Bibek Debroy

The writer is chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the PM. Views are personal.

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More From Bibek Debroy

Four days before he passed away, Bibek Debroy wrote his obituary: ‘There is a world outside that exists. What if I am not there? What indeed?’Subscriber Only

November 01,2024 11:44:01 AM

"In that event, what would have happened? A few condolences, perhaps even from important people. 'Irreparable loss.' Perhaps a posthumous Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan. A few obituaries," Debroy wrote.

Mon, Nov 18, 2024

International NGOs and the perils of outsourcing developmentSubscriber Only

October 10,2024 05:55:52 AM

History of female foeticide shows why policymakers must be cautious about Western NGO's advice

Thu, Oct 10, 2024

Why accusations of witchcraft persist in IndiaSubscriber Only

August 08,2024 07:55:24 AM

Labelling of women with mental health issues as witches in large parts of the country points to failures of society, abdications of law

Thu, Aug 08, 2024

How K C Neogy, once one of Nehru’s favourites, was forgottenSubscriber Only

July 11,2024 06:59:16 AM

The absence of Neogy from collective memory speaks of a larger problem.

Thu, Jul 11, 2024

Kshitish Chandra Neogy, the administrator India forgotSubscriber Only

June 13,2024 08:39:40 AM

From refugee rehabilitation to finance commission, Neogy’s mark is in many important fields.

Thu, Jun 13, 2024

How to measure a superpowerSubscriber Only

May 09,2024 08:02:53 AM

From ‘sarvabhouma’ to GDP, measures of influence and global ascendancy have often relied on economic and military strength

Thu, May 09, 2024

There is a long list of reasons cited for the fall of the sparrow. Some of them are not immediately obvious. In 1898, there was an international conference on horse-dung.

What is the connection between urbanisation and sparrows?Subscriber Only

April 11,2024 07:11:58 AM

Modern urban architecture robs them of their nesting sites. Humans migrate from rural areas to urban. These birds have taken the reverse route

Thu, Apr 11, 2024

For urban India, food is down from 48.06 per cent in 1999-2000 to 39.17 per cent in 2022-23 and the farinaceous shift to processed food is much more pronounced.

Why we should not read too much into latest data on spending by IndiansSubscriber Only

March 14,2024 07:18:51 AM

Increases in shares of durable goods underline increases in prosperity and income. Even though this is an aggregate fact sheet, that improvement cannot be denied.

Thu, Mar 14, 2024

Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), often termed ‘killer robots’, present a profound threat to national security and sovereignty, raising critical ethical and technical challenges. C R Sasikumar

AI, sovereignty and Isaac Asimov’s warningSubscriber Only

February 29,2024 07:03:32 AM

From democracy to arms race, artificial intelligence poses significant risks. The world urgently requires a robust global AI governance body to ensure that AI advancements serve humanity

Thu, Feb 29, 2024

For cross-country comparisons, conversion to a common numeraire, like the US dollar, is required. Conversions of the rupee to a US dollar number can be done using the official exchange rate (the so-called Atlas method) or PPP (purchasing power parity) exchange rates.

How will we know that Bharat is Viksit?Subscriber Only

February 08,2024 07:07:49 AM

The notion of a ‘developed economy’, as contrasted with a ‘developing economy’, does not exist any longer. There are several other metrics that can help pin down India’s progress

Fri, Feb 09, 2024

Logistics, good or bad, are driven by states and the commerce ministry has a LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different States) report based on perceptions.

