Privatisation

Coal A National Resource

Following the Supreme Court order quashing the allocation of 214 coal blocks the Modi Government seems to have decided to promulgate an ordinance empowering the government to take back these coal blocks and reallocate them to private entities through an e-auction.This completely nullifies the coal nationalization Act of 1973. Coal was nationalised as a precious national asset required for the country’s development especially to provide energy resources to the people. By an open market e-auction this objective would be negated. In any case such a decision cannot be taken unless the parliament enacts a legislation nullifying the 1973 Act.

Don't Allow Business Houses to Run Banks

Allowing industrial houses to own banks would allow them to corner bulk of the credit for their own businesses through connected lending. It will be impossible to assess risks and regulate the banking sector in such a scenario. Moreover, it will further the concentration of financial power and political influence. It is for these reasons that many countries, including the United States, prohibit industrial houses from operating banks. South Korea prohibited industrial houses from promoting new banks following the financial crisis in 1997.