Policy Beyond Politics

In this episode, we explore the need for decriminalisation, simplification, and digitisation in business regulations. We dissect the implications of the Jan Vishwas Act and proposed amendments and delve into the progress of decriminalisation across the nation, identifying states leading the charge in reform efforts. Join us as we unravel the complexities and envision the future of business regulations.

Speaker:

Rishi Agrawal, Co-founder & CEO at Teamlease Regtech. Rishi is the co-founder & CEO at Teamlease Regtech. Rishi firmly believes in the power of technology to transform the way Compliance is managed in India. Over the last several years, Rishi has helped over 1,000 companies in India digitally transform their Compliance program. In addition, he has been working closely with different central ministries, think tanks, and industry associations to highlight India's regulatory complexity and make a case for rationalisation, simplification, and digitisation. He is also the co-author of the report “Jailed for Doing Business”.

In the 2023 annual Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), India saw an advancement in its ranking, now positioned at 127 out of 146 countries, marking an improvement of eight places compared to the previous year. However, the report emphasised that India’s attainment of only 36.7% parity in economic participation and opportunity underscores the ongoing challenge of addressing gender disparities, particularly concerning women’s access to economic opportunities.

The involvement of women in the workforce serves as a significant gauge of a country’s economic advancement. Recent Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data indicates a positive trend in female labour force participation rates in recent years. Nevertheless, concerns arise regarding the quality of employment opportunities and the persistence of wage disparities.

In this context, Yamini Atmavilas, President of Strategy, Data & Applied Research at The Udaiti Foundation, joins Anu Maria Francis, Senior Associate – Research & Project Management at CPPR, in this podcast and explores the recent trends in India’s female labour force participation.

Key Discussion Points

1) Changes in the methodology or sampling framework in the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) of MoSPI, which replaced the nationwide Employment and Unemployment (E&U) surveys in 2017-18, and the effect of such changes.

2) Changes in the concept of labour in light of the significant change in women’s workforce distribution in recent years, with self-employment increasing by 10 percentage points between 2017-18 and 2021-22.

3) The trend of increasing labour force participation among rural women as compared to urban women.

4) Major policy changes that are required to improve the FLFPR to a 50 percent level.

Generative AI is projected to increase annual global GDP to the amount of trillions if implemented properly, according to analysts. What is India’s stake in this new global phenomenon? In today's podcast, we look at generative AI and LLMs, the issues they pose, the effect they have on Indian society and industry, and how we can look forward to regulating AI while allowing it to grow and provide value to the greatest extent. 

Our guest, Nidhi Singh, is a Programme Officer, with CCG Delhi. She is an expert in AI, privacy, internet governance, and emerging technologies. She is hosted by Varsha Radhakrishnan, a Fellow at the Centre for Public Policy Research. Varsha is an expert in emerging technologies and AI, having industrial expertise in this sector. 

1. The training data used in AI is heavily open sourced, and based on data from the open internet. This poses problems both in terms of the accuracy of the data as well as privacy, as the data scraped off might not be consented to by parties.

2. There is a lot of interest in India to build LLMs that are usable for citizens. Language poses an issue, as there may not be a vast tract of trainable data in particular languages.

3. There is a global north-south divide in the implementation of these technologies, as many new technologies are being created in the global north and implemented in the global south, leading to a large number of problems.

4. While it is true that policy catches up slower to new technologies, it is important to remember that the problems caused by the implementation and usage of these technologies are fundamental issues of access, equality, and privacy and can be looked at from a constitutional lens.

Key Takeaways:

In this podcast, we will be diving into the topic 'Decriminalisation of business laws in the state of Kerala'. Kerala, with a Gross State Domestic Product of 7.8 lakh crore, has shown promising growth potential. However, it currently ranks 15th in the Ease of Doing Business ranking within the country, indicating room for improvement in terms of business friendliness. Establishing a favorable legal environment is crucial for enhancing the ease of doing business. The presence of numerous laws governing business activities prompts us to question whether these laws facilitate or hinder the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In this podcast, we will be exploring the impact of these laws and their potential to encourage or deter investment in Kerala.
Our podcast will be building upon the ongoing CPPR study on the decriminalization of business laws in Kerala. Join us as former IAS Officer T Nandakumar delves into the complexities of the business environment in Kerala and focuses on the decriminalization of business laws.
Speaker: T Nandkumar IAS(retd)
Adviser to IFPRI and WRI (Washington)
Moderator: Anu Anna Jo
Senior Associate, Research, CPPR

Key Takeaways:

1. In many business laws minor offenses are criminalised. In the modern-day business environment, it is regressive and restrictive. 

