Ringing In The New Year With Hope
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. — Helen Keller
The last fortnight has been a landmark one in contemporary Indian history. In the run-up to the general elections 2019, the Narendra Modi government announced a 10 per cent quota for the economically weaker castes — a euphemism for forward castes — in government jobs and educational institutions.
The move, which took the entire opposition by surprise, is being hailed as a masterstroke, even as it opens up a Pandora’s box of caste-based quotas, with the new territory being the private sector.
In a season when the Modi government is being questioned over DeMon, and GST-induced hiccups, will caste be the new saviour for the government? We will wait and watch.
Meanwhile, we are being told that the economy will grow at 7.2 per cent. The World Bank, too, is of this view. What more does the year 2019 have in store for us?
There will be doles for the farm sector. The Armed Forces will welcome newer acquisitions. Technology will reshape our lives in a manner not seen before. Real estate will grow in all dimensions. Caution will be the keyword in the world of personal finance. In short, the year will bring its own possibilities and challenges. So, in a cover story, we ask the obvious: What to Expect in 2019?
We have the BW Businessworld reporters doing deep-dive analyses in the domains of agriculture, personal finance, real estate, gadgets, defence and auto.
This is supplemented with columns by some eminent names.
The second cover in this issue is the annual, much-awaited BW Real 500 rankings.
The BW Real 500 list is India’s most comprehensive one. It takes into account the assets created by companies and the income they generate on such assets. Asset creation is the solid backbone of any economy. Over the past few years, the focus of the authorities has been on asset creation, which then drives jobs and economic growth.
This year’s BW Real 500 rankings exhibit a considerable improvement in the key balance-sheet and profit-and-loss parameters. In size and scale, the top 50 companies in the BW Real 500 list account for more than 68 per cent of the total assets and income of all the 500 companies.
This year’s top 50 companies have shown better growth than those of the last year. Total income increased 10.6 per cent this time. Thus, Indian companies are exhibiting better growth rates and the strength to put their assets to the best use.
Going by the present indicators, the BW Real 500 list is only set to grow – and swell. This says a lot for the fastest growing large economy.
Away from the shine and glitter of the BW Real 500 rankings, however, is the rural crisis and farm distress. With rural India under the scanner, BJP MP Varun Gandhi has penned a book on the subject. In an interview with BW Businessworld, Gandhi shares his views on the way forward.
Do keep writing with your views and feedback.
Happy reading!
