Assessing inflation risk in the time of spiking prices and damp consumer sentiment
17th Feb 2017
For an economy that relies on public investment and private consumption to revive (पुनर्जीवित करना) private
investment and growth, the last round of official statistics (आंकड़े ) on prices and industrial activity signal testing
times ahead. First, industrial output plummeted (अचानक स़े गिरना) by 0.4% in December 2016, led by a 2% decline in
manufacturing (just five of 22 industries registered positive growth) and a 6.8% decline in consumer goods. Now,
wholesale prices have risen at the fastest pace in two and a half years this January, at 5.25%. This is particularly
noteworthy (ध्यान द़े ऩे योग्य) since the pace of price rise at the consumer level slowed to 3.2% in the same month. By
contrast, consumer prices had risen fractionally faster (3.4%) than wholesale prices (3.39%) in December. This
divergence (झक
ु ाि) in wholesale prices and the prices consumers pay is unlikely to last long — with the former
expected to stay firm for a few months to come, the latter will eventually catch up. The Reserve Bank of India may
no longer track wholesale prices for monetary policy purposes, and food prices are not a problem thanks to a normal
monsoon, at least for now. But as RBI Governor Urjit Patel pointed out, consumer prices of non-food articles and fuel
have been hard to contain since September 2016. Such sticky core inflation is driving the latest wholesale price surge
(त़ेज़ी स़े चढ़ना) with fuel and power rising a sharp 18.14%, manufactured products growing by almost 4% (thanks not
to demand but upward commodity prices) and minerals by 1%.
A rise in oil prices beyond $65 a barrel would be a cause for concern, as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said in his
recent Budget, even if there is a belief that higher shale gas output will check a further spike. This poses a risk to the
Centre’s fiscal arithmetic as well as India’s growth hopes. Higher oil price-led inflation will bring back into focus the
high excise duties on petroleum products that have boosted the Centre’s tax kitty (संयुक्त ननगि) over the past couple
of years. Those duties were raised when prices were low to protect consumers from an upward price shock, the
government had argued. Cutting those duties will upset revenue calculations, but leaving them untouched will
impose its own costs. The RBI has cited ‘transitory effects of demonetisation on inflation and output’ (मद्र
ु ास्फीनत और
उत्पादन पर विमद्र
ु ीकरण क़े अस्थाय़ी प्रभाि) as the rationale (मल
ू कारण) to hold interest rates and shift from an
accommodative monetary stance to ‘neutral’. It is unlikely to ease its stance unless it sees executive action against
inflation risks. Secondly, consumer sentiment that held up during the November 8 to December 30 demonetisation
period has been declining since January, as per CMIE data. If inflation spikes in the coming months, it could further
crimp (ससकोडना) consumer spending, with obvious consequences for the investment cycle and job creation.
1. Revive
Synonyms and Antonyms of revive
to bring back to life, practice, or activity <an effort to revive the once-common custom of celebrating May 1 as a
springtime festival of games and dances>
Synonyms reanimate, recharge, regenerate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revivify,
rewake, rewaken
Related Words jump-start, kick-start; reactivate, restart; reinvent; refresh, refreshen
Near Antonyms extinguish, kill, quench, suppress
to bring back to a former condition or vigor <around mid-morning, I usually need to revive myself with a cup of
strong coffee>
Synonyms freshen, recharge, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, repair, restore, resuscitate,
revitalize, renew, revivify
Related Words make over, overhaul, reclaim, recondition, reconstitute, redesign, redevelop, redo, reengineer,
refurbish, rehab, rehabilitate, remake, remodel, renovate; refill, replenish, resupply; modernize, update
to gain consciousness again <the patient eventually revived and was able to give us her name and address>
Synonyms come around, come round, come to
Related Words pull through, rally, recover; awake, awaken, wake up
Near Antonyms black out, faint, pass out
2. Plummeted
Synonyms and Antonyms of plummet
to go to a lower level especially abruptly <a week in which stock prices plummeted>
Synonyms crash, crater, decline, descend, dip, dive, fall, lower, nose-dive, drop, plunge, sink, skid, tumble
Related Words abate, decrease, de-escalate, die (down), diminish, droop, dwindle, ebb, lessen, let up, moderate,
subside, taper off, wane; recede, retreat
Near Antonyms accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase,
intensify, mushroom, pick up, snowball, swell, wax
Antonyms arise, ascend, lift, mount, rise, soar, spike, up
3. Noteworthy
Synonyms and Antonyms of noteworthy
worth remembering or mentioning <former neighbors claimed that there was nothing noteworthy about the serial
killer who had once quietly lived among them>
Synonyms citable, memorable, mentionable, nameable (also namable), notable, observable, remarkable
Related Words quotable, repeatable; indelible, unforgettable; newsworthy
Near Antonyms average, ordinary, prosaic, routine, run-of-the-mill, standard, unexceptional
Antonyms forgettable, unmemorable, unremarkable
standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement <winner of the Nobel Prize for his noteworthy
contributions to the field of genetics>
Synonyms astral, bright, distinguished, illustrious, luminous, noble, notable, eminent, outstanding, preeminent,
prestigious, redoubtable, signal, star, superior
Related Words celebrated, exalted, famed, famous, glorious, honored, renowned, reputable; infamous, notorious;
dominant, paramount, predominant
Near Antonyms insignificant, minor, unimportant; average, inferior, mediocre; obscure, uncelebrated, unsung
4. Divergence
Synonyms and Antonyms of divergence
a movement in different directions away from a common point <a growing divergence of opinion about that U.S.