2. Decriminalisation does not mean that it removes violations, it means that any violation which is civil in nature should be punished accordingly. 

3. Kerala needs to critically look into what it wants to do with its investments and then make the laws and procedures simple for investors.

4. Kerala's growth will come from the large number of small and medium enterprises which probably can be plugged in to the global market.

5. Laws that have historical baggage can be substantially reduced by repealing them.

To achieve the sustainability goals of the transport sector, it is necessary to promote the use of NMT. In this podcast, Mr Shrinivas Deshmukh, Co-founder & Director, Urban Research Foundation, talks about policy-level and implementation-level challenges in the integration of NMT with the public transport sector. Non-motorised transport systems have been proposed to be seamlessly integrated with public transport networks, serving as last-mile connectors, but the integration poses significant challenges. The development of NMT infrastructure should be closely aligned with pedestrian safety measures, prioritising the creation of an inclusive environment that caters to the needs of differently abled individuals and other vulnerable groups. The predominant components of NMT, encompassing walking, cycling, and rickshaws, represent environmentally friendly modes of transportation that could substantially contribute to reducing carbon footprints and achieving zero emissions. Although cities and states have initiated formulation for policies to promote non-motorised forms of transport, the ground level implementation is still challenging. Street designs have the potential to be the brand style of cities, attracting more people to use street facilities. A real time analysis of the NMT feasibility is required to ensure people switch to NMT, thereby ensuring decarbonisation in the transport sector.
The podcast would look into:

• The need for incentivising plans for opting for NMT modes of transport.
  
• The need to come up with city-specific street designs to facilitate NMT
  
• Ways to ensure accessible and inclusive planning for NMT Infrastructure
  
• Impact of integration of NMT into the public transport system.
  
• Policy level challenges in implementing NMT in cities

In this episode of Policy Beyond Politics, we delve into the Indian Space Policy and its implications for the booming space relations between India and the US. With India aiming to increase its share of the global space economy to more than 10% by 2030, we explore the recent milestones in the Indian space sector, including the successful launch of India's first private rocket. We also discuss the joint statement between India and the US, which highlights their intention to enhance Indo-US space relations and engage their commercial space sectors. Furthermore, we examine the initiatives and agreements signed between the two countries, such as the iCET agreement and the Space Situational Awareness Arrangement, as well as the plans for collaboration between NASA and ISRO. Tune in to understand the nuances of the Indian Space Policy and how it will support the growth and aspirations of the Indian space sector, particularly the private sector.

In this episode of Policy Beyond Politics,  we have with us Dr. Ranjana Kaul. Ranjana Kaul is a partner at Dua Associates, a leading law firm in New Delhi, India, with specialization in the UN international space law treaty regimes and international air law treaty regimes.

The involvement and participation of citizens and stakeholders in the sustainable urban mobility planning process is necessary in order to obtain public legitimacy and create a plan that satisfies the mobility needs of people. With the adoption of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), citizen participation methods have started to shift more towards online environments. Planning for a public transport system should revolve around a basic question of who constitutes the public - i.e. whom are we planning the transport system for? When planning is prepared only by keeping certain sections of the society, it does not really serve the purpose of public transportation. The participation process must be envisaged as a continuous process – building on consistent methods, tools, and groups of stakeholders. It is essential to include different voices from different stakeholders who constitute as ‘public’ in the planning process. Participation processes might need risk assessment and management to adapt their strategy to exceptional, unforeseen circumstances. Representation across different caste,class, gender and other sections like people with disability, old-age people,etc of the society helps to impart different perspectives into planning. This participatory approach helps to include the social system and factors impacting public transportation in process. 

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS

The key discussion points for the Podcast are as follows:

• Why do we need a participatory approach when we talk of public transport planning?

• How do we ensure different target groups form a part of planning? 

• How can planning be done differently in a low resource/ high recourse setting?  the diverse tools available that could be implemented in both settings. - e-tools that can be used.

• Since planning needs constant updating, how do we incorporate changing needs of different sections in the process ? 

