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Purpose: The pulp and paper industry has been the focus of government policies ever since independence. This is the only industry where government plays a multi-dimensional role – not only as the regulator but also as the supplier of raw material and as the buyer. Despite the government's omnipotent role, there is evidence that industry is not very competitive, as it has very high energy and water intensity and poor productivity. A potent factor identified in the literature for the underperformance of the industry or for that matter any economy is the kind of technology used by the firms in the sector. This paper aims to look into the role of government policy in affecting the growth of the industry and what role embodied technology has played in influencing the efficiency of firms in Indian pulp and paper industry. Design/methodology/approach: For the first question, the study uses 66 years of production data of the industry from 1951 to 2016 and tests for the structural break. For the second question, the study uses cross-section plant-level data for the year 2011-2012 of 160 paper manufacturing units to first estimate the stochastic production frontier (stochastic frontier analysis [SFA]) and then uses the output of SFA to find an association between embodied technology gap (TG) and technical efficiency. A methodological problem in earlier literature is the use of the productivity gap as a proxy for embodied TG. The present study uses technical parameters of papermaking – machine deckle and operating speed – to construct an index of TG. Findings: The results show a structural break in the production trend occurring in 1999 with the delicensing in July 1997 as the possible cause. The SFA results show that the average technical inefficiency (TE) of the firms in the sector is 74 per cent with half of the firms having TE higher than 76 per cent. The study, however, does not find any impact of embodied TG on technical efficiency; rather it is the age, size, ownership and location that have an impact on it. Originality/value: This is an original research, as the author has not come across any study in Indian context or elsewhere using technical parameters to construct TG variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smokeless tobacco (SLT) use is widespread across many nations and populations, and India shares more than three-quarters of the global burden of SLT consumption. Tobacco use in India has been largely viewed as a male-dominant behaviour. However, evidence from medical, social and behavioural sciences show significant SLT use among women and young girls. This paper highlights key dimensions of SLT use among women in India including prevalence and determinants, the health effects arising from SLT use and cessation behaviours. The paper concludes by providing recommendations with the aim of setting research priorities and policy agenda to achieve a tobacco-free society. The focus on women and girls is essential to achieve the national targets for tobacco control under the National Health Policy, 2017, and Sustainable Development Goals 3 of ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family medicine is the internationally recognized nomenclature for the academic discipline, knowledge domain, and medical specialty of primary care doctors, working in the community setting. Family medicine is defined as a specialty of medicine which is concerned with providing comprehensive care to individuals and families by integrating biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences in the community setting. The distinction of family medicine lies in the tradition of medical generalism, promoting whole person care, in a life cycle mode; providing optimal preventive, promotive, and curative healthcare services in a wide spectrum of setting from home to hospital. In 2016, 92nd report of the department‑related parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare on the “Functioning of the Medical Council of India” has emphasized the need for postgraduate in family medicine. The committee report has noted that “the medical education system is designed in a way that the concept of family physicians has been ignored. The committee recommends that the Government of India in coordination with State Governments should establish robust PG Programs in Family Medicine and facilitate introduction of Family Medicine discipline in all medical colleges. This will not only minimize the need for frequent referrals to specialist and decrease the load on tertiary care but also provide continuous healthcare for the individuals and families. The successive National Health Policies of Government of India–NHP 2002 and 2017 have emphasized the need of family medicine training in India. The recently enacted National Medical Commission Act 2019 has mandated NMC to promote training in family medicine at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Therefore, in the background of the stated policies of the Government of India the concept of family doctors, which was earlier neglected should be institutionalized within the mainstream medical education system of India. It is now time to accelerate and upgrade family medicine training and thereby strengthen the concept of comprehensive primary care in India. This white paper presents the review of family medicine training in India and proposes a way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood development (ECD) refers to the physical, motor, socio-emotional, cognitive, and linguistic development of a young child. The 'Countdown to 2030' global distribution of 'children at risk of poor development' indicates the need for urgent action and investment in ECD. Nurturing care enhances ECD, even in the presence of adversities. Strategic actions should exist at multiple levels: the family, community, health care providers and government. Previously, child health related policies and programs of the Government of India functioned in isolation, but have recently started demonstrating multi-sectoral collaboration. Nonetheless, the status of ECD in India is far from optimal. There is strong evidence that parenting programs improve outcomes related to ECD. This is dependent on key programmatic areas (timing, duration, frequency, intensity, modality, content, etc.), in addition to political will, funding, partnership, and plans for scaling up. Each country must implement its unique ECD program that is need-based and customized to their stakeholder community. Barriers like inadequate sensitization of the community and low competency of health care providers need to be overcome. IAP firmly believes that responsive parenting interventions revolving around nurturing care should be incorporated in office practice. This paper outlines IAP's position on ECD, and its recommendations for pediatricians and policy makers. It also presents the roadmap in partnership with other stakeholders in maternal, neonatal, and child health; Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), National Neonatology Forum (NNF), World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive case study of Mumbai (Bombay), India was undertaken to investigate the economic, social and environmental impact of international trade of waste paper for recycling purposes between industrialized and developing countries. Analysis of a Western approach vis-a-vis informal policy for waste paper recovery concludes that employment is maximum under informal policy measure and public response playsan important role in maintaining environmental quality. The study further shows that income inequality is more under informal policy, andwithout policy public cost will increase continuously in the future.The net present value of the informal policy is found to be higher than that for the formal policy. Econometric study on input substitution in the Indian paper industry suggests