ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

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A Coup by Other Means

The Brazilian senate on 31 August 2016 voted to impeach the twice-elected President Dilma Rousseff. Shortly after, Vice President Michel Temer, leading those who participated in the impeachment drive, was sworn in as President for the rest of the term, which is till 2018.

The Nobel for Poverty, Not Inequality

Angus Deaton, professor at Princeton University, has been awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Economics for his econometric work in three fields: the estimation of demand systems, the use of microeconomic data in estimating aggregate consumption, especially his innovation of “pseudo panels” based on

Remembering T S Kannan

T S Kannan, an old friend of EPW, passed away in Chennai on 1 February at the age of 81.

'Dr KSK'

K S Krishnaswamy was, together with M N Srinivas and V K R V Rao, among the foremost intellectuals in social sciences in Karnataka and India.

Democracy in Greece

The prime minister of Greece sprang a surprise by calling for a referendum on the proposed Greece rescue package. He has done well by looking for a democratic solution to the European problem.

Governance Changes or Privatisation?

The Government of India, acting through the human resource development ministry, is actively considering a series of drastic changes to the governance structure and the role of faculty in the IIM system, based on the recommendations of two committees chaired by Ajit Balakrishnan and R C Bhargava. The proposed changes have potentially far-reaching consequences on the future of IIMs and raise important questions on the methodology followed, the lack of participation by key stakeholders, the lack of public consultation and, in general, a lack of professionalism in formulating such important policy recommendations. The present paper contains a discussion of some of these issues, with a view to promoting active participation by various stakeholders and improving the policymaking process.

Brazil's 'Fome Zero' Strategy: Can India Implement Cash Transfers?

Brazil has the largest cash transfer scheme in the world and it has had a measure of success in fighting poverty. Its experience shows that cash transfers, when implemented properly, are at best a necessary condition for poverty alleviation. Supply side constraints have to be removed if the increased purchasing power is not to lead to unbridled inflation that will hurt the poor badly. While a case can be made for a cash transfer system in India, in the existing situation of an incomplete transition to a multi-level structure of government, with insufficient clarity on intergovernmental relations, and an overarching set of civil services fighting for turf at the union and state levels, it will be difficult for India to design suitable programmes.

Budget 2009-2010: Beyond Fiscal Rectitude

The Union Budget for 2009-10 travels the well-worn path of proposals and policies. Can we open our minds to new ideas and new possibilities?

The Case against Health Insurance

Medical insurance is now being actively promoted by the government as a means of providing and covering the costs of healthcare. But such insurance is riddled with problems and faces some very India-specific constraints. It may contribute to the growth of the insurance industry but it is a second-best solution that represents the abdication of responsibility by the state to provide healthcare for all citizens.

The Strike in SBI

It was government indifference that provoked the State Bank of India strike. Yet bank staff should have found other ways to press for their demands - the strike hurt the public and will hurt the bank as well.

Human Development in West Bengal

Human Development in West Bengal West Bengal Human Development Report; Development and Planning Department, Government of West Bengal, Kolkata, 2004; pp 232, price not stated.

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