• Data becomes a key indicator in the decision making process. How do we ensure to represent various nature of data in the decision making process?

• How does Inclusive planning help in envisioning changes in society regarding the public transport system ?  

• With your experience working in western countries, what are the challenges you feel that India faces in this regard of participatory planning?

The momentous NATO Summit held in Vilnius, Lithuania this year also known as the summit for implementation, resulted in a comprehensive 90-point joint communiqué. With a wealth of significant announcements, it is essential to analyze the major achievements as well as the unfulfilled promises of the Vilnius Summit, especially as NATO approaches its 75th anniversary in 2024. This podcast episode features Mr Sean Monaghan, Visiting Fellow, Centre for Strategic and International Studies and Ms Neelima A, Associate Research, CPPR, discussing the significance of the summit.

Contracts are an essential tool for any Public Transport Authority. Countries across the globe have incorporated the private contractors into the Public Transport Ecosystem. However, contracting and tendering processes come with possible challenges and implications. In this podcast, Ms Stéphanie, Mobility and Urban Planning Consultant Ubiquity Consulting, Madrid, Spain and Lizbeth Jibi Godwin, Associate, Research at CPPR discuss the contracting and tendering in the public transport sector. The podcast delves into market regimes when it comes to contracting and the different aspects of contracting.

India hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2023 virtually on the 4th of July, 2023, which brought together leaders from member countries such as China, Pakistan, Russia, and more. The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss key issues related to regional security, economic connectivity, and trade. India's hosting of the 2023 SCO Summit marks a significant milestone for the country. India's strategic interests within the SCO lie in promoting regional connectivity, particularly with the Central Asian Republics (CARs) and it has been working towards enhancing connectivity between the CARs and the greater Eurasian region. Join us as we delve into the significance of the summit and the future of SCO in regional security and prosperity.

Panelists:

Prof Alexander Cooley

Claire Tow Professor of Political Science, Columbia University and Academy Adjunct Faculty at Chatham House. 

Anisree Suresh

Associate Research, CPPR

 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a four-day official trip to the United States on 23 June 2023. Apart from receiving an elaborate welcome ceremony and attending a state dinner, Modi was also granted the opportunity to deliver a speech to Congress for the second time during his tenure as Prime Minister. These significant occasions aimed to demonstrate the mutual dedication of both nations to fostering peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, while also symbolizing the United States' recognition of India as a crucial ally. The Podcast discusses the key takeaways of the official meeting and the benefits for India and the US.

Panelists:

Mr Raymond Vickery Jr, Senior Associate, Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies, Centre for Strategic and International Studies

Ms Neelima A,  Associate Research, CPPR

In today's fast-paced world of technological progress, Education Technology (EdTech) has gained widespread acceptance and holds immense potential for revolutionising both learning and teaching experiences. To explore how the school education system and teacher training programs can effectively utilise EdTech by identifying the challenges and experiences of educators, teachers, and parents, the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) conducted a comprehensive study titled, "Education Technology: Examining Experiences, Challenges, and Future Directions." In this podcast Anu Anna Jo, Senior Associate, Research, CPPR, and Ashna Rahim, Research Intern, CPPR are in conversation with Dr Shakila T Shamsu, Advisor (Special) Education Policies, CPPR. The primary objective of this podcast is to build upon the findings of the CPPR study and have in-depth discussions and thought-provoking conversations on the adoption, challenges, and future of EdTech. The Podcast discusses the Pace of EdTech Adoption in the Post-COVID Period, Policies and Governance in EdTech, and the Experiences and Challenges of EdTech.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been re-elected and sworn in as the president of Turkey for the third time with a vote share of 52.14% against 47.86 % by Mr Kemal Kilicdaroglu. This extends President Erdogan’s 20-year regime up until 2028, into his third decade in power. High hopes were placed on the opposition leader Mr Kilichdarolu who had the potential to unify various political factions in an effort to unseat President Erdogan. This Podcast aims to explore the factors that have enabled Erdogan to maintain his position of power, while also examining the worldwide consequences that arise in relation to his third decade in office.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed." Let's make a pledge to a greener future with clean mobility. As we mark World Environment Day, it's time to shift towards cleaner energy in mobility.