limited substitution possibilities between domestic and imported waste paper. Results from a static material balance flow model indicate that environmental impacts are less with increased trade and economically the paper sector in India benefits from free trade. Based upon the results of the study, somepolicy recommendations have been made that may enhance the efficiency of waste paper recycling in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to examine the relationship between competitivenessand environment-friendly behaviour of producers under an economic liberalisation regime. For that purpose, it employs a probit model and estimates the influence of the prime movers of industrial growth suchas technical change and economies of scale on environmental degradation. The empirical results of the study of pulp and paper industry, identified as one of the most polluting industries in India, indicate that these variables, as the key players of competitiveness improvement, have positive influence on environment-friendly behaviour. Such findings, therefore, fail to provide support to a view that articulates ruthless exploitation of the environment under economic liberalisation programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's food processing industry is a sunrise sector and can scale new highs to supply good quality, nutritious, hygienically-produced and packed food products to the consumer and ensure better income for the growers. Rising incomes and a demand for healthy, packaged food ensure its sustenance without fear of recession. In India, this industry has a dualistic structure - organized and unorganized. There is substantial marketing importance of this industry. However, the extent of processing is still at a nascent stage, and the supply chain gaps and losses are the biggest challenges faced by the industry in India. The objective of this paper is to analyse different aspects of food processing industry in India and covers its importance, growth, potential, problems, and government policy. In the end, the paper carried out the SWOT analysis and offers a few policy steps required for exploiting opportunities that lie ahead food processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper delves into the intricate domain of policy science, focusing on the policy-making process itself. Existing theoretical frameworks in policy science often overlook essential nuances, particularly the role of political willingness causing non-linearity in the policy-making process. Three fundamental questions drive the research at hand. First, the research delves into the adequacy of existing policy frameworks in effectively elucidating the complexities of policymaking in the context of large democracies, with a particular focus on India. Second, it investigates the significant role of political willingness in shaping the trajectory of policymaking, particularly within democratic systems. Lastly, the research aims to construct a comprehensive framework capable of accommodating and explaining the non-linear dynamics introduced by the influence of political willingness throughout the policy-making process. Through an analysis of India's Data Protection Regulation formulation process, this paper attempts to map the existing gap and way forward. As an outcome of the case study analysis, the proposed framework introduces political willingness as a central element extending the policy formulation cycle and showcases its influence on agenda setting, policy formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation. This research contributes to the field of policy science by providing a comprehensive framework that accounts for the complexities of policymaking, especially in the Indian context. By acknowledging the pivotal role of political willingness, this framework seeks to bridge the gap in existing theoretical models, offering a more holistic understanding of policy formulation and analysis. This research lays the foundation for a paradigm shift in the study of policy science, addressing the challenges posed by evolving governance mechanisms and the rising influence of political agendas in the modern world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global commitments to the education of children with disabilities, have led to progressive policy developments in India, and a surge in the enrolment of children who were traditionally excluded from the formal education system. This paper examines the perceptions and practices of mainstream teachers in rural government schools, within the context of increased learner diversity, focusing on how teachers understand, and respond to, the needs of children with disabilities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers and classroom observations, in six primary schools, in three districts of Haryana. Our findings suggest that deficit-oriented views dominated teacher thinking, but they showed a readiness to engage with disability issues, recognising the value of education for all. However, they struggled in their classroom practices in relation to meeting diverse learner needs and exclusionary practices were further amplified for children with disabilities. Teachers were unwilling to take responsibility for the learning of children with disabilities, expressing significant concerns about their own preparedness, while highlighting the lack of effective and appropriate support structures. The paper concludes by drawing attention to the pressing need for effective teacher professional development opportunities and other support structures, to provide quality education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infrastructure sector is one of the major pillars for economic growth and development of a country. The responsibility to develop this crucial sector is shifting away from the public to the private sector. After the economic liberalization in 1991, India opened the infrastructure sector, among many others, to private domestic and foreign investment. The shortage of electricity, the poor state of roads, and limited telecom access necessitated a stream of persistent reforms, which were expected to play a significant role in the infrastructure sector's growth. Although some subsectors witnessed success, others continued to face hurdles. The paper highlights the role of infrastructure in socio‐economic development through global literature. It also presents a story of infrastructure development in India since the inception of economic liberalization. It highlights various challenges that discourage private sector investments, thus providing a rationale for policy initiatives by the government. The paper also presents critical issues highlighted by multiple government committees over nearly three decades and identifies residual issues that merit attention. The outcomes of the paper are relevant in the context of developing and emerging economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revisiting the citizenship regimes of Myanmar and India through a comparative lens, this article argues that a specter of the "potential foreigner" is decisive in the adjudication of citizenship in both countries. Citizenship is conceptualized not only on the basis of who is a citizen, but a perennial suspicion towards those who may not be. We frame this argument in the context of increasingly restrictive atmospheres in both countries, epitomized by violence towards the Rohingya in Myanmar and the Citizenship Amendment Act in India. This paper employs an historical perspective, tracing the evolution of citizenship since the partitions of Burma and Pakistan from India. It interrogates the very notion of foreignness that is embedded in these discourses, through a detailed description of the religious, ethnic, racial, and administrative "other" etched in the legislative and socio-political fabric of both countries. In order to develop the idea of potential foreigner as a key