president's place in history>
Synonyms bifurcation, divarication, divergency, separation
Related Words difference, disagreement, discrepancy, disparateness, disparity, dissidence, dissimilarity, distinction,
distinctiveness, distinctness, diversity, unlikeness
Phrases parting of the ways
Near Antonyms accord, agreement; likeness, similarity
Antonyms convergence
a turning away from a course or standard <any divergence from the community's strict moral code was met with
social ostracism>
Synonyms deflection, departure, detour, deviation, divagation, divergency, diversion
Related Words regression, retrogression, reversion
Near Antonyms adherence
5. Surge
Synonyms and Antonyms of surge
a moving ridge on the surface of water <a huge surge nearly capsized the boat and drenched the hapless fishermen>
Synonyms billow, wave, swell
Related Words sea(s); surf; breaker, whitecap; comber, curl; riffle, ripple, wavelet; ground swell, roller; tidal wave,
tsunami
6. Crimp
something that makes movement or progress difficult <the strike could put a real crimp in the production schedule>
Synonyms balk, bar, block, chain, clog, cramp, encumbrance, deterrent, drag, embarrassment, fetter, handicap,
hindrance, holdback, hurdle, impediment, inhibition, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, shackles, stop,
stumbling block, trammel
Related Words catch, hitch, rub, snag; barrier, blockade, blockage, brick wall, stone wall; arrest, bit, brake, check,
constraint, curb, hobble, rein, restraint; embargo, stoppage; delay, holdup, stall; burden, cumber, load; danger,
hazard, peril, reef; adversity, difficulty, disadvantage, drawback, hardship
Near Antonyms catalyst, goad, impetus, incentive, spur, stimulant, stimulus; advantage, break, edge; aid, assistance,
benefit, boost, handmaiden (also handmaid), help
Change of guard
th
17 Feb 2017
In action as well as inaction, Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao stuck (फँसा हुआ) to the constitutional options available to
him as he grappled (सभड र्जाना) with the rapid twists and turns in the political developments in Tamil Nadu over the
last two weeks. There may be some things he could have done differently, but he called the big decisions right. Now,
no one disputes that he did the right thing by waiting for the Supreme Court verdict in the disproportionate (अप्रमाण)
wealth case against V.K. Sasikala. He also didn’t waste too much time before swearing in Edappadi K. Palaniswami as
Chief Minister once he was elected leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Legislature Party
following the judgment. To have allowed Ms. Sasikala to become Chief Minister at a time when the judgment was
imminent (अभ़ी होऩे िाला) or to have given outgoing Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam more time to muster (एकत्र
करना) support in the State Assembly would have been serious lapses on the Governor’s part. He did well to ignore
the curious advice of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who advocated a composite floor test. Leaving aside whether
or not this suggestion reflected the desire of the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership at the Centre, which seemed
favourably disposed to Mr. Panneerselvam, it would have resulted in splitting the AIADMK down the middle and
plunging (र्जल्दी स़े आि़े बढ़ऩेिाला) the State into political instability. There are precedents (आगिकाररक ननणणय ) for a
composite floor test, but these were conducted in truly extraordinary circumstances and when specifically mandated
by the judiciary. The situation in Tamil Nadu did not warrant such a course.
