Growth accelerated with tentative reforms in 1980, and shot up to 9% after reforms deepened in the current decade. How much lower would infant mortality, illiteracy and poverty have been had India commenced reform a decade earlier, and enjoyed correspondingly faster growth and human development?

The 20km long Calcutta Metro Railway completes its 25 years next month, unwept, unhonoured and unsung. It has never had a derailment, no fatality or no structural collapses. It carries 4.2 lakh passengers a day that is three times of the Delhi Metro which is more than thrice as long. It is faster too.

 At the Indiranagar petrol bunk 8AC and 2 QA series notes of 1000 denominations are not being accepted, Since 10 July 2009. The banks should take some responsibility in guaranteeing at least the ATMs being free of fake notes.

Cities are not just about rich or middle classes. It is estimated that majority of residents (> 60%) in our cities belong in poor or lower middle income groups. I was wondering if Lok Sabha 2009 has seen any promises that would influence the votes of this sizeable group?