element of national identity and citizenship policy, the paper examines crucial legislation over the last three-quarters of a century, and the consequences of linking narrowing definitions of ethno-national belonging to citizenship status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multicriteria mathematical modeling is an analytical framework for formally describing real‐life problems involving multiple and conflicting objectives. In the past decade, multicriteria decision‐making techniques have been applied in almost every area of the decision‐making including energy‐economic planning and sustainable development. Various mathematical and analytical models have been presented for the sustainable development planning and their assessment. In this paper, we discuss an approach related to multicriteria decision‐making and apply it for the assessment of the sustainable development goals of India by the year 2030. In the INDC report submitted to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2015, http://www..unfccc.int/submissions/INDC/Published%20Documents/India/1/INDIA%20INDC%20TO%20UNFCCC.pdf), India has identified many goals related to the sustainable development like energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, GVA growth, and an increase in the employment by the year 2030. This paper overcomes the energy resource allocation problem in related literature due to the lack of sectorial data for the same year by calculating the estimates for each sector for the year 2030. We presented a multicriteria decision‐making model which allocates public labor force in the key economic sectors of India. The presented model is validated with the data of the key economic sectors and their contribution in the identified goals. The paper provides a decision support for the better management of future sustainable policies by assessing the efficiencies of the current policies toward future sustainable goals. We evaluated the identified goals using the multicriteria decision‐making approaches so that the strategic planning can be implemented by the policy makers and to present a quantitative justification of planning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Housing policies in India (last modified in 2017) define "affordable housing" on three main parameters – income of the target group, dwelling unit size and house price to income ratio. The Covid-19 pandemic has questioned the robustness of the defining parameters of affordable housing. This paper aims to study the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on housing affordability and adequacy for the urban poor and highlights how one pandemic has directly challenged the practicality of the affordable housing criteria in urban India. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on a pilot test conducted through interviews with the consumer group. Furthermore, the affordable housing policies of urban India were studied in conjunction with the pandemic guidelines laid down by the World Health Organization. The consumer responses were analyzed in relation to the policies and guidelines to arrive at the inferences. The secondary case examples of the Dharavi slums in Mumbai and the Savda Ghevra slum resettlement colony in Delhi, along with the findings of the primary survey in the economically weaker section category, are used to formulate the conclusions. Findings: The pilot test conducted for the target consumer group clearly indicates that (i) the pandemic has severely affected the housing purchase capacity of the target consumer, thereby questioning the "affordability" of housing; (ii) proposed housing solutions are inadequate to enable livability, thereby questioning the "adequacy" of housing; and (iii) proposed housing solutions are inept to accommodate pandemic protocols. The Covid-19 pandemic and the conditions it imposed on the built environment clearly highlight the inadequacy of affordable housing parameters being followed in urban India. Research limitations/implications: Further research may be conducted on global best practices in housing, which may advise the housing policies in India. Practical implications: The study suggests key areas that need intervention and modification to make the housing policies more robust and effective. Social implications: The study explores the social sustainability aspects of housing, which are often considered secondary in policies. Originality/value: Because housing has a direct bearing on the physical, social and mental well-being of society, it is imperative to find housing solutions that are safe and resilient for a sustainable future. This paper is an original attempt by the author to question and highlight how the current affordable housing solutions adopted in urban India will continue to fail under any external adverse conditions unless modifications are considered in the existing housing parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The government of India is the final authority for country-wide policy making and policy implementation in the country. Recent times have witnessed increasing use of data-driven approaches in policy and decision making. This is true for public policy formulation as well. This paper is an effort to highlight how data science and artificial intelligence have the potential to revolutionize the field of public policy in India. The paper discusses some such applications and lists down the likely challenges. An extensive review of the research activities in this field has been undertaken. Cases of data science and artificial intelligence reviewed in this paper span over various sectors of public policy such as- policy making process, health, education, environment, agriculture, economy, and security. This paper, thus, aims to facilitate collaboration in the fields of public policy and data technology, in order to enable higher levels of public service in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heritage is the bedrock of our culture, with a significant impact on politics, society, trade and many other facets of life. It directly and indirectly informs, influences and inspires public debate and policy. With 40 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, of which two are World Heritage Cities, India still has many aspects of its legacy that have yet to be studied and appreciated. Heritage cities have superior employment opportunities and a higher population density than non-heritage cities. This paper describes the aspects and approaches of India's heritage-based city development. The study principally focuses on heritage in the context of India using global principles. It suggests future directions that could be taken to promulgate heritage-based city development in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic situation has forced most of the countries to plummet toward a virtual, distant learning format in recent years since 2020. While there are certain undeniable benefits of a virtual, technology-infused setup, it essentially calls for a complete paradigm shift for a country like India which has otherwise been a practitioner of traditional classroom teaching. Despite that, the recent boom in the EdTech market in India coupled with recent government policies indicate that India is going for that paradigm shift. The key thing to note here is that an EdTech-intensive setup is not as primitive as the traditional one. Its feasibility demands more rigorous infrastructural support. This paper looks into the very basic infrastructural requirements of the system in light of a very straightforward strategic analysis model—Objective and Key Results. Under this setup, India's readiness is measured in terms of the availability of electricity, internet, and digital equipment with the intention of making an accessible, affordable and inclusive EdTech-driven education system. Moving one step further, this paper also tallies the recent policies