By backing Mr. Palaniswami, the Sasikala camp may have succeeded in preventing further erosion of support among
the public for the AIADMK, which seemed in danger of imploding (अन्तःस्फोट) at one time. The new Chief Minister
belongs to the dominant Gounder community and enjoys a support base independent of the Sasikala clan. Unlike
Mr. Panneerselvam, who was something of a diehard Sasikala loyalist before he switched sides, Mr. Palaniswami is
known to keep his own counsel. But given the peculiar (ख़ास) situation he finds himself in, he will probably have no
choice but to carry along the members of the Sasikala clan. Particularly, he will have to work in close coordination
with T.T.V. Dinakaran, Ms. Sasikala’s nephew, who will now run the party in her absence as the recently nominated
deputy general secretary. It will be no surprise if Mr. Dinakaran, who was removed from the AIADMK in 2011 by
Jayalalithaa for “interfering with government administration”, attempts to influence the affairs of the State
government. Mr. Palaniswami will have to deal with such pressures, perhaps even rise above them, in the interests
of Tamil Nadu. Many in the AIADMK have been tainted (बबिडा हुआ) by corruption charges, and the onus (दानयत्ि) is
on him to replace those memories in the public mind with more immediate concerns of growth and development.
He will have to save the AIADMK from itself.
1. Stuck
Synonyms and Antonyms of stuck
firmly positioned in place and difficult to dislodge <the car was hopelessly stuck in the mud>
Synonyms fast, firm, frozen, jammed, lodged, set, snug, tight, wedged
Related Words bonded, cemented, glued; anchored, clamped; embedded (also imbedded), entrenched (also
intrenched), impacted, implanted; attached, bound, fastened, secured; immovable, unyielding
Near Antonyms detached, dislodged, freed, loosened, unattached, unbound, undone, unfastened, unsecured;
movable (or moveable), yielding
Antonyms insecure, loose
2. Grappled
Synonyms and Antonyms of grapple
the act or manner of holding <was simply unable to break my opponent's viselike grapple and lost the wrestling
match>
Synonyms clasp, clench, hold, grasp, grip, handgrip, handhold
Related Words anchorage, leverage, purchase; grab, seizure; foothold, footing, toehold; clinch, embrace, hug
Near Antonyms release, relinquishment
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another <after a grapple with his conscience, he confessed to having
an affair>
Synonyms ball game, battle, combat, competition, conflict, confrontation, contention, dogfight, duel, face-off,
contest, match, rivalry, strife, struggle, sweepstakes (also sweep-stake), tug-of-war, war, warfare
Related Words horse race, nail-biter; showdown; clash, collision, discord, friction; argument, controversy, debate,
disagreement, disputation, dispute, dissension (also dissention), quarrel, row, wrangle
Near Antonyms concord, harmony, peace
3. Imminent
Synonyms and Antonyms of imminent
giving signs of immediate occurrence <a storm is imminent, so you should seek shelter now>
Synonyms impending, looming, pending, threatening
Related Words approaching, coming, forthcoming, future, near, nearing, oncoming, upcoming; brewing, gathering;
likely, possible, probable; inevitable, unavoidable; apocalyptic (also apocalyptical), lowering, menacing, ominous,
portentous; anticipated, awaited, expected, foreseen, predicted
Phrases around the corner
Near Antonyms distant, far-off, remote; eventual, ultimate; bygone, former, past; late, recent
being soon to appear or take place <an imminent development that should radically transform how we treat the
disease>
Synonyms approaching, coming, forthcoming, impending, nearing, oncoming, pending, proximate, upcoming
Related Words future; anticipated, awaited, expected, foreseen, predicted
Near Antonyms bygone, erstwhile, foregone, former, old, onetime, other, past, quondam, sometime, whilom
Antonyms late, recent
4. Muster
Synonyms and Antonyms of muster
a body of people come together in one place <a muster of concerned citizens>
Synonyms assemblage, assembly, conference, congregation, convocation, ingathering, meeting, gathering
Related Words company, consort, coterie, gang, pack; caucus, forum, market, panel, rally, symposium, synod;
