Nation in a State: In Maximum City, a high stake election that leaves voters cold

"The Shiv Sena-BJP combine is fighting the Congress-NCP alliance to win fourth term in the Greater Mumbai municipal corporation."

The city, with one of Asia's largest and richest municipal corporations, has not resolved the eternal crisis of water supply, transport or garbage disposal. Parts of Mumbai resemble decaying space stations as the metro construction drags on interminably. With another civic election, Mumbaikars gripped by déjà vu are being courted with dreams of a more liveable 'international' city. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Nation in a State: In Maximum City, a high stake election that leaves voters cold

For their part, Mumbaikars expect little to change irrespective of who wins this election! 

Lessons from the Durban Conference

"If India wants 'equity' back in the climate change debate, it must develop a grand strategy and a strong negotiating team to see it through."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : Lessons from the Durban Conference: The overall results of the Durban conference do not make comfortable reading for India. However, industrialised countries have now agreed to a 'second commitment period' of the Kyoto Protocol, which requires them to reduce their emissions in a legally binding manner, potentially up to 2020.

The most important decision that parties took at Durban was to replace the ongoing negotiating process on 'Long-term Cooperative Action' (LCA) with 'Durban Platform for Enhanced Action' which remarkably fails to make even a passing reference to the foundational principles of combating climate change on the basis of 'equity' and  to preserve the notion of 'differentiation' between developed and developing countries, recognised through the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibilities' (CBDR) under UNFCCC.

The outcome of the Durban conference - and India's failure to attain most of its stated objectives - should now raise serious questions about the wisdom of its negotiating strategy, and especially its alliance management.

If the interests of billion Indians are to be adequately safeguarded in the coming decade and beyond, it is imperative that India develops both a coherent grand strategy to address climate change that enjoys broad cross-party parliamentary support, and a strong negotiating team to see it through.

Durban is a wake-up call that India must not ignore.

Regulating hospitals is healthy

"The proposed enhancement of public health expenditure in India as a percentage of GDP during the Twelfth Plan will deploy massive tax funds in a sector that is poorly regulated. There will be an estimated five-fold increase in per capita public spending. It is inevitable that private health infrastructure is tapped to provide Universal Health Coverage, at least in the short term, while the government-run system is improved qualitatively and quantitatively. "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Regulating hospitals is healthy: Such a massive increase in public spending requires a review of regulation of the entire sector, covering all categories of hospitals and clinical establishments.

Achieving high standards in healthcare and empowerment of patients is not possible without standard-setting and strong regulation.

Laissez faire cannot deliver.

Rein in Mr. Khursheed

"A firm and quick end must be put to Law Minister Salman Khursheed's brazen defiance of the Election Commission of India. It is most unseemly that someone in charge of a ministry that oversees justice and legal affairs in this country should tangle with a constitutional authority, and that too over an issue on which he has no plausible defence. "

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Rein in Mr. Khursheed: To merely distance itself from Mr. Khursheed's campaign rhetoric is not enough. It is imperative that the Central government and the Congress demonstrate their respect for the Election Commission and accept its rulings.