with the specific shortcomings of the existing system to determine whether or not India is moving on the right path to progress. In a nutshell, it is found that there is ample room for improvement in the current arrangement for implementing a large-scale EdTech-enabled system, but the progress is most certainly happening in the right direction. Recent policies make quite an argument in favor of doing away with the digital divide and building an effective and inclusive EdTech-powered education system for the future generations of citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using India as a theory building case, this paper puts forward a theoretical framework for understanding countries' responses to global rules and implementation effects across diverse global governance regimes and contexts. The initial premise for this paper is that the strategic structure of implementation dilemmas faced by states and actors within countries need to be understood in addition to design dilemmas. Successful global regimes must not only solve cooperation and uncertainty problems at the initial stages in choosing the right institutional matrix, but also 'require changes in domestic institutions.' The need to change domestic institutions creates certain implementation dilemmas. These dilemmas are a joint product of the institutional design, specific policy issue and the domestic logic of responses after international agreements have been signed. This broader idea helps understand a wide variety of India's interactions across global governance institutions. I also suggest a novel empirical strategy of cross-institutional analysis to assess implementation dilemmas. While we have numerous cross-national studies of how compliance occurs in a wide variety of countries, we lack theory-driven, empirically grounded, comparative studies of a single country or a group of countries across diverse global regimes. Such a framework can help us better understand how countries interact with a variety of global institutions and the reciprocal effects. This framework is then used to understand India's interactions with diverse global regimes in an illustrative manner in this article, and in greater detail by other authors in the section published in this issue of Contemporary South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper describes the shared ideas around feminism and social work profession. Based on the theoretical discourses, it attempts to contextualise the practice framework for feminist social work. It seeks to present few efficacious initiatives in the form of case studies from Indian grassroots and highlight various success stories based on social work practice from a feminist perspective. The central idea of the paper is to explore learning insights from the field based on successful practice based models and how these can be amalgamated to develop an indigenous framework for the practice of feminist social work in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eliminating poverty by 2030 is the main target of Sustainable Development Goal 1(SDG1). India had an ambitious target of cutting down its poverty rate to 10.95% from 21.92%, by 2030. This review has the objective to consolidate the literature related to SDG1 in India, since 2015 and to identify futuristic research niches. This research focuses on the research questions of identifying the public policy initiatives in India for achieving SDG1 and the performance of various indicators of SDG1 in India. Forty‐one peer‐reviewed articles related to SDG1 in India are selected from the sources of Web of Science and consolidated the findings of these works of literature by using the indicators of NITI Aayog as the themes; described the empirical papers by highlighting the key variables and findings. This research had identified the health insurance penetration; slum rehabilitation and rejuvenation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) are the futuristic areas for research. This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge and recommends the key areas to be focused on achieving SDG1 in India. This review can help readers in understanding better methods of poverty eradication. High spirits are recommended from the implementing authorities to meet the objectives of indicators of poverty, better housing, health insurance penetration to households, and for the generation of employment and consumption by the scheme of MGNREGA. Moreover, a realistic picture of poverty eradication in India may be possible by using more indicators covering all the targets of SDG1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hindu civilizationism is more than a century old phenomenon that has been steadily gaining strength. Its recent amalgam with populism has made it ascendant, popular, and mainstream in India. This paper explores how Hindu civilizationism is not only an essential part of the Hindutva and BJP's narrative but also the mainstay of several government policies. The "other" of the BJP's populist civilizationist rhetoric are primarily Muslims and Muslim civilization in India and the aim is to make India "vishwaguru" (world leader) again after 1200 years of colonialism. The evidence of this heady mixture of civilizationism and populism is numerous and ubiquitous. This paper analyzes topics such as Akhand Bharat, the golden age, denigrating Mughals, Hindutva pseudoscience, and Sanskrit promotion to highlight the evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a detailed analysis of the visual imagery as well as the verbal mode of narration, in Sarnath Banerjee’s Graphic narrative All Quiet in Vikaspuri, the study suggests that the water-deprived, postapocalyptic world that Banerjee reflects, is a spitting image of the Anthropogenic water crisis in India. Drawing theoretical insights from Madhav Gadgil, Ramachandra Guha and Dipesh Chakrabarty, the paper attempts to suggest the “Great Indian Water Crisis” is fueled by “short-termism,” increased corporate privatization of water, myopic government development policies and erection of dams and other capitalist structures. The paper also aims to uncover how sociopolitical “slow-violence” is rendered to the natural resources under the garb of “Vikas” (development) and privatization. By contriving the narrative around the quest for the river Saraswati, Banerjee draws attention to the ever-so-real issue of groundwater overextraction in India, leading to its dipping levels and in turn, depletion. Further, the paper argues that “intermediality” of graphic narration abets Banerjee to cater to “the representational challenges” of the Anthropocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a framework for multilingual language-in-education policy implementation, offered as a critically constructive response to India's recent National Education Policy 2020 (GOI, 2020). Rooted in India's existing educational language policy, our linguistically inclusive 'Languages for Learning' (LFL) framework is, we believe, structurally flexible, socioculturally feasible, economically viable and academically relevant. It aims to foster equity and also to ensure first language support and cognitive independence. Before presenting the framework, we critically review the multilingual policy guidance offered in NEP 2020, then lay out a theoretical foundation for the LFL framework based primarily on current translanguaging theory, and also discuss the history of India's much maligned three-language formula (TLF), which forms the core of language policy in India. The framework itself is presented with reference to specific contextual challenges in India that may also serve to indicate its relevance for other multilingual contexts around the world. As such, the LFL framework is offered as a more multilingually-appropriate alternative to the reductive construct of 'Medium of Instruction', which itself originates in the monolingual habitus