S Ambirajan’s forgotten classic `A Grammar of Indian Planning (1959)’

This is my second article on Prof.S.Ambirajan's liberal economic thoughts. His works are largely forgotten and conveniently neglected for decades in India. And the reasons are well known. 

A para from my second piece which was out yesterday in the Spontaneous Order website of Centre for Civil Society, New Delhi.

His observations on Prime Minister Nehru, who became a hero of Independent India, where even Patel and Rajaji were ignored, are perceptive indeed. “In a sense, our, Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, is our greatest asset, for while he enjoys the prestige and wields the authority of a dictator, he has also the emotional nuances and ready adaptability of a true democrat. Even as he is conscious of the possibilities of planning, he is not unwilling at the same time to acknowledge the limitations of democratic planning. But the Prime Minister is not the whole of the administration, and there is always the danger that circumstances may turn the best asset into a dangerous liability. The Prime Minister should be an example, not a glittering facade for others to hide behind and pursue their respective ends.”

Imperatives for Power Sector Reforms in Tamil Nadu

This is my piece on reforms of power sector in Tamil Nadu and its political economics. 

I have concluded the piece with the below para:

"To make the State power sector commercially viable and more sustainable for all stakeholders, the concessions enjoyed by the industry have to be revised on priority. Otherwise, TANGEDCO would become bankrupt and cause problems for all customers. Therefore, the State must take up reforms in the power sector and strengthen them for sustaining an efficient and competitive economy."

Prof S Ambirajan – the forgotten liberal political economist (1936-2001)

                                      Photo by Dr Prema Nandakumar, sister of Prof S Ambirajan                                                     
This was my piece out few days ago on one of the greatest Indian political economists in the twentieth century.

Prof Ambirajan was a prolific writer for over four decades and published more than two dozen scholarly books and monographs, among other works, which were appreciated among renowned scholars across the world. He wrote hundreds of articles and columns in The Hindu and The Economic Times for several years. Sad to say, but his scholarly works have found more takers abroad than in his own country or state, where his papers have not been accorded the respect they deserve.

SV Chitti Babu, academician, educationist and reformer par excellence (1920-2020)

I had a piece on the great education thinker Prof SV.Chitti Babu in SO.

Prof Chitti Babu's pragmatic views and suggestions were welcomed by one and all, as they provided succour to everyone who sought help. The nonagenarian headed many committees and commissions, co-opting himself in the role of even a simple member in committees related to the education sector, both in Tamil Nadu and the national level.

'Surender Modi'? Congress Hypocrisy And Rahul Gandhi's Poor Response To ...

Eminent Economist Prof. A.Vaidyanathan-1931-2020

On 10th June, eminent economist and Prof A.Vaidyanathan passed away at Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu. 

He had professional career ranging from economic policy institute to government, academic teaching and research, and grass-rout movements for making difference in environment, rural livelihood etc. 

He was known for multi-facets of economics, in terms of his professional contribution to the areas such as policy research, empirical research studies, public policy, and a gamut of sectoral issues and challenges. 

He was moreover known as data driven economist of any sort, but the data must be the critical sources for any findings and inferences to be drawn upon it. 

The following are some of the obit articles and news items written by various people including some were close to him.


Business Today - Remembering India's Data Man- Prof Vaidyanathan

The Wire- someone knew him very closely 

Remembering A. Vaidyanathan, the Scholar Who Changed the Role of Data in India

The Indian Express-A Vaidyanathan’s pioneering work on agriculture remains a reference point

The Hindu-In search of What and Why?

  

Odd reading on Indian economy

“By FY18, NPAs in the Indian banking system stood at Rs 10.35lakh crore or 9.3% of all advances and loans. 85% of these related to PSBs.While some of these loans reflected bad commercial decisions; some reflectedulterior motives – attributable to the decision makers themselves, or thepersons at whose behest they acted.”

Importantly, waiving of interest is an issue in distributive policy, beyond the purview of banks, and clearly in the domain of the government. Note that when the government decided to waive farm loans, it bore the burden by itself, did not pass it on to banks. Similarly in this case too, if some concession has to be accorded to borrowers, the cost has to be borne by the government.

At the Congress session, Naoroji declared: “Whether I am a Hindu, a Muhammadan, a Parsi, a Christian, or of any other creed, I am above all an Indian. Our country is India, our nationality is Indian."

Cho Ramaswamy: India’s classical satirist and liberal, 1934-2016

I have a new piece on "Cho Ramaswamy: India’s classical satirist and liberal, 1934-2016"

A slice from the piece"

"Cho Ramaswamy was a multi-faceted personality, a scholar, thinker and above all, a man opposed to the tyranny of Dravidian politics. He was among the few political analysts who had a fine balance of reason and logic. He used them to impact public policy with the help of humour, sarcasm and biting satire." 

Need to Rope in Private Sector Hospitals in the Fight against COVID

I have new article on why we "Need to Rope in Private Sector Hospitals in the Fight against COVID"

My key points are as follows:

"Why is there no effort from the Union Government to bring out a comprehensive policy framework to engage private hospitals across the country to augment the efforts of public health systems in the fight against COVID-19?"

"Lack of a unified public policy to rope in private hospitals paves only confusion and contradiction in the collective fight against the pandemic."

We should make a strategic plan for effective partnership with private hospitals and make them part of the country’s strategy in the fight against COVID-19."