered to do so under their competition law and not banking laws. But exemptions do not prove the rule. Because competition enforcement and sector regulation are complementary instruments, and aim at ensuring that markets functions well. But ambiguities and overlapping jurisdiction often create confusion, as is happening in India currently. There are two proposals before the government to boost the competition culture in the country. First, to amend the Competition Act to ensure coherence and efficiency. Second, to address a huge number of policy-induced competition distortions through a National Competition Policy. More...


Parallel Imports: Trademarked vs. Copyrighted
The Financial Express, June 12, 2012

By Pradeep S Mehta

If we look at India, Hindustan Lever Ltd was able to get a stay order from the Bombay High Court a few years ago on import of Lux soaps by Indian traders from Indonesia. It was cheaper there because of the huge depreciation of their Rupiah. In jargon, this type of trade is termed parallel imports, which is basically a competition policy instrument and does not violate intellectual property laws. Alas, there has been much confusion about parallel imports, which has now been settled by the government. But the catch is that while trademarked or patented goods can pass through the filter, copyrighted goods (books, DVDs etc.) may not, due to bad politics and policy incoherence. More...


See Also

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