Did you know that in India, transportation is responsible for 14% of all emissions, with road transport accounting for 90% of it? Our podcast delves into various facets of clean mobility and the transition to it, including crucial policy implications. Listen to this insightful conversation between Dr Gaurav Bhatiani and Lizbeth Godwin and explore how we can build a sustainable future.

This is the episode 46 of #PolicyBeyondPolitics podcast on 'Smart Ports and Maritime Economy'. In this episode, Shilpa S, Associate -Research, CPPR is in conversation with Dr R P Pradhan, Professor, BITS Pilani, Goa.

The International Seaport sector is gearing up with dynamic developments and concepts like Ocean Sustainability and Blue Economy is gaining increased relevance, with many countries adopting the Blue Economy framework. Along with these, there is a rising focus on Smart Port, Green Shipping & Net Zero targets in the backdrop of climate change events. The podcast discusses these emerging trends and changes in the maritime sector with a focus on the various aspects of smart port technologies driving changes in the contemporary port scenario.

Kochi's public transportation received a new boost with the introduction of the water Metro. The water metro aims for the development of an integrated water transport system for the city of Kochi. Can the Water Metro solve Kochi's mobility problems? The podcast discusses Kochi's public transportation and its challenges with a focus on the recently launched water Metro.

India and Japan have a long history of friendship and partnership of 1400 years and they continued to be the beneficiaries of partnership from the ancient alliance bolstered by the ideals of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of the law. The podcast delves into crucial questions around geopolitical, geostrategic, and economic importance with respect to the India-Japan-Indo-Pacific nexus.

In this podcast, Ms Anisree Suresh, Research Associate at CPPR, is in conversation with Prof M D Nalapat, Director of Geopolitics and International Relations and UNESCO Peace Chair, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).

Women's economic opportunities are affected by entry level barriers to the tourism and hospitality sector, which is growing in popularity. The Periodic Labour Force Survey 2020-21 estimates the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) on a usual status basis for both males and females aged 15 and above at 73.5% and 31.4%, respectively. The hospitality sector must be gender inclusive for the nation's growth to be successful in a service-based economy.

In this podcast, Ms Anu Maria Francis, Research Associate at CPPR, is in conversation with Ms Shatbhi Basu, recognised by the President of India as 'India's first Women Bartender'. The podcast  aims to provide a better understanding of bartending as a profession, as well as the challenges and issues faced by women in the hospitality industry.

The podcast episode on Decoding the Polls: Karnataka Election 2023 discusses the political realities, strategies, and possibilities surrounding the upcoming state election. It deliberates on the challenges that lie ahead for the two national parties, the BJP, and the INC. It also touches upon the JD(S) and its past 'kingmaking' powers. Prof G Gopakumar discusses in depth the relevance of the Karnataka elections on the political landscape of India, the national parties and on General Elections 2023.

The podcast discusses the Indo - UK relations in the context of the Indo Pacific and the emerging great power competition in the region .The speaker discusses about the need to look beyond China and the Belt and Road Initiative to bring in regional frameworks that build on regional trade, technological competition, aid and more, which would depict a rise in middle powers within the world order playing a major role within the coming decade.

The podcast on "Opportunities for Srilanka and it's recovery" discusses the scope of Srilanka's economic recovery through partnership with the Bay of Bengal nations while also discussing the potential of tourism development through blue economy. The podcast also touches upon India - Srilanka relations through people to people connectivity.

At an age characterised by geopolitical flux and progressing elements of warfare, the case of the Chinese Surveillance balloons sheds light on the fragility of the relationship between Washington and Beijing. The surveillance balloons also echoes a political message from Beijing regarding its capabilities and progress on the international stage. This calls to attention possible future implications and efficacy of AI-powered balloons within foreign airspace. This Podcast will seek to address the Chinese surveillance balloon in the context of trespassing foreign airspace, and political and security overtones, alongside its implications for the United States, China, India and the international stage.

India’s G20 presidency offers a momentous opportunity for the nation to bolster its endeavors in addressing the growing challenges of food security for resilient and equitable food systems. In the context of the recent trends of burgeoning climate insecurities, prolonged global conflicts, rising food prices, and a growing global population, this podcast will examine India's priorities for food security and agriculture as the G20 president.

This podcast discussion revolves around the future of  India's renewable energy sector and the road map for green energy investment, while also briefly looking into India's strategic competition with other countries in rare earth metals.

