‘Government corporate-driven, silent on security’

The Opposition on Monday charged the government for being driven by corporates even as it accused it of remaining silent over cases of communal violence and failing on national security front and stopping transfer of public money to foreign telecom firms. The main Opposition Congress also charged the BJP-led government with failing to make sufficient…

Budget silent on e-commerce

The e-commerce sector failed to find a place in the Budget for 2015-16. Measures proposed on taxation or start-ups may benefit online retailers, but there were no sector-specific measures for the sector. Sectors that made it to the budget over e-commerce were leather footwear, which received a reduction in excise duty; incense sticks, which received…

India’s connectivity conundrum

The increase in mobile and internet connectivity in India has been much faster than the growth in our road and rail networks. Photo: Mint The ubiquitous mobile phone is today emblematic of one of aspirational India’s great success stories in the 21st century. But the spread of mobile phones in the country also reflects a…

Crowd funding a Rally

A coalition of civil society groups, including Pension Parishad, National Alliance of People’s Movements, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan and Right to Food Campaign, held a rally and dharna in New Delhi in December to coincide with Parliament’s winter session. The rally sought to bring diverse groups together, provide a platform for social issues and highlight social…