Column

The missing learning curve

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We need to build institutional memory, improve decision-making. Let’s start with dataWritten by Neelkanth Mishra | July 3, 2017 1:48:55 am (This was published in the Indian Express: link) Humans have incredible powers of learning and adaptation. Every few years, looking back, one feels the younger version of oneself was so unwise. But as human … Read more

The income pyramid is hard to dig into

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Is high growth inevitable for companies operating in under-penetrated sectors?Neelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at June 5, 2017 22:56 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) Is high growth inevitable for companies operating in under-penetrated sectors? Many of us implicitly assume as much, particularly investors when they indiscriminately invest in such companies despite … Read more

There is still hope for agriculture

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In Madhya Pradesh, agri is now 38% of its total output, versus 17% (and falling) average for IndiaNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at May 1, 2017 22:44 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) The state of Madhya Pradesh (MP) saw a 30 per cent increase in agricultural output last year. While it … Read more

Are regulators behind the curve?

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The Union govt can only enforce fiscal deficit targets for states as long as states owe it moneyNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at April 3, 2017 23:31 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) Are regulators behind the curve on state governments’ bond issuances? In the past seven years, even as the absolute … Read more

Beyond the farm

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Recent surveys suggest a sharp drop in agricultural employment. What must the government do?Written by Neelkanth Mishra | Updated: March 30, 2017 12:00:16 am (This was published in the Indian Express: link) We stand at a critical point in India’s economic history, when jobs finally appear to have started shifting away from agriculture. During the … Read more

Capital rush shows plumbing problems

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The ratio of bank loans to GDP, a measure of banking penetration, is among the lowest in the worldNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at March 6, 2017 22:50 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) Growth in bank loans is at a 50-year low when financial savings are rising: As a percentage of … Read more

Dealing with deprivation

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The much discussed JAM (Jan-Dhan+Aadhaar+Mobile) trinity holds great promise for India, in our viewNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at February 6, 2017 23:05 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) The much discussed JAM (Jan-Dhan + Aadhaar + Mobile) trinity holds great promise for India, in our view. When everyone has bank accounts, … Read more

Vexing taxing problems

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Centre-state data sharing is currently a distant dream but can be ground-breaking if implementedNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at January 2, 2017 23:24 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) Recent developments have reopened some long-running debates about our country, like of “state capacity” (how closely does the execution of a policy mirror … Read more

Cash is medieval, cards break vicious economic cycles

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Cards provide better security and don’t face the problem of providing change.Written by Neelkanth Mishra | Updated: December 30, 2016 6:33:48 am (This was published in the Indian Express: link) There is something medieval about cash: In providing the medium of exchange economies needed for transactions, rulers made a hefty profit converting pieces of paper … Read more