Jagdish Rattanani

The ways and means advances, is an indicator that is often not studied but can help offer a critical view of the management of government finances at the state and central levels. The paper points to mismatches in data, the formula-based WMA limits placed on states versus the arbitrary nature of advances to the centre, and how and why the system may work against the spirit of cooperative federalism and further feed inefficiency in government financial management on a day-to-day basis. It offers a model scheme for the fixation of limits of WMA based on total expenditure minus fiscal deficit and calls on the government to publish the WMA data along with the overdrafts on a daily basis.

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They Who Know Not What The Media Is

Vol. 57, Issue No. 52, 24 Dec, 2022

Jagdish Rattanani

Many in India are lamenting the hostile takeover of NDTV by the Adani Group. At one level, this is a desperate attempt to silence the voices that stand out as independent in today’s increasingly controlled media space. But what really will be gained by one more channel singing the official tune? It, of course, controls criticism of the government, but it will also signal that the future of the media may not be in large enterprises that give in or get taken down rather easily.