audience, gallery, grandstand, house; crowd, flock, horde, legion, multitude, press, swarm, throng; crush, mob,
rabble, rabblement
a number of things considered as a unit <considering the muster of suggestions that were submitted for “word of
the year”>
Synonyms array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, block, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, clutch, collection,
constellation, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, group, package, parcel, passel, set, suite
Related Words accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomeration; agglomeration, assortment, hodgepodge,
jumble, miscellany, mixture, odds and ends, sundries, variety; cycle, run, series, suit
Near Antonyms entity, item, single,
5. Plunging
Synonyms and Antonyms of plunge
an act or instance of diving <a plunge off a diving board>
Synonyms pitch, dive
Related Words dip, immersion, submersion; fall, plump, slip, spill, stumble, tumble; descent, drop; belly flop, header,
jackknife, swan dive
Near Antonyms jump, leap
the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude <an overnight plunge in temperature sent the thermometer to
below the freezing mark>
Synonyms dip, dive, down, drop, fall, nosedive, descent
Related Words comedown, decline, downfall, downgrade; plummeting, sinking
Near Antonyms advance, headway, progress, progression; betterment, improvement
Antonyms ascent, climb, rise, rising, soaring, upswing, upturn
6. Precedents
going before another in time or order <behavior that may be explained by a precedent event in her troubled life>
Synonyms antecedent, anterior, foregoing, former, previous, preceding, prior
Related Words advance, early, premature; earliest, first, inaugural, initial, maiden, original, pioneer; preexisting;
introductory, preliminary; erstwhile, whilom
Near Antonyms advanced, late; closing, concluding, final, last, latest, latter, terminal, ultimate
Antonyms after, ensuing, following, later, posterior, subsequent, succeeding
7. Imploding
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure <a controlled demolition during which the entire building imploded
in a matter of seconds>
Synonyms buckle, cave (in), crumple, founder, give, go, go out, collapse, tumble, yield
Related Words deflate, flatten, melt, melt down; break, break down, conk (out), crash, die, fail, give out, stall; burst,
shatter, smash, splinter, split; crack, crumble, pop, snap
Near Antonyms inflate, rise, swell
8. Peculiar
Synonyms and Antonyms of peculiar
being out of the ordinary <a writer with a peculiar talent for capturing the feel of everyday conversation>
Synonyms aberrant, aberrated, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, especial, exceeding, extraordinaire, extraordinary,
freak, odd, exceptional, phenomenal, preternatural, rare, singular, uncommon, uncustomary, unique, unusual,
unwonted
Related Words conspicuous, notable, noticeable, outstanding, prominent, remarkable, salient, striking; bizarre,
deviant, eccentric, freakish, monstrous, oddball, outlandish, quaint, strange, weird; incomprehensible, inconceivable,
incredible, unimaginable, unthinkable
Near Antonyms everyday, familiar, frequent
Antonyms common, customary, normal, ordinary, typical, unexceptional, unextraordinary, usual
9. Tainted
Synonyms and Antonyms of tainted
containing foreign or lower-grade substances <tainted groundwater that is unfit to drink>
Synonyms adulterate, adulterated, alloyed, contaminated, dilute, diluted, polluted, impure, thinned, weakened
Related Words unclarified, unfiltered, unrefined; befouled, begrimed, bemired, besmirched, corrupted, debased,
defiled, dirtied, fouled, maculate (or maculated), soiled, spoiled, sullied; blended, commingled, incorporated,
intermingled, intermixed, merged, mingled, mixed; coalesced, combined, compounded; cheapened, doctored
Near Antonyms clarified, filtered, purified, refined, ultrarefined; neat, plain, straight; concentrated, strong;
uncombined; pasteurized; sterile, sterilized; clean, immaculate, spotless, stainless, unsoiled, unsullied
Antonyms fine, pure, ultrapure, unadulterated, unalloyed, uncontaminated, uncut, undiluted, unmixed, unpolluted,
untainted
10.
