The Congress on Friday said inequality, wage stagnation and inflation were "structurally corrosive" to India's long-term growth prospects and urged the government to address concerns over the growing financialisation of the Indian economy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the centrality of increasing the rates of private investment as a percentage of GDP in order to sustain higher rates of economic growth was incontrovertible. These rates have fallen from 33.4 per cent (2004-2014) to 28.7 per cent (2014-2023), he said. Ramesh shared an article by a noted public finance economist and said it revealed issues that were a further cause for concern. Citing the article, Ramesh said the share of passive income -- income from rent, dividends, capital gains, etc -- in the total reported income had increased from 16 per cent in 2016-17 to 24 per cent in 2023-2024. For the corporate sector, the share of passive income (income outside of operating profits
Inequality is not something that will go away on its own ... it needs proactive government interventions
World Inequality Lab numbers show the caste composition of India's richest
Highly progressive taxes on income, wealth, and inheritance have been tried for long. They failed in producing the desired result
Many countries are bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic, but the poorest are not and a significant number are seeing conditions deteriorating, a report from the UN Development Progamme said on Wednesday. Achim Steiner, head of the agency, said that after two decades during which rich and poor countries were coming closer in terms of development, the finding is a very strong warning signal that nations are now drifting apart. The Human Development Index that the agency has produced since 1990 is projected to reach record highs in 2023 after steep declines during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. But development in half of the world's poorest countries remains below 2019 pre-pandemic levels, the report said. It's a rich person's versus a poor person's world in which we are seeing development unfolding in very unequal, partially incomplete ways, Steiner said at a news conference. Why does this matter? Not only because it creates more vulnerability, it creates also more misery a
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said education is the most impactful transformational mechanism to bring about equality and cut down inequality. Addressing a function in Gondia district of Maharashtra, he said young parliamentarians with vision, mission, and talent have a big role to play in building Vikasit Bharat of 2047. Dhankhar also suggested that "value addition" to farm produce will bring qualitative improvements in the lives of farmers. "Today, the world is seeing the change in India and the change is imminent when the leader is aware of the ground reality and has the ability to change them. Today, we have the able leadership at the Centre and in the state who are well capable of bringing the change," Dhankhar said. He said India is fast emerging as a strong nation. "In 1989 when I became MP for the first time, it was a difficult time for our country. The country had to send its gold reserve by air to France where it was kept as a mortgage in two banks so that ou
Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today
The weakness of lower-growth states in manufacturing and services needs to be corrected
The CEA notes that for a developing country such as India, where the growth potential is high and the scope for poverty reduction is also significant
The report revealed a digital divide based on employment status, where 95% of the salaried permanent workers have a phone whereas only 50% of the unemployed have a phone in 2021
India has moved up six places to rank 123 out of 161 countries for reducing inequality but continues to be among the lowest performers in health spending, according to the latest Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index (CRII). The 2022 CRII looks at government policies and actions in 161 countries to fight inequality during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Norway leads the CRII followed by Germany and Australia. India's overall rank has improved by six points from 129 in 2020 to 123 in 2022. It has moved up 12 places to rank 129 for reducing inequality through progressive spending. The country ranks 16 for progressive taxation, up by three. Under ranking for minimum wage, India has fallen 73 places due to the counttry being reclassified as not having a national minimum wage. Under the 'Impact of public spending on reducing inequality indicator', India has moved up 27 places and under 'Impact of tax on reducing inequality indicator', India has moved up 33 places. The
Study says growth in prosperity also needs to be environmentally sustainable and must be solid and resilient in the face of external shocks
The country performed better on education and health parameters. Political representation has been a mixed bag
IMF study attributes it to free foodgrain supply to 800 million beneficiaries
Senior women executives earn an average of Rs 85 for every Rs 100 earned by their male counterparts, a study on gender balance in top organisations found
P Chidambaram said the Union Budget was the "most capitalist" with nothing for the poor and farmers while sops were being provided to big industrialists turning India into a very "unequal country"
Rajan said,the elements of creating capabilities is better education, better health care, better infrastructure
Analysis of education data confirms it has worsened
A growing challenge has gripped society