Farm truths

It is difficult to disentangle the role of cash transfers in deciding poll outcomes, but the fact that these have been offered as explanations necessitates a discussion.

Polls and freebies: Who doesn’t love cash transfers but are these the answer

3 min read . 28 Nov 2024

While the government banned wheat exports in May 2022 soon after claiming to feed the world, subsequent actions on stock limits have only created a fear of rising prices.

Inflation management: Time to explore an alternative paradigm

3 min read . 22 Sep 2023

Data inputs on the country’s household sector, as well as informal segments of the manufacturing and services sectors, are extrapolations of organized- sector data to a significant extent. (AP)

We require reliable economic data for policy responses

4 min read . 12 Sep 2023

The sudden increase in food prices is worrisome as it comes at a time when retail food inflation remains firm. Photo: Mint

India’s latest episode of inflation holds lessons in its management

3 min read . 25 Aug 2023

Signs abound of prices of food items such as foodgrains staying elevated for now, and this poses a challenge for the government in protecting the less fortunate from the brunt of high inflation.

Protect rural incomes to tackle the current food security threat

3 min read . 14 Jul 2023

India needs stronger statistical system for better policymaking

3 min read . 30 Jun 2023

While the full impact of El Niño will be known only later, adverse weather has already started affecting agriculture. (BLOOMBERG)

A food security threat is looming over the country’s poor this year

3 min read . 19 May 2023

We shouldn’t let Indian poverty turn into a great eternal mystery

3 min read . 05 May 2023

We require reliable data on caste to meet our aims of social justice

3 min read . 21 Apr 2023

Unlike rural wages, there is no corresponding series on urban wages from the labour bureau, which offers information on wages in the non-farm sector by industry groups

Worker incomes in India are still signalling tough circumstances

3 min read . 24 Mar 2023

India’s January inflation numbers were contrary to expectations, but aren’t really all that surprising

The curious case of India’s rising food-price inflation

4 min read . 23 Feb 2023

An urban middle-class revival is key to India’s economic recovery

3 min read . 27 Jan 2023

The PMGKY was meant to provide a cushion to the majority of rural and urban poor against the loss of income during the pandemic.

India missed a chance to reform the Public Distribution System

3 min read . 13 Jan 2023

We did not manage to double the income of Indian farmers

1 min read . 29 Dec 2022

For most farmers, relevant growth rates of aggregate output are not the same as the growth rate of the whole farm sector.

Farming isn't doing as well as our GDP data suggests

4 min read . 16 Dec 2022

It appears counter-intuitive that inequality fell in a period when there is overwhelming evidence of a poverty rise.

Why inequality dipped when poverty worsened

4 min read . 02 Dec 2022

We must not be beguiled by our deceptively low inflation prints

3 min read . 20 Nov 2022

The last decade has seen countries suffering from unnecessary austerity measures amid tax breaks given to the corporate sector to boost growth, Photo: Mint

Fighting inflation not just RBI’s responsibility

4 min read . 04 Nov 2022

A tale of two indices in this age of economic contrasts

4 min read . 20 Oct 2022

Peculiar nature of Indian inflation calls for a fiscal response

3 min read . 23 Sep 2022