Editorials, Editorial Opinions, Editorial News, The Hindu Opinion

A delayed imperative: On BSNL-MTNL merger

The Cabinet’s approval this week for a plan to revive the loss-making public sector telecommunications providers Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) has come not a moment too soon. From having been monopoly providers of telephone connectivity, the state-run telcos have had to contend with sweeping change since the opening up of the industry to private players and entry of wireless telephony in the 1990s. In just over two decades, the mobile phone revolution has catapulted India to the second rank in terms of wireless subscribers, with only China ahead. But the radical transformation of the industry landscape — wrought by the runaway growth in user numbers, rapid technological advances, and bruising competition — has come at a substantial price. The private sector saw the relatively older, large firms using mergers and acquisitions to consolidate as smaller rivals found themselves unable to cope with bitter tariff wars and the capital costs of

Cutting risk: On India’s anti-polio drive

The world polio day on October 24 marked an important milestone in the war against polio when the Global Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication officially declared that wild poliovirus type 3 has been eradicated. The last case of wild poliovirus type 3 was seen in northern Nigeria in 2012. This is the second wild poliovirus to be declared eliminated — the first was in 2015 when type 2 wild poliovirus was declared as eliminated. With two of the three wild polioviruses eliminated, only type 1 wild poliovirus is still in circulation and is restricted to just two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan. As on October 23, there were 18 cases of polio caused by wild virus type 1 in Afghanistan and 76 polio cases in Pakistan this year. While the number of cases reported this year from Afghanistan is quite close to the 21 reported last year, there has been over six-fold increase in the number of cases in Pakistan. Though India has excellent polio immunisation coverage

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Editorial

Tamed victors: On Assembly poll results

The alliance of the BJP and the Shiv Sena retained power in Maharashtra and the BJP emerged as the single largest party in Haryana, substantially beating anti-incumbency in both States, but also falling short of their claims and rhetoric. In Haryana, the BJP will require the support of at least six MLAs outside its fold for a majority. The Opposition, despite their sluggish campaign and scattered thinking, exceeded expectation in both States. Results of by-elections in 51 Assembly seats and two Lok Sabha constituencies across 18 States were also announced on Thursday. Drawing any political trend lines based on these outcomes would be premature, but certain pointers are noteworthy. The BJP had front-loaded its campaign with nationalist topics such as the status of Kashmir and the National Register of Citizens, deliberately avoiding any serious discussion on the economy and livelihood issues. It is possible that the BJP and allies got what they got because of this campaign, but these

Editorial

Good report card: On ease of doing business

For an economy starved of good news, the news of a rise in India’s ranking by 14 places to 63 in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2020 survey is a positive development. India also figures in the top ten most improved countries in the world for the third consecutive year. From being ranked 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2020, it has been a significant upward journey for the country in a rank list that is an important input in the plans of global investors. The latest improvement has come on the back of the implementation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). India’s rank has improved from 108 to 52 in the “resolving insolvency” category with the overall recovery rate for lenders moving up from 26.5 cents to 71.6 cents to the dollar according to the World Bank. This is despite the IBC process being bogged down in courts as interested parties attempt to delay eventual resolution that may work against their interests. The reforms in trade procedures and paperwork as a result of

Editorial

Need for balance: On web content regulation

The Supreme Court’s decision to take over the hearing of all pending cases relating to web content regulation, including the role of intermediaries and the traceability of encrypted messages, is both a challenge and an opportunity. The Centre has informed the court that it intends to notify by January 2020 new guidelines for intermediaries, a term that covers the Internet and other online service providers and includes social media platforms. Even while transferring to itself related cases pending in different High Courts, the court has rightly decided to hear them only after the Centre notifies its new guidelines for intermediaries. After all, it is for the executive to frame policy on this sensitive matter, while the question whether social media need weeding out of objectionable content will ultimately require adjudication. The challenge before the government and the court is to find a balance between requiring access to the originators of encrypted content and respecting

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