of historically outdated language-in-education policy theory. We invite critical evaluations of the utility of our framework, both for India and other multilingual contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a comprehensive agenda that goals to transform the Indian education system to meet the challenges of the 21st century. It introduces several innovative approaches to enhance the quality and inclusivity of education. This research article explores the awareness of first year students in India regarding the NEP 2020. This research article investigates the awareness of students in India belonging undergraduate regarding the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP). The study aims to understand the level of awareness, perception, and engagement of students, who are the stakeholders in these respective groups with the NEP 2020. Primary data was collected by using a structured research instrument through Google forms & analysis was done through basic percentage analysis, bivariate U test keeping in mind the results of data normality along with Association and Reversion analysis. The findings provide insights into the awareness gaps and varying levels of engagement across the different educational levels, offering valuable implications for policymakers and educators to effectively implement the NEP 2020 reforms at each stage of education. This article presents the exact structure of NEP2020 for degree student, awareness about the NEP2020 in first year students and difficulties faced by students while accepting NEP2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender-affirming medical care is the provision of transition-related medical services that support a transgender person's own gender identity. Gender transitioning is a process that requires not only social support but also psychological and medical support, This paper attempts to document the challenges faced by transgender individuals (TG) especially in the context of gender affirming medical care in the Kerala context. The transition process is extremely complex as the preference for such process is varied. Some transgender individuals preferred social transition and/or medical transition to align their gender expression with their gender identity, while others chose to have a gender expression or identity outside the traditional gender binary. In Kerala, despite proactive policy and positive legal support, transgender individuals face many challenges in gender-affirming medical care which include lack of family support and equity-related issues with respect to a number of social support institutions including health services. A few possible interventions are suggested such as changes in medical curriculum, more active State support and sensitization of the society including health workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth suicide is a significant public health problem in Low-and middle-income countries (LMIC), including India. It is a distinct phenomenon with various bio-psycho-social determinants. Despite this, comprehensive literature on this topic is lacking from India. Thus, the current paper aimed to review the available literature on youth-suicide from India and other LMIC, discusses the contentious issues, including potential solutions for the possible roadblocks, and provides recommendations for the national suicide-prevention policy and strategy (NSPPS) in the Indian context. We found that the magnitude of youth suicide in India is substantial with the distinct bio-psycho-social determinants. Although, youth-specific suicide prevention and therapeutic intervention do exist; its feasibility and effectivity in the Indian context are yet to be established. The is an urgent need for the NSPPS; experiences from other LMIC should be incorporated while framing such policies. More research is required from India in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The institutional credit has been devised to play a crucial role in the rural development of India. The public policy on rural credit in India has been focused on institutionalization as a means of providing cheaper credit to farmers. However, the persistence of moneylenders in the rural credit market is still a major concern. This paper is based on a primary field survey and deal with the nature and extent of peasant class differentiation and the nature of access of rural households to rural finance alternatives in West Bengal. Accessibility and distribution of credit will be our major concerns of investigation. We shall try to also explore the role of institutional credit in the process of differentiation. This helps us to understand whether there exists any biased socio-economic framework to access rural finance facilities. In an attempt to study and analyse the ground situation, this study undertook a detailed analysis of all relevant variables to examine the structure of investment and production taking place in West Bengal. The other objective of this paper is to enquire whether there exists any contradiction in objective and principle, the practice of Microfinance run by Government or private or panchayat or cooperative leading to creation of obstacles in the realization of rural development goals. The sample households collected from relatively advanced and backward areas are distributed according to economic classes defined by Patnaik (1976) side by side with the standard acreage groupings. Subsequently, we explored the degree of association between the two criteria and found that the two criteria of households are associated with each other but they are not identical. The analysis in this paper would help us to know first of all, to highlight the agrarian relation and peasant class differentiation in West Bengal on a sample of diversely developed regions. Second, to what extent households are dependent on private sources of credit vis-à-vis the institutional sources, Third, whether credit absorption has something to do with the intensity of class differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developments across the board require an educational backup which requires a robust educational system. The last 50 years have witnessed big leap transformation of applications supported by advancements in science and technology. Even today due to the fast advancement it is difficult to evaluate how usage shapes up in the near future. This requires an upgraded educational structure to cope with the challenges. India has over 1/sixth of the human force representation on the global map and it should contribute strongly to the global development in sync with the human force representation on earth. India responded slowly to the upgradation gap in the education policy and came up with a new one after a gap of 34 years. The new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 of India provides a comprehensive framework from primary education to higher education, vocational & technical education and a new paradigm of internet‐based e‐leanings. Five founding pillars of this policy (i.e., Access, equity, affordability, accountability, and quality) have been considered to build the new education system of India to create a perfect harmony with the principles of United Nations (UN) 2030 agenda for sustainable development. However, the successful implementation of this policy requires a significant structural overhaul in the Indian education system. This paper provides insights into various contours of NEP 2020 and how it aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 targets. This paper looks at how India should step up with caution to achieve the objectives. The paper presents some major loopholes and execution challenges that need to be addressed to truly foster "quality education for all" with the objective of providing value to the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the effect of foreign direct investments on the Indian retail sector. The inflow of foreign direct investments into India's retail sector has growth and boosted the Indian country's GDP. In order to research and assess the effect, government policy and other determinant were also discussed. India's retail industry is booming, with plenty of opportunities. Investing possibilities Until 2006, there were limits on foreign direct investment inflows. The Indian retail sector in India is a rapidly expanding market with numerous investment opportunities. Until 2006, there were limits on foreign direct investment inflows. Since 2006, however, the government has made a positive shift in policy, encouraging foreign companies to invest in the country. India is a great place to invest in and own. The paper looks at how India's retail industry is growing, as well as tax incentives and other factors that affect foreign direct investments inflows. It also looks at the obstacles and threats that allowing a foreign company to invest in India poses to Indian retailers (small, medium, and large). