Mangalore lit fest Policy Reforms and Outdated Laws needed-Sanjeev Sanyal

Mangaluru : Sanjeev Sanyal, economist, historian, and member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, shared his insights on policy reforms and the need to eliminate outdated laws. He referred to the ongoing reforms in Argentina and the United States, describing them as a meticulous nuts-and-bolts process that enhances efficiency.

Sanyal emphasised the importance of identifying flaws in existing policies, asserting that when old policies no longer serve their purpose, they must be reviewed and reformed. He noted that outdated laws can be repealed or revised to improve governance and streamline processes.

Highlighting historical remnants, he pointed out that India has numerous monuments of British officers’ graveyards, which were once under British and princely state jurisdictions and are now classified as national monuments. He remarked that even archaeologists have yet to fully explore and document many such sites. As an example, he mentioned John Nicholson, a British brigadier, while discussing the historical legacy of colonial-era structures.

Turning to infrastructure policies, Sanyal noted a peculiar oversight: in India, ships are not considered infrastructure, an aspect that requires reconsideration. He also highlighted outdated regulations in the Telecom Ministry, recalling how individuals who relied on telecom services for work were once legally required to have EPABX machines. This archaic law has since been repealed, leading to a 92% reduction in compliance-related issues for BPO services.

Sanyal also discussed how business closure procedures have become more efficient. Previously, shutting down a company could take nearly a year due to bureaucratic formalities, but recent government reforms have reduced this timeframe to just 90 days.

Concluding his address, he asserted: “Every large system needs a seasonal cleanup.”