From the Editor

The state has withered away

Raining largesse in AP

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, may be politically embattled, but that has not deterred him from launching an extensive, all out campaign for implementing several development schemes, which he believes will help him and the Congress regain lost ground.

RTI

Looking down the barrel

A landmark legislation that just finished seven years of existence is set to experience turmoil. With both the judiciary and the government looking to alter the status quo, is the RTI under threat ? Parimal Peeyush probes

Interview

‘I was opposed to License Raj’

Having joined the house of Tatas in 1967, DR Pendse became Chief Economist of then India’s biggest industrial group and to the Group Chairman, JRD Tata and other senior directors in the year 1971. For 20 years, Pendse continued to be the group’s full time Chief Economist.

'Be low profile in pursuit of development'

In his role as Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Asgar Samoon holds a critical position. In an interview to Shadab Bashir, Samoon suggests constructive ways to beef up governance and administration.

‘Depreciation of rupee is big challenge’

Ajay Sahai, Director General and CEO of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) is worried about the slowdown in emerging economies that could affect India’s exports in coming months. In an interview to KS Narayanan, Sahai says that with imports getting costlier with depreciation of the rupee, India Inc should take advantage and build its capabilities as there is sufficient protection available that should be able to replace (costly) imports.

Cover Story

Ray of light

The largeness of India is at once its strength, as well as weakness. Sitting in Delhi, with the incumbent pressures it entails, it is easy to forget what is happening in some place 1,000 kilometres away from your steady home and hearth.

‘Official attitudes have to change’

G Asok Kumar, a 1991 batch IAS officer, has worked for ten years in areas affected by Left Wing extremism in Andhra Pradesh. He details how administration functions in India’s liberated zones I have worked in three areas that were affected by Left Wing extremism in Andhra Pradesh beginning 1993. My first posting was as a Project Officer in charge of Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) at Utnoor, Adilabad district, Project Officer, ITDA, Bhadrachalam, Khammam, and later as District Collector in Nizamabad from 2001 to 2003.

Where terror is the key

In Odisha’s Maoist-affected districts, the term ‘development’ is an aphorism. There are schools without teachers, hospital minus doctors and government offices which are strangely vacant in the absence of any official.

‘We have outdone the British’

B D Sharma, former IAS and social activist says that Indians need to read the Constitution to see how our values have been eroded