In this episode of Policy Beyond Politics Sharon Susan Koshy, Associate, Research, CPPR interacts with Dr Stanly Johny, Editor, International Affairs, The Hindu, to discuss Afghanistan and an emergent state of geopolitics in Asia following the Taliban takeover and related events. The conversation draws from Dr Johny's second book "Comrades and Mullahs: China, Afghanistan and the New Asian Geopolitics" and focuses on the plausible directions of international relations in this part of the world. Comrades and Mullahs delves into the historical trajectory of the Taliban’s rise against the context of the Soviet intervention during the late 20th century, the war on terror in the early 21st century, and the geopolitical implications of it all. Much has changed since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, and India's engagement with Kabul has been nothing short of complicated given rising geopolitical challenges. Therefore, the discussion is steered to examine the nature of relations India engenders with Kabul, its perceived strategic implication, implications of the US withdrawal on global and Asian geopolitics, and the China question.

In this podcast CPPR Associate, Research Sharon Susan Koshy interacts with Japan Consul General Hon. CG TAGA Masayuki-san on Avenues of Cooperation in India-Japan relations. This podcast was recorded on May 26, 2022, during his visit to the CPPR office.

The U.S. and India partnership is founded on an alignment in democratic values, strategic goals, and economic interests. Science & Technology are critical and transformative aspects of this U.S. - India relationship that shapes and accelerates the strategic and economic achievements of both nations. Both countries have repeatedly proven their commitment to cutting edge research and the development of partnerships at several levels to promote technology-driven innovation in shared matters of national interest.

Jay Gullish is the executive director, digital policy at the U.S. - India Business Council. He has passionately promoted digital development in more than 20 countries over his 25 years of experience in government, industry, and civil society across the telecoms, information technology, satcom, and cyber sectors.Most recently, he served as a digital policy officer at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi covering cyber policy, telecommunications, information technology, digital inclusion, and commercial space. While at the Embassy, he aligned U.S. cyber policy towards India across multiple in-country USG agencies and consulates. He was also the in-country lead for the U.S.-India ICT Working Group and the U.S.-India Cyber Consultations. Jay Gullish has previously worked in India’s outsourcing industry, and lived and worked in India for over five years. He has international technology experience in southern Africa, Israel, and Vietnam.

Dr. Nandini Kannan is Executive Director of the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum. She has leadership experience in academia and government, with an understanding of the critical role that science and technology play in this global interconnected society, and a deep commitment to education and workforce development. Since 2014, she has served as a Program Director at the US National Science Foundation (NSF) where her responsibilities included core disciplinary research, mathematical sciences research institutes, and workforce development programs in the Division of Mathematical Sciences as well as a number of cross-directorate and cross-agency activities. She has served as a co-chair for several Data Science related activities in support of Harnessing the Data Revolution, one of NSF’s 10 Big Ideas. Dr. Kannan also helped to create partnerships with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support collaborative efforts in biomedical data science. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), American Statistical Association (ASA) and an Elected Member of the International Statistical Institute.

Varsha Radhakrishnan, Research Fellow, Technology Policy & A.I. at CPPR. Varsha leads Analytics & Growth initiatives for an e-commerce platform at IBM, where she leverages choice architecture to drive positive user experiences and growth in engagement, adoption, and retention. Prior to this, she was developing AI-informed solutions to address IBM’s business challenges, using predictive technologies, robotic process automation, and recommendation engines. Her academic focus areas are in Economics and Public Policy. She is a Research Fellow with CPPR handling Technology Policy and Artificial Intelligence.

In this podcast CPPR Associate, Research Sharon Susan Koshy interacts with Michael Kugelman on Changing Current in India-U.S. Relations.

This podcast was recorded during our International conference on Indo-U.S Relations change, continuity and transformation. 

Mr. Michael Kugelman is the Deputy Director and Senior Associate for South Asia-Wilson Centre, USA. 

The US and India have shared values and interests in promoting global security, stability and economic prosperity through trade investment and connectivity. The cornerstone of US-India partnership remains their trade and commercial linkages. A shared bilateral goal has been the need to realise trade aspirations of USD 500 billion. In 2019, the US goods and service trade in India totaled an estimated of USD 146.1 billion dollars whereas exports were USD 58.6 billion and imports were USD 87.4 billion. Both countries have multiple tracks of engagement through dialogues, forums and working groups, thus enabling frank discussions on the issues at hand. However, there is a lot of potential in the trade relationship between the two countries that hasn’t been realized.