Onus
Synonyms and Antonyms of onus
a mark of guilt or disgrace <hoping to avoid the onus of failure by lowering expectations ahead of time>
Synonyms blot, brand, stain, slur, smirch, smudge, spot, stigma, taint
Related Words black eye, discredit, disesteem, disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, guilt, ignominy, infamy, obloquy,
odium, opprobrium, reproach, shame; corruption, debauchery, depravity, immorality, iniquity, licentiousness, sin,
unscrupulousness, vice
Near Antonyms award, credit, honor; chasteness, chastity, modesty, purity, stainlessness; good, right; honesty,
integrity, legitimacy, probity, rectitude, scrupulousness, uprightness; goodness, righteousness, virtuousness; fame,
glory, renown, repute
responsibility for wrongdoing or failure <he perpetually tries to shift the onus for any mistakes onto other team
members>
Synonyms culpability, fault, guilt, blame, rap
Related Words blameworthiness, complicity, guiltiness, sinfulness; accusation, censure, condemnation,
denunciation, finger-pointing, reproach; regret, remorse, self-reproach, shame
Antonyms blamelessness, faultlessness, guiltlessness, innocence
Bravo, ISRO! Now for the heavylifting
th
17 Feb 2017
Launching 104 satellites into space in one rocket called PSLV-C37 is, no doubt, a triumph (सफलता) of India’s space
research. It is an achievement on a global scale as well, sort of. While the number of satellites launched is more than
three times the previous record for simultaneous launches, set by Russia in 2014, the combined weight of the
satellites was a mere 1.3 tonnes, of which a cartography (मानगचत्रण) satellite weighed more than 700 kg. The rest
were nano-satellites, each weighing a few kilograms.
The Indian National Committee for Space Research, founded in 1962 at the initiative of Jawaharlal Nehru and Vikram
Sarabhai, metamorphosed (बदल द़े ना) into Isro in 1969, barely a month after humankind’s first walk on the Moon.
Conquest of the final frontier has been a work in progress, for all nations. Two commercial entities, Jeff Bezos’ Blue
Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, are serious contenders (मक
ु ाबला करऩे िाला) in the satellite launch business. India’s
space programme has been spectacularly (असािारण रूप स़े) low-cost. However, its ability to launch heavy payloads
remains limited — anything above four tonnes stumps it. Isro’s GSLV series of launch vehicles have an indigenous
(स्िद़े श़ी) cryogenic engine, after a long delay. But their boosting power remains small. While Isro must continue
indigenous work on rockets, materials, guidance systems, etc, it must proactively (अग्रसक्रिय) source available
technology from around the world.
One consequence of India’s nuclear deal with the US has been its membership of the Missile Technology Control
Regime (MTCR), secured last year, and liberation from assorted technology-denial sanctions that had been imposed
after India’s nuclear tests. As an MTCR member, India’s access to rocket and related technology is much broader
than it was, prior to that membership. India must use the new access it has to identify and procure the technologies
it needs, to enhance its satellite-launch capability. India can and must stop reliance on foreign launchers for its
communication satellites. Further, it must become a significant player in the market for heavier satellites as well.
1. Triumph
Synonyms and Antonyms of triumph
a successful result brought about by hard work <getting into Harvard is quite a triumph>
Synonyms achievement, acquirement, attainment, baby, coup, success, accomplishment
Related Words blockbuster, hit, jackpot, megahit, miracle, smash, winner; conquest, gain, victory, win; skill; deed,
feat, performance; arrival, completion, consummation, culmination, execution, fruition, fulfillment (or fulfilment),
implementation, realization
Near Antonyms botch, cock-up [British], mess, muddle, shambles; bummer, bust, catastrophe, debacle (also
débâcle), disaster, dud, failure, fiasco, fizzle, flop, washout; disappointment, letdown, loss, setback
Antonyms nonachievement
an instance of defeating an enemy or opponent <our stunning triumph on the field won us the title of regional
champs>
Synonyms palm, victory, win
Related Words capture, conquest, mastery, subjugation, vanquishing; blowout, landslide, laugher, romp, runaway,
shutout, sweep, walkaway, walkover; squeaker; success; takeover
Near Antonyms upset; collapse, debacle (also débâcle), disaster, failure, fizzle, flop, nonsuccess, washout; decline,
slip, slump, wane; lurch, setback
Antonyms beating, defeat, drubbing, licking, loss, overthrow, rout, shellacking, trimming, whipping
2. Cartography
Definition of cartography
: the science or art of making maps
3. Metamorphosed
Synonyms and Antonyms of metamorphose
to change in form, appearance, or use <a science fiction story in which radiation metamorphoses people into giant
