Civil Service Bytes

An interview with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) President Sumit Mazumder (Courtesy :The Hindu) Ahead of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s pre-Budget consultations with India Inc. on Wednesday, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) President Sumit Mazumder  spoke to  The Hindu’s   Vikas Dhoot on the state of the economy what the government must do to prop up growth. What is the broad theme that industry wants addressed in the Budget? The theme is creation of demand. Private sector is not investing because there is a lack of demand. They are sitting on excess capacities due to past investments and thirdly, the lack of positive sentiments due to the failure to get GST going. This is reflected in reports that manufacturing is at a two-year low now. If these are addressed, we will definitely see a big pick-up in the economy. Is industry seeing ground-level results from the NDA government’s efforts so far? Things are better, but could always be even better....

Challenges for INDIA at World Trade Organization :: Very few among the ardent observers of the World Trade Organization (WTO) had held any hope that the 10th Ministerial Conference held recently in Nairobi would provide some direction to the seemingly rudderless organization. The run-up to the Nairobi Ministerial was unlike any of the previous ministerial conferences as most of the members did not show much interest in drawing up an agenda to discuss and take decisions. It was not difficult to surmise why developed countries wanted to walk away from the multilateral trading system that the WTO represents, for there were at least two related reasons. The first was that developments in the WTO, especially in the Doha Round negotiations, were forcing the big powers to share the economic pie with not just the emerging economies, but had also raised the spectre of bringing the new aspirants, the so-called Next Eleven and others. The second, a reaction to the first, is...

Mid Day News Analysis with Mind Map  Trial run of odd even scheme for car to curb vehicular pollution in national capital kicks off; In initial response, Various political parties and people welcome the move.  In Jammu and Kashmir, at least 10 labourers killed in a fire accident in Ramban district.  Sensex trades in the red in afternoon deals; Rupee depreciates five paise against the dollar.  Warning of possible Islamic State terror attack issued in German city of Munich; Two railway stations evacuated.

Morning News Analysis with Mind Map   Odd-even scheme for cars rolls out in the National Capital to curb vehicular pollution.  Centre invites Gorkha Janmukti Morcha for tripartite talks on the Gorkhaland Territorial        Administration agreement.  In Bangladesh, two students sentenced to death for killing of a blogger in 2013.  The World welcomes New year 2016 with pomp and show.  In Sports; Indian Test Captain Virat Kohli is BCCI's 'Cricketer of the Year' 2015; Mithali Raj picked for women's top award.  And, India to meet Afghanistan in the final of the South Asian Football Federation Cup.