Dr. Rupa Chanda is the Director of Trade, Investment and Innovation at UNESCAP, Bangkok. She is on leave from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore where she has been a Professor of Economics for over 25 years. She has worked as an Economist at the IMF and also briefly served as Head, UNESCAP Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia in New Delhi. Her research interests include the WTO, trade in services, regional integration and migration. She is a member of several expert committees like the WHO’s Review Committee on the functioning of the International Health Regulations (2015-16) and the WHO’s Expert Advisory Group, International Recruitment of Health Personnel (2019-20). 

Mark Linscott is a non-resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center and a Senior Advisor with The Asia Group, where he works closely with the clients on trade and investment priorities across South Asia. He was the assistant US trade representative (USTR) for South and Central Asian Affairs and was responsible for development of trade policy with the countries comprising South and Central Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He also participated in the bilateral Trade Policy Forum with India and in Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) with Central Asia, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. He served as the assistant US trade representative for the WTO, represented the US at the G20, OECD and at the US Mission to the WTO in Geneva. He was the lead negotiator for the Uruguay Round Government Procurement Agreement at the Office of WTO and Multilateral Affairs in USTR Washington, and was responsible for preparations for the entry-into-force of the WTO.

The Indo-Pacific Region (IPR) is the most contested maritime space in the world today. India and the United States have a critical role to play in forging an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific order. Furthermore, China’s growing influence in the Indo-pacific expanse stands to converge the two countries’ foreign policy strategies in the IPR and presents an opportunity for improved bilateral cooperation among the countries as the Biden administration settles in.The recently declassified ‘U.S. Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific (SFIP)’ document reinforces the potential of this partnership as India is placed at the forefront of US’s plans in the IPR. In the context of US-India bilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, the podcast, extracted from CPPR's webinar on Indo-Pacific Strategy: Reimagining the Maritime Outlook', held on August 26, 2021, brings together distinguished speakers to deliberate on how India and the US can align their strategic and economic interests in the Indo Pacific region to ensure peace and stability.

The speakers include Dr Rajeswari Rajagopalan, Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology (CSST) at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi and Mr Gregory Poling, Senior fellow for Southeast Asia and director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at CSIS

In our latest podcast, CPPR Special Advisor, Dr Shakila Shamsu talks about the New Education Policy and Charting Kerala's Educational Goals . Dr Shakila Shamsu is a  former OSD (New Education Policy) in the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. This discussion was part of the webinar that CPPR organised in January 9, 2021 on ‘Implementing NEP: Charting Kerala's Educational Goals 2025’. CPPR Chairman, Dr Dhanuraj was the moderator for the discussion.

In this week's podcast, CPPR Special Advisor, Dr Shakila Shamsu talks about the New Education Policy and the reforms in the higher education sector. Dr Shakila Shamsu is a  former OSD (New Education Policy) in the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. This discussion was part of the webinar that CPPR organised in January 21, 2021 on 'NEP and Higher Education: Translating Policy into Action'. CPPR Chairman, Dr Dhanuraj was the moderator for the discussion. 

Here is part 2 of ‘Policy Beyond Politics Podcast’ with Former Indian Diplomat and CPPR Senior Fellow Mr Muraleedharan Nair. 

Mr Muraleedharan Nair has held various positions in the Government of India, including as the Indian Consul in China. His postings abroad include those in the Indian diplomatic missions in China (Shanghai & Guangzhou), Hong Kong and Singapore. 

Muraleedharan Nair and CPPR Research Fellow, Purvaja Modak continue their discussion about the the Role of the Private Sector in shaping up the Chinese Economy.

In this week's episode of Policy Beyond Politics Podcast, CPPR Research Fellow Purvaja Modak and Dr Jessica Seddon, who is the Global Lead for air quality at the World Resources Institute, discuss on the topic United States and India as Partners in Climate Action. This podcast is an extension of the webinar on 'United States and India as Partners in Climate Action: The Clean Energy Agenda', that CPPR organised in collaboration with U.S. Consulate General Chennai on June 17, 2021 as part of a project on U.S.- India Relations. Dr. Jessica was one of the speakers for the event and added valuable insights to the webinar. 

