How Not to Sell Reforms:Retail FDI

When it comes to selling economic reforms to its people,  the Indian government will walk away with the top prize for doing the worst job across the globe. Otherwise, how can you explain the sudden mad way of first announcing retail FDI approval without tryin to reach any political consensus. Don't tell me that the ruling party forgot that it is minority in the Parliament. More than that did it even try to tell people why this is beneficial to the people? Now hare-brained is that? How do you expect public support when you don't communicate? The other problem is that when government representatives even try and communicate to people--and that happens rarely--it is in an idion so alien to the common people. Of course, let;s also not get fooled by the uproar in some quarter. The couple of thousand marketing agents who procure agri-produce across the country are seriously powerful. They have practically stalled agri-marketing reforms, part of overall agri-reforms. They influence the political class across the board.

Of course, if you are a sucker for conspiracy theories as some journalists are, you could argue (without hard evidence as some are doing now) that the government's retail FDI move has been not usher in reforms but to distract people and expose the political opposition. If that were to be true, we can put that down  in the column of dreadful tragedies.

Government's counter punch to India Inc

I just loved it. When some ministers of the government at an awards event with top honchos from India Inc suggested that India Inc also look within and beyond the government (read: opposition parties) instead of "government's policy paralysis", it gave a much needed width of focus to the whole issue. Of course, there is still a policy paralysis in the government, the only difference now is that they are trying to do something about it. But the problem of being inert for too long is that you can't get on to high-octane action 0 to 60 seconds. And then, an opposition which is as short of ideas and afflicted by an absence of economic vision (or is it impaired vision?) as the government will really not let things move, will it? So like last year, we don't have houses of Parliament functioning. It is another matter that we have far fewer parliament sessions that we did historically (why, I can't understand as legislative and governance requirements have only increased).

Anyway, I am too glad that the government gave it back to India Inc. I think it is a little too much when people who bribe government officials, manipulate government policy through lobbying and other smart moves, do insider trading, make mockery of corporate governance, are intransparent and the works, put themselves up on a pedestal and start pontificating. This is not to suggest all of India Inc is like this. But those of us who have been business journalism for long do know a thing or two about many of these distinguished gentleman. Government's counter hasn't come a day late. Government's one point agenda of exposing the opposition and India Inc is making everybody naked (not forget its own incredible nakedness). Amusing.