The Hindu Business Line : Monday, May 15, 2006

Demolition troubles
Avoidable, if everybody complies with the building laws, and if local authorities do not allow slums to spring up indiscriminately. More

POLITICS

Unsettling
As an old timer who had seen India before and after it became an independent Republic, as one brought up in the administrative culture and social environment of West Bengal, and as one who spent close to two ... More

A Marxist triumph in Bengal
What precisely has changed to give the Left Front in West Bengal such a solid mandate this time around, to decisively reverse a 10-year trend? "I am in favour of Socialism. It is the best social order. But, in the present situation, if we have to develop, we have no other alternative but to woo capitalists." More

Where politics and business meet
Politics broke into our lives conspicuously last week with elections in five States. Familiar themes and debates surfaced again about national parties being a dying species and coalitions even at the State level as the likely future. In Tamil ... More

SOCIAL WELFARE

The price of reservation
For every transaction, there has to be entries on both sides of the ledger. A price has to be paid for the gains made by reservation. What is the price the beneficiaries of reservation pay? One price they have paid is lowered quality of education in state-run schools, inferior opportunities to learn; in consequence, endemic poverty too. Is that price worth paying, wonders P. V. INDIRESAN. More

INTEREST RATES

Fallout of interest rate uncertainties
The prospects of a further interest rate rise in the US have serious implications for the world economy. Corporates in India and other developing countries may have to depend only on domestic sources of loan funds. Perhaps, this is all for the good a s it will speed up deepening of the bond markets of Asia and Latin America. Dr Reddy always has his guidance right. "Expect the rate to rise, if inflation rises. And as long as OPEC is on top, there is no other way the rate can go, in India or e lsewhere". More

ECONOMIC OFFENCES

Corruption — here, there, everywhere
Whether it is a democracy or an autocracy, whether it is a rich or a poor country, people in power are tempted to use that clout for personal gain. The US has set up a formalised system of lobbying to regulate this connection between those who make t he laws and those affected by them. More

LETTERS

Kerala story
This is with reference to "Decentralised planning a success: Study," (Business Line, May 12). The study has highlighted the achievements of decentralised planning in Kerala. During the years, there had been quite a good number of such ... More