Political Science

A regulatory authority is an autonomous body established by a federal, state or provincial government with a view to serve the interests of all stakeholders in a society. As the modern state is passing through neo-liberal phase towards reforming public services for accomplishing its goals for good governance, the role of Independent Regulatory Authorities becomes very important. But the spread of independent regulators means that more and more aspects of our lives are shaped by decisions made by institutions that are neither popularly elected nor are they under direct control of elected officials. Obviously, this has important implications for their accountability, responsibility and transparency in the present age of expanding democracy. A way-out may be to re-theorise public authority as an office for coordinating and harmonising diverse interests in a professional way so as to suit the requirements of governance conjointly performed by the state, civil society and market.

The book provides a comprehensive account and consolidated information on the black economy and it could be useful to scholars pursuing research in this area and also to policymakers to understand the characteristics of black economy. The volume may lack in certain aspects, such as contemporary policies, new findings, global best practices, behavioural aspects of tax compliance, and welfare and inequality impact of black economy. Given the political economy nature of this book, more detailed analysis of election funding, and the relationship between black money and terror money could have been useful additions.

The economic rationale has become the predominant factor for all countries today. Accordingly, the overall interactions between nations are shaped by economic imperatives governed by the ongoing processes of globalisation and liberalisation. However, the present age of fast expanding internet facility provides greater space to cyber-criminals. Hackers access private personal data, industrial and strategic secrets and steal or destroy important confidential information in critical sectors like defence, finance and telecommunications. Such actions have raised the alarm about national security in most countries.

In fact, transparency or openness providing information and knowledge about the state and government is a primary and natural requisite for a democratic state like India which derives its roots from the ancient India's distinguished cultural identity based upon eternal moral values and universal-ethical ideas and ideals, that altogether pave the way for arousal and inculcating of feelings of righteousness, sincerity, devotion and gratitude etc. in one's heart or mind for realizing his or her responsibility and accountability both in temporal as well as spiritual life in the true spirit of the term. While such sincere and devotional imperatives in the material life of an individual life may lead one towards sublimation, when applied on a society which is an expanded form of an individual, can pave the way for creation of a perfect or just social and political order i.e. from the erstwhile prevailing system of government to good governance. And that appeals to the people at large who wish to know about the society as well as polity in the temporal world and about their individual selves and the ultimate purpose of human life and divinity in the spiritual world.

As West Asia is an extended part of the Greater Asia and do have some of the defining common geographical footings resulting into, perhaps, the closest social, religious, economic and political similarities, the cultural roots between India and West Asia, obviously, indicate towards the inevitable stark similarities between them because no other country in the Asian continent have had as long and sustained historical engagement with the West Asia as that of India and that underlines the significance of present day relevance between their mutual relations and that makes their historic engagement unique and unparalleled. Obviously their mutual friendly relations will be very useful not only for their own peace, prosperity and security alone but for the whole world because both regions of the Asian continent are very rich with respect to natural resources and cultural diversities as well.

Every year the lives and livelihoods of more than ten million people across the globe are affected by forced displacement due to infrastructural projects such as dams, mines, industries, power plants, roads, etc. thereby denigrating them from their culture, customs and language by mainstream communities. As a way out, the process of displacement and rehabilitation ought to be executed as a last resort and that, too, be achieved in a planned and more humane manner while taking into confidence the affected people.

The economic rationale has become the predominant factor for all countries today. Accordingly, the overall interactions between nations are shaped by economic imperatives governed by the ongoing processes of globalisation and liberalisation. However, the present age of fast expanding internet facility provides greater space to cyber-criminals. Hackers access private personal data, industrial and strategic secrets and steal or destroy important confidential information in critical sectors like defence, finance and telecommunications. Such actions have raised the alarm about national security in most countries.

Notwithstanding long odds posing grave challenges to the national security of the country, India's competent leadership has successfully managed to retain the core essentials of its foreign policy while addressing mammoth internal as well as external challenges in an effective way to ward off the threats posed by the emerging Beijing-Islamabad-Kathmandu axis against the country. Though countries such as China and Pakistan being unable to manage their respective internal challenges targeted India with the aim to divert popular attention from their own failures, India consistently upheld all the stated goals of its foreign policy in accordance with the underlying principles detailed therein and in the true spirit of peace, prosperity, welfare, and security of not only itself but that of all humanity-for example, vasudhaiva kutumbakam (Sanskrit: 0 9 3 5

A regulatory authority is an autonomous body established by a federal, state or provincial government with a view to serve the interests of all stakeholders in a society. As the modern state is passing through neo-liberal phase towards reforming public services for accomplishing its goals for good governance, the role of Independent Regulatory Authorities becomes very important. But the spread of independent regulators means that more and more aspects of our lives are shaped by decisions made by institutions that are neither popularly elected nor are they under direct control of elected officials. Obviously, this has important implications for their accountability, responsibility and transparency in the present age of expanding democracy. A way-out may be to re-theorise public authority as an office for coordinating and harmonising diverse interests in a professional way so as to suit the requirements of governance conjointly performed by the state, civil society and market.

In fact, transparency or openness providing information and knowledge about the state and government is a primary and natural requisite for a democratic state like India which derives its roots from the ancient India's distinguished cultural identity based upon eternal moral values and universal-ethical ideas and ideals, that altogether pave the way for arousal and inculcating of feelings of righteousness, sincerity, devotion and gratitude etc. in one's heart or mind for realizing his or her responsibility and accountability both in temporal as well as spiritual life in the true spirit of the term. While such sincere and devotional imperatives in the material life of an individual life may lead one towards sublimation, when applied on a society which is an expanded form of an individual, can pave the way for creation of a perfect or just social and political order i.e. from the erstwhile prevailing system of government to good governance. And that appeals to the people at large who wish to know about the society as well as polity in the temporal world and about their individual selves and the ultimate purpose of human life and divinity in the spiritual world.