Gita Gopinath, Professor of Economics at Harvard University, says the monetary policy in India is not transparent and it would be nice to know very clearly from the central bank what steps it has to control inflation and what impact the rate hikes had on controlling inflation.

Q&A: Gita Gopinath, Professor of Economics, Harvard University

Business Standard

A firebrand OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who had to step down mid-way from the coveted post of the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra to pave way for the elevation of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar&rsquo;s nephew Ajit Pawar, is displeased over the manner in which the entire development took place. However, he asserts that such ups and downs in politics would not dampen his resolve to work for the uplift of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other downtrodden people. In an exclusive interview with Sanjay Jog, Bhujbal, who took over as the minister in the Prithviraj Chavan-led ministry, spoke about his plans.

Q&A: Chhagan Bhujbal, Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra

With talk of South-South trade cooperation gaining ground throughout the world in the post-crisis period, Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the Inter American Development Bank (IDB), Washington, DC, states that progress of trade between India and Latin America is hindered by high tariffs on both sides. Moreno, who will release a report on integrating and enhancing trade between India and Latin America at the Summit, tells Devika Banerji that India is the next big thing for Latin America.

Q&A:Luis Alberto Moreno, President, Inter American Development Bank

India and Canada aim at achieving a bilateral trade target of $15 billion in the next five years, even as both countries are beginning a series of negotiations to have a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) soon that would yield significant economic benefit for both countries and lower tariffs over a large number of products, says Peter Van Loan, Minister of International Trade, Canada, in an interaction with Nayanima Basu.

Q&A: Peter Van Loan, Minister of International Trade, Canada

In the next two years, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is planning to increase its annual spending in India to $2.5 billion from the present $1.5 bn (Rs 6,600 crore). While its core focus would continue to be infrastructure development, the Manila-based lender is looking at spreading its wings to other sectors and regions as well, says Managing Director-General Rajat M Nag, in an interaction with Nayanima Basu.

Q&A: Rajat M Nag, MD-General, Asian Development Bank

Any engagement with the global business community cannot be complete without a reference to the country&rsquo;s infrastructure constraints. In an interview with Mihir Mishra and Jyoti Mukul, Ajit Gulabchand, Co-Chair at the India Economic Summit and Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Construction Company, points out that the challenge lies in convincing bankers to finance road projects.

Q&A: Ajit Gulabchand, CMD, Hindustan Construction

Before coming to the current 2G issue, I want to ask you an existential question.

Q&A: Subramanian Swamy, Janata Party chief

With G-20 leaders agreed on yet another deadline, of 2011, to close the Doha round of negotiations, the World Trade Organisation&rsquo;s (WTO) director general, Pascal Lamy, tells Nayanima Basu that countries are now more eager to close the deal, since trade is the only option for rapid recovery from the global economic criss.

Q&A: Pascal Lamy, Director-General, World Trade Organization

The Government of India believes the Obama visit and developments in Myanmar give cause for satisfaction and hope, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao tells Karan Thapar on the CNBC-TV18 channel&rsquo;s India Tonight programme, to be telecast on Monday.

Q&A: Nirupama Rao, Foreign Secretary

State-run City and Industrial Development Corporation, a nodal agency for the Navi Mumbai international airport project, does not want to waste any more time in project implementation in view of the environment clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. In an interview with Sanjay Jog, Joint Managing Director of Cidco, Tanaji Satre, explains its strategy.

Q&A: Tanaji Satre, Joint Managing Director, Cidco

Yvo de Boer, who is KPMG&rsquo;s special global adviser, climate change and sustainability, has transitioned from being the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). He tells Kirtika Suneja that this shift has been fun and though businesses are enthusiastic about the opportunities thrown by climate change, a lack of clarity in international negotiations impacts their working.

Q&A: Yvo de Boer, KPMG's special global adviser, climate change and sustainability

There&rsquo;s a lot of positive news in the population census findings, C Chakravarty, consultant registrar general, tells Business Standard.

Q&A: C Chakravarty, Consultant Registrar General of India

Raju Barwale, 56, is the son of Dr B R Barwale, the iconic chairman and founder of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco), the joint venture in which global seeds company Monsanto has a 26 per cent stake. The largest producer of Bt cotton seeds, the company has been at the epicentre of the controversies over Bt Brinjal and the issue of introducing GM food and crops in India.

Q&A: Raju Barwale, MD, Mahyco

Digvijay Singh, Congress general secretary, who is in charge of Assam, tells Saubhadra Chatterji that Congress has the best organisational set-up in the state.

Q&A: Digvijay Singh, Congress general secretary

The issue of 'fake' pilots, which has put Indian passengers as well as officials in a state of worry, will soon be resolved, as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has completed the verification of various licences issued to airline transport pilots and commercial pilots.

Q&A: E K Bharat Bhushan, Director General of Civil Aviation

As a citizen of India, I am extremely happy. However, as the ICC president, all 110 members and cricket-loving countries are quite close to me. The World Cup 2011 has shown that the Indian subcontinent can hold such a mega event successfully and in a dignified manner.

Q&A: Sharad Pawar, President, International Cricket Council

The Centre&rsquo;s proposal to downgrade &lsquo;ratna&rsquo; status of Public Sector Enterprises if they fail to spend two per cent of their net profit on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities has triggered a debate on why it is not mandatory for the private sector.

Q&A: U D Choubey, Standing Conference of Public Enterprises

The revenue department has exceeded its tax collections target this year. Revenue Secretary Sunil Mitra agrees the target for 2011-12 is ambitious but achievable. In an interview with Vrishti Beniwal and Indivjal Dhasmana, he talks about tax reforms in the new financial year and what led to roll-back of controversial Budget proposals like service tax on health.

Q&A: Sunil Mitra, Revenue Secretary

The Indian chemical industry has become big business in recent years and is expected to be worth $200 billion by 2020. However, a European Union (EU) legislation called Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) that came into effect in 2007 could cut into this growth over the next decade. REACH already threatens 24 per cent of India&rsquo;s chemical exports, according to the Indian government. Although EU chemical exports are worth more than $2 billion a year to the Indian economy, some Indian chemical producers are wondering if the European market is worth the investment. Jack De Bruijn, Director, Risk Managing Unit, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the organisation charged with implementing REACH, spoke to Pallavi Aiyar on some of the issues surrounding the regulation.

Q&A: Jack De Bruijn, Director, Risk Management, European Chemicals Agency

V S Achuthanandan, the octogenarian chief minister of Kerala, tells Joe C Mathew that history won&rsquo;t be repeated during this election.

Q&A: V S Achuthanandan, chief minister of Kerala

During his whirlwind election tour in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, also the United Progressive Alliance&rsquo;s (UPA&rsquo;s) chief interlocutor, tells Saubhadra Chatterji the government has its own way of moving against corruption.

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