An ombudsman for investor grievances
The Hindu Business Line, November 23, 2014

By Pradeep S Mehta

Narendra Modi’s government has been successful to an extent in altering perceptions about the business climate in India. It started from a very low base, when policy paralysis ruled the environment. But it is yet to succeed in changing the mindset of the bureaucracy. The dream of a business-friendly India will become a reality only when businesses and investors have an impartial avenue to get their grouses settled swiftly. Ombudsmen at all levels will be pivotal in achieving this. More...

Tailoring competition laws for state units
The Asian Age, November 22, 2014

By Pradeep S Mehta

When our public sector is much in news whether it involves privatisation or disinvestment, it is worth recalling whether they are good corporate citizens, especially when they are monopolies. Many are not. This was evident when the Competition Commission of India fined a whopping Rs 1,773 crore on Coal India for abuse of dominance in December 2013. The matter is still pending final adjudication but the issue is that Coal India has been truant. This was the first case of fining by CCI on a state owned enterprise (SOE), while it has come down with a heavy hand on several private sector firms… This might call for a relook on the manner in which the competition law is applied to SOEs. Whilst the competition law should indeed apply to SOEs, there might be need for the law to apply with some narrow derogation when it comes to SOEs. More...

Aviation sector must be a lot more competitive
The Asian Age, November 06, 2014

By Pradeep S Mehta

In spite of improving on some parameters, India has slipped down two notches in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ from 140 to 142 out of 189 countries in the last World Bank 2014 rankings report. The slide in position is also due to the fact that other countries have improved considerably since 2013. This wake-up call has provoked the Government to respond that our rankings will improve next year as massive efforts are on to take us to the 50th position in the not so distant future. This is conflated with the ambitious programme of maximising ‘Make in India’. More...

Will India ever change?
The Hindu Business Line, November 06, 2014

By Pradeep S Mehta

In spite of improving on some parameters, India has slipped down two notches in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ from 140 to 142 out of 189 countries in the last World Bank 2014 rankings report. The slide in position is also due to the fact that other countries have improved considerably since 2013. This wake-up call has provoked the Government to respond that our rankings will improve next year as massive efforts are on to take us to the 50th position in the not so distant future. This is conflated with the ambitious programme of maximising ‘Make in India’. More...

Myanmar’s economy on a growth path
The Asian Age, November 06, 2014

By Pradeep S Mehta

Myanmar is now on the growth path with several countries providing aid and technical assistance. India is one of them, for several reasons. India shares a border with Myanmar and have a treaty to build the India-Myanmar Friendship Highway and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway. The Friendship Highway is lagging but one hope it will pick up speed soon after the government of India has agreed to increase its role. Both these roads will help our and Myanmar’s economy in a big way. More...