RBI Governor plays a straight bat

Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das had to face a doosra at Friday’s post-policy press meet.

He was asked: “Does the RBI think they are close to or at neutral rate?” The Governor decided to play it with a straight bat — “I’m afraid, I cannot reveal all the thinking of the Reserve Bank. That will be a giveaway… Within the RBI, there are multiple minds and multiple thinking and they finally converge on my table. And from there, after discussion with the senior management, the thinking of the RBI emerges. So, it will not be possible for me to reply to your question in very explicit terms.”

Deputy Governor Michael Patra, with a playful smile, chimed in: “The path to the neutral rate is a two-milestone journey. The first milestone is when inflation falls within the band and the second when it aligns with the target.”

Designed for Mangaluru 

There was a police order in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district recently banning male pillion riders in two-wheelers from 6 pm to 6 am from August 5-8.

This was one of the measures planned by the police to control law and order following the killing of three youths in the district recently.

However, the order was withdrawn in 45 minutes after it was issued. When the news of the ban order was highlighted in the media and social media, the public and netizens were quick to comment and criticise. Social media users had a field day with memes and short videos.

In fact, a team of youths was quick to write a script and shoot a short video on the order and its reversal.

A meme circulated on the social media was a single-seater one-wheeler. The meme read, 'Specially designed' for Mangaluru.

Thandora’s last beat 

Tamil Nadu has banned the age-old caste-driven practice of beating of Thandora (Tom-Toming) to spread important announcements from the government to the people. Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu wrote to all District Collectors that science has evolved, technology has developed, and there is no need to continue with the Thandora. Recently, the Thandora was used to warn people of floods in the Cauvery river.

The practice of beating the Thandora was linked to the caste system and the lower-level staff in the Revenue Department. Now, there is nothing to Tom Tom about in Tamil Nadu.

Organic overload

Details of violations of norms laid down for organic farming in the country are shocking.

One question that is being repeatedly asked is how are the firms in violation getting accreditation from the National Accreditation Board.

Well, a little bird says there is just one person who is looking after the documentation process from the office of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, the nodal agency supervising organic farming in India.

How much workload can a person take? And what's the guarantee that the person is not being influenced? It is high time the Centre reviewed the entire set up. Our Bureaus