Election year should be a time when we seriously reflect on the medium term structure of fiscal policy. But election year also involves an interim budget which, by definition, should not take up much analytical space. But unfortunately, it does, distracting attention from medium term fiscal issues. 

 

(Coauthored with Namita Jain)

 

Fewer women working is a big problem but if DeMo is cited as the reason for this, how do you explain an equally sharp fall in FLFPR over long periods in the past?

 

The media attention has been …

Twenty five years ago, I argued in my doctoral thesis that fiscal policy could be used to map changes in state objectives. In essence that is what I am doing in this column. I contend that the Indian State, at both the central and state levels, is transitioning from …

The Niti Aayog has unveiled its 41 Chapter ‘Strategy for New India @ 75.” I am baffled as to why such a document is produced so late in the lifetime of this government. Still, the intention is welcome; since the abolition of the Planning Commission, there has been no …

Volatility in intergovernmental fiscal transfers has had significant impact on the forecasts of public deficits by state governments.

 

Does the ministry of finance produce biased budget forecasts in India? Does the electoral cycle predominantly determine the fiscal behaviour of the Centre? The answers …