bugs>
Synonyms alchemize, make over, convert, transfigure, transform, transmute, transpose, transubstantiate
Related Words adjust, alter, modify, recast; redefine, redesign, redo, reengineer, refashion, regenerate, remake,
remodel, revamp, revise, rework, vary; deform, disfigure, distort, mutate, transmogrify; displace, replace, substitute,
supplant
4. Indigenous
Synonyms and Antonyms of indigenous
belonging to a particular place by birth or origin <the culture of the indigenous people of that country>
Synonyms aboriginal, autochthonous, born, domestic, endemic, native
Related Words local, regional; original
Near Antonyms imported, introduced, transplanted; alien, exotic, foreign, strange; expatriate, immigrant
Antonyms nonindigenous, nonnative
being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing <the drive to create that is indigenous to humanity>
Synonyms built-in, constitutional, constitutive, essential, hardwired, immanent, inborn, inbred, inherent, ingrain,
ingrained (also engrained), innate, integral, intrinsic, native, natural
Related Words basic, deep-rooted, elemental, fundamental; congenital, hereditary, inherited, inmost, inner, interior;
internal; characteristic, distinctive, peculiar; habitual, inveterate; normal, regular, typical
Near Antonyms alien, foreign; accidental, coincidental, incidental; acquired, adscititious; superficial, surface;
exterior, external
Antonyms adventitious, extraneous, extrinsic
5. Proactive
Synonyms and Antonyms of proactive
having or showing awareness of and preparation for the future <proactive decision by the city fathers to plan for the
eventual withering away of the region's manufacturing base>
Synonyms farseeing, farsighted, forehanded, foreseeing, forethoughtful, forward, forward-looking, prescient,
foresighted, provident, visionary
Related Words careful, cautious, heedful; discerning, insightful, perceptive, percipient, prudent, sagacious, sage,
sapient, wise
Near Antonyms careless, heedless, incautious
Antonyms half-baked, half-cocked, improvident, myopic, shortsighted
Getting Seeds Bill good, but what of GM controls
th
17 Feb 2017
Since the target of doubling farmers’ incomes in five years is a challenging one, it is not surprising the government is
thinking of reintroducing—according to a report in The Economic Times—the Seeds Bill; the Bill, first introduced in
2004 was last introduced in 2014, but has not been able to clear the floor. The proposed legislation’s primary focus is
to guarantee the quality of seeds for farmers, and it plans to do this through the establishment of central- and statelevel seed committees and testing laboratories that will analyse the efficacy (क्षमता) of various seeds—to the extent
new seeds do not deliver the promised results, the Bill provides for compensation for farmers from seed firms. The
Bill also has a provision for registration of transgenic varieties of seeds which is controversial given the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh’s opposition to this and the fact that neither the Seeds Act of 1996 nor the Plant Varieties and
Farmers’ Rights Act (PVFRA) of 2001 have such a provision.
With the NITI Aayog espousing (ग्रहण करना) the cause of GM technology, it is believed the government plans to use
the Seeds Bill to signal its commitment to better technology and R&D in seeds. But it will require more than just the
Seeds Bill to indicate an unequivocal (स्पष्ट) change in stance. For one, though GM mustard has passed the the
Genetic Engineering Approval Committee’s bio-safety test, it remains held up, and Bt brinjal has still not been
cleared for use despite the fact that neighbouring Bangladesh has already started using it. Even in the case of Bt
cotton that is being used, the current government brought in a cotton-seed price-control order that lowered the
royalty given to Monsanto, even though this was a commercial agreement between the tech firm and the buyers; a
subsequent order sought to put a cap on royalties as well as put out a plan to reduce them over a period of time—
while a public outcry (कडा विरोि) forced the government to say the order was just a discussion proposal, until the
cotton-seed price-control order is withdrawn, the net impact on seed-tech firms is the same; which is why,
Monsanto has withdrawn its application for introducing the next generation of Bt cotton technology in the country.
How the government plans to approach GM technology is not clear, but it is worth keeping in mind that while the
Seeds Bill allows registration of transgenic varieties, it also says “a kind or variety of seed containing any technology,
which is harmful, or potentially harmful, shall not be registered” and the explanation to this clearly says “the
expression ‘technology’ includes genetic use restriction technology and terminator technology”.