Over the course of the discussion, Dr. Jessica and Purvaja Modak delves deeper into the issues of climate change, clean energy and India- U.S. partnership in the energy sector. Tune in to learn more. 

In the latest episode of 'Policy Beyond Politics Podcast', Former Indian Diplomat and CPPR Senior Fellow Mr Muraleedharan Nair talks about the the Role of the Private Sector in shaping up the Chinese Economy. Mr Muraleedharan Nair has held various positions in the Government of India, including as the Indian Consul in China. His postings abroad include those in the Indian diplomatic missions in China (Shanghai & Guangzhou), Hong Kong and Singapore. The discussion was moderated by CPPR Research Fellow, Purvaja Modak. 

In the latest episode of Policy Beyond Politics podcast, Ambassador Gurjit Singh, a former Indian diplomat with 37 years of experience, talks to CPPR Senior Fellow, Purvaja Modak on the strategy of vaccine diplomacy adopted by different countries in the world, including India and the changing global order. 

കിറ്റക്സ് വിഷയവും കേരളത്തിലെ നിക്ഷേപക അന്തരീക്ഷം എന്ന വിഷയം  സി പി പി ആർ ഉപദേശകൻ ഡോ ജി ഗോപകുമാറും സീനിയർ ഫെല്ലോ ഡോ ജോസ് സെബാസ്റ്റ്യനും അവലോകനം ചെയ്യുന്നു. സി പി പി ആർ ചെയർമാൻ ഡോ ഡി ധനുരാജ് ആണ് വിഷയം അവതരിപ്പിച്ചത്.

അപ്രതീക്ഷിതമായി കടന്നു വന്ന കോവിഡ് എന്ന മഹാമാരി ജനജീവിതത്തെയും സമ്പത്ത് വ്യവസ്ഥയെയും രാഷ്ട്രീയ സാഹചര്യങ്ങളെയെല്ലാം സാരമായി ബാധിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഈ കോവിഡ് കാലത്തെ ഇന്ത്യൻ രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തെ സി പി പി ആർ അസോസിയേറ്റ് ഗൗതം കെ എയും സി പി പി ആർ ഉപദേശകൻ ഡോ ജി ഗോപകുമാർ അവലോകനം ചെയ്യുന്നു.

In this episode of CPPR’s Policy Beyond Politics Podcast, Goutham KA, Associate, Projects at CPPR and Prof. G Gopakumar, former Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Kerala and CPPR advisor, discuss the dynamics of India's political climate in the backdrop of the pandemic, opposition parties and the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections. 

In this episode of CPPR’s Policy Beyond Politics Podcast, Akanksha Borawake, Associate, Research at CPPR and Dr. Shakila Shamsu, formerly OSD (New Education Policy), in the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE), discuss Kerala government’s Knowledge Economy mission. The recent Kerala Budget stressed on tackling unemployment in the state, through the knowledge economy mission.

The biggest thrust of this plan will be to enhance employability among the educated unemployed, particularly women by making Kerala a ‘knowledge society’. Tune into the podcast to learn more about the scope and challenges of Kerala's Knowledge Economy.

Newly appointed Finance Minister, KN Balagopal, presented the maiden budget of the Second LDF government on Friday. By prioritising the health sector, the state government has sent a message that the State is prepared to fight upcoming challenges.

In the latest episode of Policy Beyond Politics Podcast series, CPPR Chairman Dr Dhanuraj and Senior Associate, Praseeda Mukundan analysed how this budget was different from the conventional budgets presented by the left governments in the past. Tune into the podcast to learn more. The discussion was moderated by Goutham KA, Associate, Projects at CPPR.

കോവിഡിന്റെ രണ്ടാം തരംഗത്തിന്റെ പശ്ചാത്തലത്തിൽ അവതരിപ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ട രണ്ടാം പിണറായി സർക്കാരിന്റെ ആദ്യ ബഡ്ജറ്റ് പ്രതീക്ഷക്കനുസരിച്ച് ഉയർന്നുവോ ? ധനകാര്യ നിർവ്വഹണം അഗ്നി പരീക്ഷയാകുന്ന ഈ കാലത്ത്   കേരളബഡ്ജറ്റിന്റെ സാധ്യതകൾ സി പി പി ആർ ചെയർമാൻ ഡോ ഡി ധനുരാജുo, സീനിയർ അസോസിയേറ്റ് പ്രസീദ മുകുന്ദൻ,  സി പി പി ആർ അസോസിയേറ്റ്, ഗൗതം കെ എ എന്നിവർ പങ്കെടുത്ത പോഡ്കാസറ്റ് ഈ വിഷയത്തെ അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്യുന്നു.

