The latest sets of data on industrial output and retail inflation are beguilingly heartening, with the former showing a double-digit year-on-year increase in production, and the latter positing a sharp slowdown in price gains. The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures released on Tuesday show industrial output rose 11.9% in August, while inflation in September slowed by 95 basis points from the preceding month to 4.35%. The numbers seem to indicate a gathering recovery in economic momentum, even as CPI-based inflation eases towards the RBI’s mandated target of 4%. The IIP constituents — mining, manufacturing and electricity — posted appreciable improvements of 23.6%, 9.7% and 16%, respectively. But a closer look shows the production figures were buoyed substantially by the contractions that occurred last year when the economy was still struggling to recover from the first COVID-19 lockdown. The eroded base in the case of the August 2020 IIP data
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At a meeting of countries with the world’s highest GDPs — the G20 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, especially as winter nears. He also called for the international community to provide Afghanistan with “immediate and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance”. The meeting came as the UNHCR published a new appeal for funds, with a report that half the population (more than 20 million people) are in need of “lifesaving humanitarian assistance”, and the UN has received only 35% of the funds needed for its relief operations. As a result of the Taliban takeover, most direct aid to the Afghan government has dried up; its reserves have been frozen by the U.S., making it impossible for salaries to be paid. The Taliban government’s refusal to allow women to work and its stopping girls from schooling have made the situation more dire. While recognition of the Taliban and any governmental engagement is a long way off, the world is faced
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Lead

The global war on terror grinds along

M.K. Narayanan
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Comment

A portrait of the Nobel masters of ‘metrics’

Sudipta Sarangi
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Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Photo: Special Arrangement
Comment

Telugu leaders on a sticky wicket

K. Venkateshwarlu
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Virat Kohli needs to take some of the blame, but not all of it

Suresh Menon

My official statement

G. Sampath

The double delight of the well-hit six — all this and distance too

Suresh Menon
 
Open Page

A river’s birthday

Atul Kanakk
Emotions set. Girl hiding face behind signboard with drawn smileys. Collage of indifferent, winking, happy, surprised, and sad emoticons.
Open Page

The name game

Sarangapani Bashyam
Dandi March Statue.
Open Page

The town of many Gandhians

Sujith Sandur