1. Efficacy
Synonyms and Antonyms of efficacy
the power to produce a desired result <questioned the efficacy of the alarms in actually preventing auto theft>
Synonyms edge, effectiveness, effectualness, efficaciousness, efficacity, efficiency, productiveness
Related Words ability, capability, capacity; potency, puissance, strength
Near Antonyms inability, inadequacy, inadequateness, incompetence, incompetency
Antonyms ineffectiveness, ineffectuality, ineffectualness, inefficiency
2. Espousing
Synonyms and Antonyms of espouse
to give in marriage <a couple eager to espouse their eldest daughter>
Synonyms marry, match, wed
Related Words commit, engage; affiance, betroth, pledge, promise
to take as a spouse <heeded his father's advice to espouse someone with whom he had common interests>
Synonyms marry, wed
Related Words affiance, betroth, commit, engage, pledge, promise, propose; remarry
Near Antonyms separate (from)
Antonyms divorce
to take for one's own use (something originated by another) <after working among them for two years in the Peace
Corps, she felt compelled to espouse the peasants' cause for social justice>
Synonyms borrow, embrace, adopt, take on, take up
Related Words domesticate, naturalize; appropriate, arrogate, take over, usurp; absorb, assimilate, incorporate,
quote; cherish, prize, treasure; cultivate, follow, heed, honor; use, utilize; bring up, foster, nurture, raise, rear; affect,
assume, copy, imitate, pretend, put on, simulate
Near Antonyms abandon, forsake, give up, relinquish, surrender; abjure, abnegate, disown; reject, renounce,
repudiate, spurn; discard, jettison, junk, throw away, throw out
3. Unequivocal
Synonyms and Antonyms of unequivocal
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation <few of the candidates have yet staked out
unequivocal positions on the hot-button issues>
Synonyms apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, broad, clear-cut, crystal clear, decided, distinct, evident,
lucid, luculent, luminous, manifest, nonambiguous, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, pellucid, perspicuous,
plain, ringing, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unambivalent, clear, unmistakable
Related Words cognizable, cognoscible, comprehendible, comprehensible, digestible, fathomable, graspable,
intelligible, knowable, understandable; self-evident, self-explanatory; clean-cut, simple, tidy, uncomplicated; overt,
undisguised; appreciable, perceptible, recognizable, sensible, tangible; discernible (also discernable), noticeable,
observable, visible; black-and-white, explicit, trenchant, well-defined; clean, decipherable, fair, legible, readable
Near Antonyms incomprehensible, indecipherable, unfathomable, unintelligible, unknowable; impalpable,
imperceptible, inappreciable, indiscernible, insensible; cloudy, gauzy, gray (also grey), hazy, imprecise, indefinite,
indeterminate, misty, murky, nebulous, noncommital, sketchy, slippery, subtle, vague; illegible, undecipherable,
unreadable
Antonyms ambiguous, clouded, cryptic, dark, enigmatic (also enigmatical), equivocal, indistinct, mysterious,
nonobvious, obfuscated, obscure, unapparent, unclarified, unclear, unclouded
so clearly expressed as to leave no doubt about the meaning <the directions on the vial state in clear and
unequivocal language that the drug should not be taken by pregnant women>
Synonyms clear-cut, definite, definitive, express, specific, unambiguous, explicit, univocal
Related Words avowed, declared, specified, stated; categorical (also categoric), complete, comprehensive,
exhaustive, full; certain, sure, unmistakable; clear, distinct, lucid, well-defined; exact, precise; direct, literal, plain,
simple, straightforward; comprehensible, intelligible, understandable
Near Antonyms cryptic, dark, enigmatic (also enigmatical), obscure, unclear; imprecise, inaccurate, incorrect,
inexact; incomprehensible, unintelligible
Antonyms implicit, implied, inferred; ambiguous, circuitous; equivocal, indefinite, inexplicit, unspecific, vague
4. Outcry
Synonyms and Antonyms of outcry
a violent shouting <I went to the window to see what the sudden outcry from the street below was about>
Synonyms howl, hubbub, hue and cry, hullabaloo, noise, clamor, roar, tumult, uproar, vociferation
Related Words clangor, din, jangle, racket; cri de coeur, outburst, protest
Near Antonyms mumble, mumbling, murmur, murmuring, rumble, rumbling