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regime complexes have been discussed in international literature as an intervening variable which bring about policy coherence at national levels. There is a dearth of literature which examines aspects related to the link between global biodiversity regime, national policy coherence and sustainable development goals (SDGs) reporting. By taking the case study of India and using liberal institutional approaches and critical appraisal, this paper seeks to analyse the role of SDGs reporting for promoting coherence between the international biodiversity regime complex and country level planning. This paper will have implications for praxis on biodiversity and sustainable development policy as well as have implications for theory related to liberal institutional scholarship. This paper argues that while the normative scope of the global biodiversity regime has evolved to encompass principles such as scientific enquiry as well as sustainable development, national level reporting on biodiversity related SDGs have to still catch up to facilitate better policy coherence at all levels. Further the paper also calls for a greater science-policy interface to supplement SDG reporting framework towards better understanding of conservation and ecosystem services aspects of biodiversity in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the nuances of the experiences of waiting for state-issued documents and state welfare. Waiting as an everyday experience forms an important aspect of the relationship between socio-economically marginalised groups and the state institutions. In order to examine this relationship, this paper draws upon eight interviews, conducted during December 2017 to February 2018 and in January 2019, among pheriwale. Pheriwale are self-employed traders, in Delhi, India, who collect huge amounts of second-hand/used-clothes and sell them forward to make a living. They largely work in highly precarious informal work environments, lack social security and depend on irregular income. However, as residents of India, they are also regulated through various state measures such as being registered within the national biometric database, as bank account holders and as recipients of public welfare provisions. By focusing on the experiences of pheriwale, findings show that waiting is shaped through intersecting hierarchies of gender, class and caste in the context of India. This article elucidates that a conceptualisation of waiting cannot overlook how the act of waiting for state-issued documents is tied into politics of recognition and redistribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Internal migration has grown intensively in India in the present decades, far greater than international migration, though the latter has received far more attention in literature and public policy. Among internal migrants, seasonal movement is another growing phenomenon in India which has received the least attention till now. The purpose of the study is to show the intensities of short-term morbidity and major morbidity among the rural and urban internal migrants and how such disease burdens have affected the health of regular/permanent and temporary/seasonal migrants. Design/methodology/approach: This present paper has been developed on the basis of data of India Human Development Survey-II (IHDS-II), 2011–2012, has been availed to find out the intensities of short-term morbidity and major morbidity among the rural and urban migrants as well as the health condition of the seasonal migrants. For the analysis of regular or permanent migrants, a total of 3,288 migrants (of which 1,136 rural migrants and 2,152 urban migrants) were surveyed in IHDS-II, 2011–2012, regarding the persistence of different types of short-term morbidity among the migrant class. Two-sample (rural migrants and urban migrants) "t" test for mean difference with unequal variances with null hypothesis – H0: diff = 0, and alternate hypothesis – Ha: diff < 0; Ha: diff > 0 where diff = mean (rural) – mean (urban) has been executed. For the seasonal migrants a sample of 41,424 migrants of which 2,691 seasonal migrant workers and 38,733 non-seasonal migrant workers were surveyed in IHDS-II, 2011–2012, to find out their health condition. OLS regression on the number of medical treatments undertaken in a month on the nature of migrant workers has been conducted. Socio-economic factors (like adult literacy) and basic amenities required for a healthy living (like indoor piped drinking water, separate kitchen in the household, household having a flush toilet, household having electricity and intake of meals everyday) are taken as control variables in the regression analysis. Findings: The results of morbidity analysis in this paper show that the morbidity patterns among the migrants vary with the geographical differences. The short-term morbidity and that of the major morbidity show different proneness to ill health for rural and urban migrants. However, seasonal migrants are more susceptible to ill health than the regular migrants and are also potential for generating health risks. Also lack of provision of basic services creates negative health impact on seasonal migrants. Research limitations/implications: The paper is based on secondary data and hence lacks numerous relevant health issues of migrants in rural and urban sectors which could have been possible through primary data survey. Practical implications: Migration and migrants are a relevant issue both internationally and nationally. Economic development of a country like India depends to a greater extent on the contributions of migrant labourers as majority of the labourers in India belong to informal sector of which most of the workers are from migrant class. Social implications: Migrants contribution to economic development depend on their productive capacity and hence health of these section of people is a relevant issue. This study is based on the morbidity pattern of migrants both regular and seasonal migrants and their susceptibility in various geographical locations and provision of basic amenities. Originality/value: This work is original research study by the author. