India’s Chief Economic Adviser Kaushik Basu said on Thursday that legislation is needed to eliminate waste and corruption in the distribution of subsidised food grains, which would also help India cut spending, trim its deficit and ensure those in need are not priced out of essential commodities. At the same time, the Government is under pressure to rein in a fiscal deficit that amounts to 6.8 percent of gross domestic product, without sacrificing popular social programmes.
(Source: The Wall Street Journal Online)