Singh Answers Sought as Worst Power Crisis May Hurt Growth

Keeping the lights on has emerged as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s most immediate challenge.

The economy growing at its slowest pace in nearly a decade, the prospect of a drought, and having his government battered by 18 months of policy reversals and corruption allegations were bad enough. Two power-grid collapses in 36 hours have left 600 million people sweating through a failing monsoon, heaping more pressure on a prime minister whose legacy as an economic manager is coming under increasing scrutiny.