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Election watch: How MNREGA is being implemented in Bihar and Jharkhand

MNREGA was a colossal welfare programme that helped the Congress-led UPA retain power in 2009. But it has been marred by large-scale corruption. With general election underway, Business Today travels to two of India's poorest states - Bihar and Jharkhand - for an update on how it is being implemented.

Five corporate bigwigs unveil their well-crafted, high-voltage campaigns

Five corporate bigwigs who have entered electoral politics unveil well-crafted, high-voltage campaigns.
Why elections are not all bad for the health of the economy

As the country gets election fever, cash comes out of mattresses and turns into liquor, gifts, and food. But it is not bad for the health of the economy, reports Sarika Malhotra from the trenches.
Power crisis in India is a burning electoral issue this year

Political analysts believe that power shortage has become a major electoral issue not only in this state but across the country. Modi's spiel, frequently mentioning Gujarat's power achievement, is finding resonance among voters in most states.
New govt should repeal populist laws, jumpstart economy: Experts

The new government that will be sworn in after the elections should repeal populist laws and jumpstart the stagnant economy, say panellists at Business Today's election debate.
How India's electorate has grown over the years

The scale of the exercise was massive enough during the first general election in 1951 - 173.21 million voters, 1,874 candidates - but since then has increased many times over. The 16th general election scheduled for April-May will have an electorate of 814.50 million.

People who made news this fortnight

Featuring: Nigel Harris, Jaivir Singh, Christian Klick, A.V.T. Shankardass, Gurinder Chadha, Sridhar Ramamurthy and Sabine Heller

The Inner Game of Success: An Inside-out approach

Pete Carroll (Head coach of the Seattle Seahawks,earning over Rs. 42 crores annually, and considered one of the top football coaches in America) draws his inspiration from the book "The Inner Game of Tennis" written by Timothy Gallwey.

Your Shadow and Your Persona

A major task in acquiring self-knowledge is to understand the relationship between who one is and how one presents oneself to the world.

Two decades after global launch, GM crops remain controversial

India is still debating allowing field experiments for GM food crops and only recently removed a year-long embargo on scientific trials. More clarity on the future of GM crops in India will come once a new government is formed after elections that end in May as the outgoing government has set the ball rolling.

Restaurant goers' appetite for regional and traditional Indian cuisine is growing rapidly

Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor notes that regional fare is closer to the Indian heart than fast food. "Traditional cuisines have unique taste, interesting histories and authentic flavours which have been passed down through generations," he says. "That's why small, indigenous restaurants are picking up."

Consultancy firms thrive amid a wilting economy

Consulting firms are making the most of the growing demand. A number of them have posted robust revenue growth in the last two years. EY, for instance, has been growing at about 35 per cent.

Corporate India plans to make fresh investments after the general election, says BCI survey

Businesses of all sizes - big, medium, small and micro - are more optimistic today than they were in the October-to-December quarter, according to the latest Business Today-C fore Business Confidence Survey. The survey says corporate India plans to make fresh investments after the general election.

Rajan readies for challenges that may arise with a new govt

The RBI governor is staring at two big challenges. First, financial markets have been displaying what some may call irrational exuberance on expectations the BJP will form a stable government after the elections. The second fear is whether the RBI and the new government will have any major difference of opinion, especially with regard to fiscal consolidation.

How things work

The most keenly watched contest of the current general election will be the one for the Varanasi parliamentary seat, where the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi squares off against Aam Aadmi Party chief, Arvind Kejriwal. A profile of this city of 1.4 million, lying in the south eastern corner of Uttar Pradesh:

A recap of what made news recently

Business Today gives you a quick recap of what made news recently.

What is the state of industrial relations in India

A spate of recent strikes at high-profile companies - Toyota Kirloskar Motor in March, Bajaj Motors in February, Zydus Cadila in January - has once more drawn attention to the state of industrial relations in the country.