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration of women or female migration has emerged as an important field of research within the larger domain of migration studies and is being extensively explored under various disciplines. This growing trend can be attributed to some major developments in international migration such as rising numbers of women migrants, growth of women-centric occupations, migration of women in an independent capacity, women-related legislations and growth of gendered perspectives on various issues. These factors together increased the visibility of women in the migration process and have given rise to what has been termed the 'feminization of migration'. This paper explores the various nuances of the feminization of migration and aspects of female migration focusing on India. It begins with an overview of the growing numbers of women in the migratory flows and goes on to determine that despite the rising numbers and increased participation of women in the developmental dynamics of migration, they remain increasingly vulnerable and exposed to exploitation. The paper also highlights some of the critical policy decisions of the Government of India. The paper concludes that feminization of migration has undoubtedly increased the visibility of women in the migration discourse but much more needs to be done in terms of generating appropriate data, highlighting women's role in the developmental process, evolving policies for ensuring their protection and security and above all empowering them and increasing their participation in the labour market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the location of the principles of India’s Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, in the country’s most recent National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and the documents leading up to the policy. It draws on the capability development approach and critical theory that facilitate understanding education as a fundamental right, moving beyond the narrow understanding of education as a mere instrument for the global economy. It also draws on global education policy literature and critical policy analysis lens to examine the assumed policy rationality. Based on a qualitative document analysis the paper argues that the policy does not demonstrate a commitment to the ideas of public-funded elementary education, child-centered democratic learning environment, and bridging the gap between equity and quality. The recommendations signal a further dilution of the RTE mandates. The policy statements and linguistic choices show an allegiance to neoliberal discourses reflecting the influence of global education policy transfer without systematic consideration of the realities of Indian school education. This approach indicates a missing link between the policy aims and social justice, that does not bode well on the educational rights of the marginalised children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a global phenomenon. IPV is a public health, social policy and human rights concern across the globe. It remains a serious issue in Indian context as well. This paper aims to identify the factors associated with IPV using India's nationally representative National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data. Design/methodology/approach: To identify the factors associated with IPV in India, the authors have used binary logistic regression to estimate two models. The outcome variables are women facing physical violence in the first model and sexual violence in the second. The explanatory variables are broadly socio-economic indicators related to the women and a few other indicators related to the characteristics of the household. Findings: The authors found that urban and working women face higher odds of violence. Alcohol consumption by the husband increases the risks of IPV, whereas risk decreases with women's autonomy. Even though the prevalence of physical and sexual violence has decreased by 6.8% and 3.9% from 2005–2006 to 2019–2021, the data shows that women across social, economic and regions still face violence from their partners. However, the physical violence increased from 2015–2016 to 2019–2021. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is a distinct attempt to use pooled data of the nationally representative sets NFHS-3 (2005–2006), NFHS-4 (2015–2016) and NFHS-5 (2019–2021) to study the factors associated with IPV in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Women-centrist policies in India have led to gendered outcomes in education, financial inclusion, and governance. The data also suggests that incidence of domestic violence has reduced. Nevertheless the status of women's autonomy is sometimes threatened in the very family setting that affects all aspects of their lives. The freedom to express and participate equally in household activities and decisions is what matters most to women. The present paper seeks to evaluate such intrinsic gains in women's autonomy. Regression modelling is used to study the relationship between measures of autonomy, empowerment, and various socio-economic indicators and public policies. To examine the role of key legislative enactments, Amendment to the Hindu Inheritance Act (2005) and Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005), dummy variables were introduced in the regression. The data used for the statistical analyses is sourced from National Family Health Surveys, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The results show that while literacy always supports women's participation in household decisions, language and culture are important to understand the regional differences in impact of gender interventions. The Amendment to the Hindu Inheritance Act (2005), has a consistent positive influence on all measures of women autonomy, as it redefines property rights in favour of the large numbers of Hindu women. Microcredit loans to women have a significant negative impact on women's participation within the household. Socio-cultural traditions appear to interact adversely with this financial inclusion measure, especially as it puts woman in position of relative power within the household. This is especially true for the more conservative states in the north of India. The findings in this paper are original and have significant implications for public policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper is a study on the situation of Migrant Workers, and hardships faced by them in this pandemic. This paper will try to analyse on whom the responsibility lies, whether the Central Government was at fault or the respective State Governments need to be held accountable. This paper will revisit the plethora of laws we have for migrant workers but lack effective implementation. This paper will also address the effects of migrant labours both short term and in long term, and how the Supreme Court could have taken a more proactive path to tackle the situation. Finally this paper will try to suggest some practical recommendations that can be implemented and will improve the situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a two-period Overlapping Generations (OLG) model of endogenous growth in which a two-way relationship between social capital and human capital is studied. In order to illustrate the impact of public policies, the model is calibrated using the data for a low-income country, India and a sensitivity analysis is reported under different parameter values. Based on the numerical analysis, this paper focuses on possible trade-offs in the allocation of government spending between two productive components, that is, social capital-related activities and education. The results of this paper show that an increase in the share of public spending on social capital-related activities through a cut in spending on education or vice versa entails trade-offs. However, the trade-off fades away and the net impact on long-run growth turns out to be positive for different parameter values in the case where a higher share of spending on education is financed by a cut in spending on social capital-related activities but a policy in improving social capital accumulation at the expense of education is always detrimental to long-run growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total number of vehicles is expected to be 2.5 billion by the year 2050. To stabilize the impact on environment, the automobile sector has shown various innovations by shifting from conventional vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs). However, there is less acceptance of electric cars in India, so this research paper explores the various factors affecting EV adoption intention. The key factors studied are price, environmental concern, infrastructure requirement, and knowledge of EV. This paper also shows that government policies act as a mediator between factors like price, knowledge of EV, and infrastructure requirement on adoption intention of EVs. This research paper presents insights for the decision-makers to understand the determinants and design the strategies for increased adoption intention of EVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to focus on the housing situation in Indian cities and the various stakeholders involved in the housing sector. This study addresses the conflict in expectations of the supply and demand side of the housing and establishes the factors crucial to making housing successful for all the stakeholders, essential for sustainable urban development. