Manmohan Singh, former PM and finance minister who launched India's 1991 economic reforms, died last week. He earned the media's glowing tributes. He was extraordinary, creating prosperity for the middle class—who later turned against him. Yet he remained constrained by his party's dynastic politics.
Though his life held many accomplishments, his legacy centers on the 1991 liberalization. For 34 years, these reforms have been celebrated as transformative. But questions remain about their true impact. While they freed India from socialist-era restrictions that had hampered growth, it's debatable whether the benefits reached all segments of society or just certain classes.
The human development index of India in 1991 was 0.433 and in 2024, it is estimated to be 0.644. This is an impressive growth. However, the devil is in the detail. In 1991, Indian rank was 114, and in 2024 it is 134. It means that though India has improved, most other countries have improved more in the same period, so much so that, we have slipped in relative rank. India's rank in the gender inequality index was 142 in 1991. In 2024, it is 129 out of 146 countries. Though we have marginally improved, we still remain at the bottom rungs in gender equality. The income inequality that has resulted in these 34 years is mind-boggling.
Denne historien er fra January 05, 2025-utgaven av The Morning Standard.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra January 05, 2025-utgaven av The Morning Standard.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
ACB to issue notice to KTR in Formula-E case
THE Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has summoned BRS working president KT Rama Rao to appear before it on January 9 for questioning in the alleged Formula-E race case, without his legal team accompanying him.
Mid-air snag: AI flight makes emergency landing in B'luru
OVER 150 passengers on board an Air India flight had a miraculous escape after the flight took off from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here on Sunday night when one of its engines failed mid-air.
Man applies for granddad's death cert, taluk office issues his, cancels Aadhaar
AN error caused by a staffer of a local revenue office has left a 62-year-old man in the lurch.
Naidu reviews preparation, to set up task force with experts on HMPV
WITH three cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) reported in Karnataka and Gujarat, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting on Monday with Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav and officials from the Health Department to review the preparedness for addressing the virus, assess the current situation, and outline mitigation strategies.
DHFL scam: Court to hear on Jan 13 pleas by five accused
A Delhi court is likely to hear on January 13 applications moved by five accused in the multi-crore bank loan scam case involving Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL)'s former promoter Kapil Wadhawan, seeking pardon and turning approver in the case.
Guidelines Issued for Admissions in Pvt Schools for '25-'26
The online registration for entry-level classes in private schools of Delhi under the economically weaker section (EWS), disadvantaged groups and children with special needs categories will begin on February 2.
Akal Takht asks SAD to accept Badal resignation
AKAL Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, on Monday directed the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to stop dilly-dallying on its orders to accept the resignation of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
9 Bangladeshis Staying Illegally Deported: Cops
DELHI Police has deported nine Bangladeshi nationals who were staying illegally in the national capital, an officer said on Monday.
Be alert on HMPV: Govt to hosps
However, authorities assured the public that the situation in the country is under control
HMPV not a new virus, but caution necessary: Experts
AMID Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) scare, health experts have urged people not to panic, noting that the virus has been circulating globally for decades and is not a new threat.
