TMS Ep 630: Centre vs states, PLI scheme, small-caps, bullet train #TMS

The tussle between the Centre and some opposition-ruled states over devolution of taxes recently came to fore when chief ministers of Kerala and Karnataka openly alleged discrimination. Karnataka leaders even went a step ahead and staged a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar after giving full-page advertisements in national dailies alleging loss of 1.8 trillion rupees. Some are calling it the “south tax movement”. These states have alleged that the Centre’s policies have shrunk their share of the divisible pool of taxes. So do states have a case against the Centre on fiscal transfers? And, what will this mean for the 16th Finance Commission?  Clearly, the Centre has to strike a delicate balance on tax devolution. Meanwhile, it is trying hard to do a balancing act on another front. Production Linked Scheme has been keeping it busy. So far, it has turned out to be a mixed bag. While it has given expected results in some sectors, in others it is yet to take off. A recent review of the three-year-old scheme threw a contrasting picture. So how can India rejig the PLI scheme?  A rejig in PLI would indeed help India realise its manufacturing dream. Moving on, market volatility with sharp swings between losses and gains has continued into the current month. While benchmark indices are flat so far in February, it has mostly been a one-way street for small-cap stocks that have taken it on their chin with sharp cuts. So will this downtrend continue going ahead?  Very soon, India’s financial capital will be connected to Ahmedabad with bullet trains. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took to platform X to share an animated video explaining the special features of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad train corridor. Find out more about the key features of this project in this episode of the podcast.