The First Ten K R Narayanan Orations

Table of Contents

An Introduction to the Volume

About the Australia–India Council

K R Narayanan Orators 1994 to 2006

1. The K R Narayanan Orations 1994 to 2006

1994 K R Narayanan Oration

1. Reforming India’s Tax Base for Economic Development

Introduction

The Pre-Reform Structure

Direct Taxes

Indirect Taxes

The Logic of Tax Reform

Reform Carried Out To-Date

Import Duties

Union Excise Duty

Direct Taxes

Conclusion

1995 K R Narayanan Oration

2. Space Technology for Sustainable Development in Asia

Social Dimensions of the Pollution of Poverty

State of Agriculture and Environment

Communication Revolution

Space Technology for Universal Education

Management of Natural Disasters

Food Security

International Cooperation and Policy Issues

Conclusion

References

1996 K R Narayanan Oration

3. India: Retrospect and Prospect

India in the 1950s: On Track, Phase I

What Went Wrong: Derailing after the 1950s, Phase II

Why Did the Reforms Happen? The Sources of Phase III

The Reforms to Date and Prospects

1999 K R Narayanan Oration

4. Stronger Branches, Deeper Roots: The Democratisation of India’s Economic Reforms

The Development Challenge

Three Constraints

Trends in Indian Polity

Is Empowerment of States Enough?

Fiscal Reform: The Critical Variable

Panchayats: The Third Tier

The Tree: With Branches and Roots

2001 K R Narayanan Oration

5. Monetary Policy in a Developing Economy — The Indian Experience

Developments in Monetary Policy

Issues of Concern

Objective

Intermediate Target

Level of Interest Rate

Exchange Rate Management

Financial Stability

Autonomy of Central Banks

2002 K R Narayanan Oration

6. Democracy and Development: India 1947–2002

India Since 1991

The Revolution of 1946–1949: The Constituent Assembly in Action

Social Conservatism and Economic Radicalism

Triangulation Indian Style

The Escape from Triangulation

The Crisis of 1991 and the New Dispensation

The Prospect

References

7. Political-Economy and Governance Issues in the Indian Economic Reform Process

References

2004 K R Narayanan Oration

8. India: On the Growth Turnpike

Macroeconomic Trends and the Setting

Why did India Exhibit Resilience to Shocks?

Globalisation

Political Economy of Growth

Recent Themes in Reforms

Deepening Globalisation

Infrastructure Sector: Unfolding Mesoeconomic Reforms

Financial Sector Reforms: A Quiet Revolution

Accelerating Privatisation

Link to Productivity Growth

Areas of Concern

Fiscal Consolidation

Regional Disparities

Empirical Evidence

Growth Outlook: Contributions from Labour, Capital and Productivity

Labour

Capital

Outlook on Productivity

On the Growth Turnpike

Concluding Remarks

2005 K R Narayanan Oration

9. Science and Shaping our Agricultural Future

Introduction

Food Availability, Access, Absorption and Threats to Food Security

Food Availability

Food Access

Food Absorption

Threats to Food Security

Technological Transformation of Productivity, Profitability and Sustainability: Rice

Increasing Production and Productivity

Vital Areas for Sustainable Advances in Rice Productivity

Research Strategies and Priorities

Technological Transformation of Productivity, Profitability and Sustainability: Wheat

Progress in Yield Improvement

Challenges Ahead

Sustaining and Strengthening Agricultural Progress

Community Nutrition and Water Security System

Fostering Job-Led Economic Growth

Centre

References

2006 K R Narayanan Oration

10. India’s Space Enterprise — A Case Study in Strategic Thinking and Planning

2. Early History

3. The Vision

4. Present Dimensions of Indian Space Program

5. Evolving Strategies

5.1. Proof of Concept Phase

5.2. Experimental Phase

5.3. Operational Phase

6. Relevance of Space to South Asia

7. Economic Aspects of India’s Space Program

7.1. Space Expenditures

7.2. Methodology

7.3. Construction Stage

7.4. Exploitation Stage

8. Concluding Remarks

References