Building Blocks of the Indian Economy

S3E8 In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy, we assess the Government of India's spending on education. There is no problem with the quantity of Indian education, the problem is with its quality. Should the government spend more on students, or more on teachers?History buffs, do check out the bookThe Ring of Services: The Story of a Very Indian British Rajhttps://www.amazon.in/dp/B07F5Y3H1N/Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S3E7 In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we look at the real reason behind the Modi government's recent huge investments in the Great Indian Railways. Is it money well spent?History buffs, check out the bookThe Licence Raj: An Economic Comedy of Errorshttps://www.amazon.in/dp/B0876M8HYV/Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S3E5 In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we examine the price that India pays for living in such a dangerous neighbourhood. Roughly every tenth rupee that the government spends is on defence. But is it money well spent?History buffs, check out the bookThe Licence Raj: An Economic Comedy of Errorshttps://www.amazon.in/dp/B0876M8HYV/Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S3E4 In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy, we explore the revenue that the Government of India raises from tariffs on imports and excise on petrol. These tax revenues have been getting smaller and smaller over the years, but could they be done away with completely?History buffs, check out the bookThe Ring of Services: The Story of a Very Indian British Rajhttps://www.amazon.in/dp/B07F5Y3H1N/Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S3E3 In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we explore the GST, the tax which touches all our lives, everyday, all across India. How do the Centre and the states share the GST revenue? Who ends up paying the most? And what can be done to simplify this simpler, but still quite complicated tax?History buffs, check out the bookThe Licence Raj: An Economic Comedy of Errors https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0876M8HYV/Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S3E2 In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we find out how a small number of tax payers contribute a huge amount to India's growing income tax revenues. But just how fair is India's tax system? Who does it target? And who does it leave out?History buffs, check out the bookThe Ring of Services: The Story of a Very Indian British Rajhttps://www.amazon.in/dp/B07F5Y3H1N/Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S3E1 In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we explore the effects of the Modi government's 2019 big fat corporate tax cut. We look back at how India's corporate tax rate was slashed and (not so) simplified and what effect this had on the the Indian economy in the end.History buffs, check out the bookThe Licence Raj: An Economic Comedy of Errorshttps://www.amazon.in/dp/B0876M8HYV/Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S2 E24 Venture capital is quite a niche form of business finance - but it does make for some great reality tv shows! In this closing episode of season 2 of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we find out just how much money venture capital firms burn in the search for the Next Big Thing - and whether it is all worth it in the end. History buffs, do check out the book The Ring of Services: The Story of a Very Indian British Raj https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07F5Y3H1N/ Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S2 E23 NRIs, Indians working abroad, have sent home a record $120 billion in remittances, much more than the amount foreigners invest in India through FDI, Foreign Direct Investment. In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we try to figure out whether this surge in remittances is a good or bad sign for the Indian economy. History buffs, do check out the book The Licence Raj: An Economic Comedy of Errors https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0876M8HYV/ Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S2 E22 Pensions are a function of income - rising incomes lead to bigger pensions. In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy, we find out that the growth of India's pension system might be a better indicator of economic development than all the hype about GDP. History buffs, do check out the book The Ring of Services: The Story of a Very Indian British Raj https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07F5Y3H1N/ Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S2 E21 It is usually banks which make the headlines, but in some financial markets insurance companies are bigger investors. In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy, we find out how letting Indian insurance companies invest in foreign markets could serve both economic and strategic interests. History buffs, do check out the book The Licence Raj: An Economic Comedy of Errors https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0876M8HYV/ Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S2 E20 Non-Bank Financial Companies or NBFCs have sometimes been called "shadow banks". In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we learn that NBFCs are definitely not in the shadows in India, they are in our faces, 24/7. History buffs, do check out the book The Ring of Services: The Story of a Very Indian British Raj https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07F5Y3H1N/ Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S2 E19 After a spate of loan defaults just before the pandemic, Indian banks were "recapitalised", which is another word for a "bailout". In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we ask - have Indian banks learnt from their past, or are they making the same mistake, just in a different way? History buffs, do check out the book The Licence Raj: An Economic Comedy of Errors https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0876M8HYV/ Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S2 E18 Government officials have raised concerns that Indians are not depositing in their bank accounts like they used to. In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy we find out that the problem is not with a lack of deposits, but with a lack of jobs, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. History buffs, do check out the book The Ring of Services: The Story of a Very Indian British Raj ⁠https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07F5Y3H1N/⁠ Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com

S2 E16 The UPI, United Payments Interface has been a fantastic innovation, making digital payments free for millions of users. In this week's episode of Building Blocks of the Indian Economy, we find out who actually pays the bills for all these trillions of "free" transactions. History Buffs, do check out the book The Ring of Services: The Story of a Very Indian British Raj https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07F5Y3H1N/ Email: amarvkfilms@gmail.com