Accurate data is the first step in bringing down logistics costs in IndiaSubscriber Only

January 11,2024 07:05:51 AM

Logistics has been talked about for a long time and India has also focused on improving performance. We are now getting some precise data on measurement and quantification. That helps

Thu, Jan 11, 2024

Spurious and substandard do not aid the cause of treatment. Since they can have adverse effects, they don’t even serve a placebo function. (File)

Bibek Debroy writes: Generic drugs are everywhere – and that’s a problemSubscriber Only

October 12,2023 07:30:34 AM

Lack of information about effects of unbranded generic medicines hampers patients’ freedom of choice

Thu, Oct 12, 2023

Bibek Debroy writes on Praggnanandhaa and chess’s legacy: Their great predecessorsSubscriber Only

September 14,2023 07:20:20 AM

Our current crop of young chess players is excellent. But there were others before them, showing the way

Thu, Sep 14, 2023

BJP’s penal code reform: Erasing Macaulay’s markSubscriber Only

August 14,2023 07:20:43 AM

By adopting Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and related reforms, India is not just changing the numbers — it’s reclaiming its identity with flair

Mon, Aug 14, 2023

Bibek Debroy writes: BIMARU states are breaking poverty’s chainsSubscriber Only

August 10,2023 06:50:36 AM

On various indicators, they are showing remarkable improvement

Thu, Aug 10, 2023

Bibek Debroy writes: Why normative recommendations of finance commissions remain on paperSubscriber Only

July 13,2023 07:07:08 AM

Like other FCs, the 15th FC suggested reforms at Union and state levels and there were performance-based grants. All such homilies are generally

Thu, Jul 13, 2023

Bibek Debroy, Bibek Debroy column, NIRF rankings, Delhi colleges, Tamil Nadu colleges, Indian express, Opinion, Editorial, Current Affairs

Bibek Debroy on NIRF rankings: Why Delhi and Tamil Nadu colleges lead the waySubscriber Only

June 15,2023 07:01:50 AM

With urbanisation picking up, why should inclusion be interpreted as establishing colleges in rural areas?

Thu, Jun 15, 2023

Labour rules of states encourage inspector rajSubscriber Only

May 11,2023 07:10:40 AM

Non-transparent rules on occupational safety, health and working conditions facilitate corruption

Thu, May 11, 2023

ULPIN, Bhu-Aadhaar ULPIN, Unique Land Parcel Identification Number, Access to Justice Survey, Indian express, Opinion, Editorial, Current Affairs

Bibek Debroy writes: Bhu-Aadhaar or ULPIN will digitise land records for efficient land usage — but incrementallySubscriber Only

April 13,2023 07:48:49 AM

Bibek Debroy writes: There are parts where land titles and records are in a mess and cleaning them up requires a gargantuan effort. But there are parts where titles and records are clean. Those can readily have their ULPIN

Fri, Apr 14, 2023

How to use technology to track crimeSubscriber Only

March 16,2023 07:07:04 AM

Technology can aid in investigations. But it may not be enough

Thu, Mar 16, 2023

Bibek Debroy writes: Counting the Female Labour Force Participation Rate accuratelySubscriber Only

February 09,2023 06:52:44 AM

Economic Survey tries to address a longstanding policy problem by developing a better method to count women’s participation in the labour force

Thu, Feb 09, 2023

Mystery of vanishing monuments: Why we need to think about the way we preserve heritageSubscriber Only

January 12,2023 07:30:33 AM

Rajya Sabha standing committee report raises questions about Archaeological Survey of India’s functioning

Thu, Jan 12, 2023

Seek to decolonise: Why we need to restructure the district collector’s roleSubscriber Only

December 08,2022 07:31:27 AM

Bibek Debroy writes: Many policies are now being unified throughout India. Shouldn't the functions of district collector also be unified and standardised?

Thu, Dec 08, 2022

Global Hunger Index: A survey that trivialised hungerSubscriber Only

November 10,2022 04:16:00 AM

Bibek Debroy writes: It made serious errors in classification, methodology

Thu, Nov 10, 2022

Measure topography to ensure the equitable delivery of goods and services to allSubscriber Only

October 13,2022 04:10:47 AM

Bibek Debroy writes: States can have differential sources of revenue. Alternatively, the cost of delivering that basket may vary across geographical zones. Measuring topography might be an idea worth toying with.

Thu, Oct 13, 2022