This report summarizes the findings of a review aimed at understanding emerging approaches to energy subsidy reform, discerning trends, and identifying major strands of thinking and research in the field, as reflected in major policy and academic journals relevant to the subject. The review was initiated in early 2020 as …
In the face of an economic meltdown, Zimbabwe has suspended import duty on basic commodities for 90 days, with effect from May 12. The cost of imported basic commodities has sky-rocketed since the government floated the currency at an exchange rate of z $250 million to us $1. Previously the …
By Rashme Sehgal Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent statement claiming India's "commitment to an early positive conclusion of the Doha Development Round" has farmer lobbies worried. With WTO mini-ministerial meetings expected mid-July, farmer leaders warned that a U-turn in India's stated agricultural policies would adversely impact 800 million farmers. The …
In a bid to encourage the fertiliser industry to increase its production volumes, the government today extended the system of actual freight reimbursement to all types of fertilisers. Currently, only urea enjoys this concession. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), which met here today, also approved a uniform nutrient …
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday announced a new nutrient-based pricing policy for all subsidised fertilizers that would lead to lowering of prices of some varieties. It also approved a uniform freight subsidy for all fertilizers to ensure its adequate availability across the nation at a uniform price. It will …
At around 11 a.m., Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar eagerly awaits an SMS. No, the message is not about the Indian Premier League. It is from his officials who send him the scores on a day-to-day basis on harvesting and procurement of foodgrain. Last week, as his slim mobile phone silently …
The duty on buses which carry more people is the same as that on small cars, such is our warped policy. After much vacillation and prevarication, the government has finally done the inevitable
Delhi Power Minister AK Walia on Wednesday said that the benefit of subsidised electricity on consumption up to 150/200 units per month has started percolating down to the consumers and around 10 lakh consumers have benefited from this scheme during March, 2008. The Delhi Government has released Rs 13 crore …
Haryana Governor Dr A.R. Kidwai and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today called for a check on the use of oxytocin and waste water on plants at a meeting of the State Environment Protection Council of Haryana, held under council chairman Dr A.R. Kidwai at Raj Bhavan today. Reuse and …
Rich countries came under attack yesterday at the United Nations food summit for their biofuel subsidies and production targets, declining spending on development aid for agriculture and large subsidies to European and US farmers. Jacques Diouf, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, told heads of state and governments gathered …
European Union finance ministers struggled yesterday to forge a response to food and fuel price inflation, proposing remedies from windfall taxes on oil companies to the suspension of various food import tariffs. Several ministers, notably Wilhelm Molterer of Austria, denounced what they termed "speculation" on commodities futures markets, saying it …
DEBATE There is no doubt the oil companies are bleeding, but the issue is whether the government should also reduce the extra taxes it gets from high oil prices Dharmakirti Joshi Director and Principal Economist, CRISIL Ltd "India's level of taxes on oil is comparable with that in most countries, …
PM Manmohan Singh on Monday hinted that there may not be any alternative to raising fuel prices, even as the government continued to grapple with working out a consensus on measures to tackle high global crude prices. A decision can possibly be taken only by Thursday after a meeting of …
Should private diesel cars be taxed more than petrol cars to neutralize the subsidy they get on retail fuel prices, originally kept low for benefiting commercial vehicle operations like public transport vehicles and goods carriers that have a direct bearing on inflation. Noted industrialist Vivek Bharatram has suggested the government …
India's oil subsidy may shoot up three times to 2.2% of the GDP this year even as the government dithers on raising fuel prices in step with the rise in input (crude oil) cost. The country paid $8.7 billion in oil subsidies in 2007 or 0.7% of the GDP. In …
For more than 25 years, wealthy countries have been using aid and other foreign assistance to subsidize the expansion of the international oil industry, a practice known as
The recent surge in world food prices is already creating havoc in poor countries, and worse is to come. Food riots are spreading across Africa, though many are unreported in the international press. Moreover, the surge in wheat, maize and rice prices seen on commodities markets have not yet fully …
In anticipation of a global summit on the food crisis, the United Nations called on world leaders on Wednesday to agree to urgent measures to ease demand for grains and alleviate high food prices. The report, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, suggests that countries might …
BEIJING: China, India and other nations that subsidize gasoline and diesel prices may be even less willing to raise prices than they were six months ago, aiding crude's ascent toward $130 even as demand deteriorates elsewhere. While Indonesia appears set to raise prices this month, the world's fastest-growing oil users …
The US Congress has approved a new US$307 billion farm with majorities large enough to override President George W. Bush's veto. The legislation largely continues the current system of agricultural subsidies for the next five years.
The Doha negotiations on fisheries provide a significant opportunity to address overcapacity and overfishing. However, to be effective, future subsidy disciplines need to be coupled with stronger fishery management regimes, including in both public and private access agreements.