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is developed using the content analysis of preceding independent reviews on housing sustainability by authors across the globe, a review of the current housing situation in Indian cities and a Pilot study of the desired qualitative aspects of housing by the consumer group. Findings: This paper identifies the challenges and constraints of the various stakeholders involved in the housing sector. A comprehensive list of all the parameters, both qualitative and quantitative, essential for successful housing implementation, focused on the preferences of the demand side, also referred to as the "Critical Success Factors (CSFs)" is generated. The results advocate a strict consideration and integration of these CSFs with the housing policies for all future housing projects. Research limitations/implications: Most of the studies conducted in the past have reviewed the housing situation in India from the perspective of the government authorities and the initiatives undertaken by them to improve the housing crisis. However, a gap exists in achieving a balanced understanding of the supply-side constraints, with the demand-side expectations from the housing. Focusing only on the supply without adequately understanding the consumption can only lead to further chaos in the already turbulent housing situation. Originality/value: To the best of author's knowledge, this is among the first attempts to address the housing scenario in urban centers of India, simultaneously from the perspective of both the demand side and the supply side of the housing, giving additional impetus to the expectations of the demand side which are often ignored. This study becomes more relevant in the ongoing pandemic situation to be able to provide appropriate and acceptable housing solutions to all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent transformation of retail payments in India has been bolstered by strong consumer demand, affordable payment devices, retailers' readiness, an efficient grievance redressal mechanism, a new generation of payment service providers, the enhanced participation of private players, the emergence of FinTech platforms, and favourable government regulations and policy initiatives. The transformation of retail payments has benefitted industries of all sizes, including the many small 'unorganised' retailers. This study examines the behavioural intentions of such merchants with respect to the use of mobile payment technologies. The study adopts variables from technology acceptance theories and introduces new variables that are relevant to the context. The results indicate that behavioural intention is significantly influenced by awareness, cost, customer acceptance, entrepreneurial motivation, perceived usefulness and personal innovativeness. The study also examines the relationship between behavioural intention and the extent to which unorganised retailers are likely to adopt mobile payment solutions. This is found to be mediated by awareness, cost, customer acceptance, entrepreneurial motivation, perceived usefulness and personal innovativeness. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations pertaining to the development of suitable technologies for adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiculturalism as a theoretical concept is an extension of communitarianism and emerged out of the liberal-communitarian debate. Multiculturalism emerged as a doctrine to defend minority rights in the context of communitarian critique of liberal individualism and how these minority rights fit into the broader issue of liberal-democratic theory. It is a theory to counter the dangerous tendencies which are inherent in the theory of liberalism and communitarianism. Liberal concept of justice was not enough to defend the sort of group specific rights that minorities need to protect themselves from assimilation and similarly communitarianism has a dangerous tendency to limit the freedom of individual to question and revise traditional way of life. In this paper I had tried to work out how multiculturalism as a doctrine emerged out of communitarianism and how composite culture which is an essential prerequisite of multicultural societies can be created. In this I had tried to show that Multiculturalism emerged as a doctrine to defend minority rights in the context of communitarian critique of liberal individualism and how these minority rights fit into the broader issue of liberal-democratic theory. In this paper I had also tried to chalk out significant differences in the concept of multiculturalism and communitarianism. In a multicultural society, the growth of composite culture is necessary for the formation and growth of national identity and for composite culture to easily develop in multicultural society I had recommended deliberative form of democracy. Most of the modern societies are multicultural societies with each cultural community offering a conception of good life. Coexistence of different conceptions of good life creates a situation of moral conflict which is confined not only to public sphere but stretches over to private domain also. Different cultural groups often grudge that their view and concerns are often sidelined by representative bodies while formulating public polices, which eventually make them apathetic to state authorities and creates a problem of legitimacy. Like in France, the state in 2010 decided to ban all religious symbols in public which created lot of resentment in minority community. Similarly in India, The Muslim Women (protection of rights on Marriage)bill, 2019 banning and criminalizing triple talaq was passed by parliament as a social reform measure without having consultation with the members of concerned Muslim community. This spurred the debate in India that shouldn't the government have brought in this legislation after having wider consultation with the concerned community and does the state has the right to criminalize a civil act pertaining to marriage whereas no such provision exists for any other community. Modern multicultural societies are faced with the dilemma how to reconcile this discontent and resolve the disputes arising out of such moral conflicts. There have been numerous instances in multicultural societies where people belonging to different religious groups have resented such legal legislations which encroach upon their religious beliefs. There is therefore a growing feeling that while formulating public policies different cultural groups should be consulted. In this article we have tried to show that Multiculturalism emerged as a doctrine to defend minority rights in the context of communitarian critique of liberal individualism and how these minority rights fit into the broader issue of liberal-democratic theory. Apart from this we have also tried to chalk out significant differences in the concept of multiculturalism and communitarianism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]