A new edifice for reservations

Abdul Kalam’s passing has seen a national outpour of grief. This emotional unity in a diverse India is rare in peacetime. No other public figure endeared himself to all sections of society and influenced the minds of millions as Kalam did in the past three decades. The sense of loss Indians feel at Kalam’s death is palpable and transcends the traditional divisions of caste, region, religion, language or political affiliation.

The news on the economic front is somewhat disconcerting.  The last quarter growth rate has fallen to 3.8%.  What is worse, the revenues of Union government in the first quarter are   Rs.10, 000 crore below estimates and the fiscal deficit has risen significantly.  Two major credit rating agencies have down graded India’s creditworthiness. There are early days yet, and things could improve in the remaining fiscal year.  But news from manufacturing sector is not very happy either.  In fact, if services sector is excluded, there is stagnation in much of agriculture and industry.