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As the economy moved into the third quarter and pre-budget exercises got under way for fiscal 2017, Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley has sighted a few hopeful signs but still tough hurdles are there to cross before growth can begin to edge toward 8 per cent, a target set for the current year, which has proved elusive.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Government in Kerala suffered a serious setback with the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court ordering a fresh investigation into the bar bribery scam case in which Finance Minister and Kerala Congress (M) president, K. M. Mani is in the eye of the storm.

Senior Congress leader Makhan Lal Fotedar’s forthcoming book Chinar Leaves has brought to the fore once again the discomfort between the old and the new guard in the 130-year-old Congress party. Fotedar is only voicing the desperation among sections of the Congress that Rahul Gandhi is not inspiring and he is not a natural or a 24X7 politician.

BHOPAL: There was a time when Madhya Pradesh was known as 'Soya Pradesh'. But from this year Madhya Pradesh will cease to be so.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has unequivocally told its member community recently that the more extensive and the speedier the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), the greater will be the gains. WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo was more forthright in contending that the implementation of “the TFA could have a bigger impact on international trade than the elimination of all remaining tariffs” in a foreword to the World Trade Report, 2015 the Geneva-based world trade monitoring body released on October 26. TFA contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit. It also sets out measures for effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and customs compliance issues. It further contains provisions for technical assistance and capacity building for developing and least developed countries to bolster their trade facilitation works in tune with global standards. It is small wonder that Azevedo characterized the TFA as “global trade’s equivalent of the shift from dial-up internet access to broadband” and it will have an effect akin to that.

The dialectic of Nitish Kumar’s sushasan, good governance and his forging alliance with Lalu Yadav, who symbolized the rule of jungle raj, has mystified the election scenario in Bihar after the third round of polls on October 28.

A proposal of Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India), which owns All India Radio (AIR) and Door Darshan (DD), the two public broadcasters, for monetization or commercial utilization of its huge land resources is still pending with the Central Government in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I & B) for almost three years. The result has been lack of resources for development of popular technologies for FMisation, Digital TV transmission and still better programmes for the people. In other words, Prasar Bharati is bleeding amidst stiff competition from private broadcasters.

CHANDIGARH: What was feared is happening. Within 17 months of the Modi-led government’s coming into power, India has been communally polarized, notwithstanding the claims to the contrary. Three major factors are responsible for creating the worrisome situation. First: RSS’s Hindutva agenda which the BJP and the Modi government are zealously implementing. Second: Divisive and inflammable utterances of some of the ministers, chief ministers, MPs and MLAs against whom the prime minister has not taken any action. The third and the most important factor is misuse of religion for achieving political and electoral goals.

American hegemony is over. Now it is absolutely clear that the imperialist bully has been subdued. None would have ever thought that the American hegemony and dominance would be stripped off in this way. Russia’s successful military intervention on September 30 in Syria has been a major setback for the US hegemony and dominance. In a single stroke the mythical wall of American supremacy has been demolished.

How many years does it take for the government of India to, first, decide on and, then, implement a nuclear power project? The subject is relevant since neighbouring China, India’s main rival in global economic standing and growth, has announced its plan to set up 100 nuclear power projects at home and abroad in next 10 years. China is the world’s largest energy consumer. It is also the world’s No. 1 coal producer. It has a reasonably good proven petroleum reserves. China’s latest tie up with the United Kingdom to set up a massive $24-billion nuclear power plant partnering EDF of France on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis at an insignificant investment cost of the UK has raised eyebrows of the entire western world. The UK-China deal was signed and sealed last week during the visit of President Xi Jinping. China signed more than $62 billion deals with the UK. China is expected to design the British nuclear power plant. On record, the anti-nuclear campaigners helplessly slammed the UK-China deal. The campaign was short-lived having no impact on the decision of the UK government.