Who gets how much is a result of the system, education, opportunities, and so on. Many of the rich people have become rich through cronyism, cutting corners, and bending rules.

The last decade points to the individualisation of decision making in India leading to huge problems. As can be expected, these go unmentioned in the manifesto – after all the manifesto is supposed to create a feel good factor in the nation. The end result of 'Modi’s guarantee’ could be contrary to the promises.

The official agencies should by now have started to investigate and prosecute. Money donated by loss-making companies could be cases of money laundering. However, can the official agencies be trusted to carry out independent investigations against the ruling dispensation?

The methodology of data collection for the latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey has changed in this round. Therefore, the survey results raise a lot of questions since alternative data is at variance with it.

Poverty and inadequate demand need to be tackled by policy makers by focusing on the welfare of the vast majority and not just of businesses and the well-off.

Neither its macroeconomics nor the sectoral allocations are such as to help either the poor or the economy to achieve new heights

In its broadest conception, it would require justice for all to enable a civilised existence. Equity among genders, castes and communities would have to be created.

There are two inter-related problems with the GDP data. The infirmity in the data and the invalidity of the method to calculate the GDP.

For COP to make progress, the agenda of both the rich nations and the ruling classes of the developing countries has to be cutting wasteful consumption.

The income tax data released recently points to the highly skewed nature of income distribution in the country, with only about 0.68% people paying effective taxes.

The argument is that repeated polls are expensive and also push political parties towards populistic promises. But the long term benefits they trigger might be greater.

The Delhi declaration’s achievement is preservation of the interest of the global elite (including the Indian elite). The global landlords enabled it while paying lip service to global good.

India’s high growth rate in Q1 is a consequence of the steep fall of 23.9% in GDP in Q1 of 2020-21 due to the pandemic. A recovery will show a sharp rise in GDP due to the low base. This has been playing out for the last three years.

The BJP uses official data to buttress its tall claims on growth, inflation and other issues. But even those in the government have expressed doubts over the data. One cannot deny that the ground reality is at variance from the rosy depiction by the government.

Critics argue that the Bill will pose huge fiscal challenges and therefore it may produce cosmetic changes only. But tackling poverty and unemployment requires political will.

Development has come to be equated only with growing production and higher GDP growth. This is sought to be achieved via hugely expensive and environmentally damaging urbanisation, the effect of which Delhi is reeling from.

The willingness of the US to provide India some technology without expecting reciprocity is gratifying. But is it not one-sided, with India getting technologies it has not been able to develop by itself?

Despite a promise of increased profits, the PLI scheme has not gained momentum due to shortage of demand. If one cannot sell more, the subsidy will also not accrue.

The official GDP growth data hides the reality of tepid growth and decline in good employment.

The corporate members of the expert committee could have exposed much more of the wrongdoings but they have chosen to be formalistic. So, an opportunity to expose and clean up corporate manipulations has been missed.