Budget 2003-2004
Putting the economy on the fast track
But do we have the infrastructure?
Taru Bahl

"A faceted crystal dome controls the amount of natural light coming in, a living roof filters out pollutants and minimises surface runoff while moving columns of air maintain ambient temperatures inside composite living stations run on renewable energy resources. Hosting multiple activity and work centres, they meet shopping, entertainment, medical, social and security requirements of their inhabitants. The dividing line between commercial, business and personal processes blurs and routine chores are carried out super efficiently from the comfort of existing positions. For physical movement, high-speed hovercrafts and magnetically levitated trains connect base stations to the mainland."

Brooding never helps
D.C. Sharma
DR Caine, a leading psychotherapist of California (USA), has recently discovered how our relationship to the future affects our present state of mind. Our fear about the future gives rise to negative emotions. This stress drains our energy, and thus makes us victims of depression. The future is yet to show its face. But by feeling hopeless about the future, we start feeling hopeless about the present. That gives rise to anxiety, even makes us depressed. We start feeling powerless. Such a negative state of affairs is our own creation.

Candid account of the impregnable conflict
V. N. Datta
A CLOSE look at our history shows that the record of our military failures has been phenomenal. That is largely due to the scant attention paid to the understanding of military defence preparations. We seldom have had a military manual written equal to what had been produced by Machiavelli, Bacon, Clausewitz or F.A. Lindemann. It is astounding that the Historical Division in the Defence Ministry which was promoting research in the study of military history, was wound up for reasons best known to the powers that be. The Historical Division in the Ministry of External Affairs also met a similar fate.