The recently convened World Health Assembly (WHA74) saw discussions on the launch of negotiations for a ‘New Pandemic Treaty’ in order to create a ‘Global Framework Convention on Pandemic Preparedness and Response’.

This treaty is supposed to facilitate international cooperation and a coordinated response to any future pandemics.

The European Union and several other member-states are pushing for the assembly to make a quick decision on the proposal, while countries like the US, Brazil and Russia have sought to stall negotiations to be discussed at a later date.

Meanwhile, a special session of the World Health Assembly is to be conducted in November 2021 to discuss this treaty.

CPPR Research Fellow Purvaja Modak and Nithin Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor of international law at the Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth University discuss at length about what this treaty entails, India’s response towards the treaty and how it would affect World Health Organisation’s role. Tune in to learn more on the topic.

Kerala Governor, Arif Mohammad Khan, gave the inaugural policy address of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly on Friday. While the government’s ambitious flagship projects and huge investment announcement in the education sector topped the headlines, it is imperative for us to examine what kind of development trajectory the government is indicating at through its policy announcements. 

In this week’s Policy Beyond Politics Podcast, CPPR Chairman, Dr D Dhanuraj and Goutham KA, Associate, Projects discussed why it is important to move away from ostensible project announcements and to put forward a development vision for the state. 

Analysing the policy address, Dr D Dhanuraj admitted that he was disappointed while examining it from a policy perspective. He stated that the nature of the politics in the state, deeply entrenched in welfare policies, is guilty of overlooking the aspirations of youth. “We cannot compete globally by facilitating the growth of only MSMEs in the state”, he added. The business environment of the state should be conducive for the growth of big companies. Dr Dhanuraj also demanded that the government should look into why successful Kerala start ups have drifted out of the state.

രണ്ടാം LDF സർക്കാർ കാലയളവിലെ ആദ്യ നയപ്രഖ്യാപനം മുന്നോട്ട് വെക്കുന്ന സൂചനകളെന്തൊക്കെ ? നയപ്രഖ്യാപനം എന്നതൊരു ഭരണഘടനാ ബാധ്യതയാണോ ? ഉപരിപ്ലങ്ങളായ പദ്ധതി പ്രഖ്യാപനങ്ങളിൽ നിന്ന് മാറി ആഴത്തിലുള്ള ഒരു പൊതുനയ കാഴ്ച്ചപ്പാട് മുന്നോട്ട് വെക്കേണ്ട സമയം അതിക്രമിച്ചില്ലേ. സി പി പി ആർ ചെയർമാൻ ഡോ ഡി ധനുരാജും സി പി പി ആർ അസോസിയേറ്റ് ആയ ഗൗതം കെ എയും പങ്കെടുത്ത പോഡ്കാസറ്റ് ഈ വിഷയത്തെ അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്യുന്നു.

Congress party’s underwhelming performance in the Kerala Assembly Elections has cast a shadow of doubt on its relevance and future in the state. The party’s misplaced trust on the state’s ‘electoral pendulum’ to help regain the political mantle this year has led to a historic embarrassment for the party. 

Yet, the party has not put out any message in the public domain indicating an introspection or a shift in its working mechanism. The party’s reluctance to introspect is symbolised by the failure to reach a consensus on the opposition leader even after the swearing in ceremony of the LDF government. 

The lack of organisational vigour has significantly reduced Congress and UDF’s appeal in the state. Despite its healthy vote base, the party exudes a sense of uncertainty in the public domain. This has dented UDF’s image among the minorities. 

However, the party still has a chance to make a statement of intent by infusing fresh blood into the party top brass. This could help to reinvigorate the party at the ground level and could prevent defection of its leaders to the left or to BJP. 

Listen to this Malayalam podcast for an in-depth discussion. CPPR Chairman Dr D Dhanuraj and Dr G Gopakumar, who is a CPPR advisor and the former Vice Chancellor of Central University of Kerala, sheds some light into the plight of the party and analyses its political future in the state over the course of the discussion.

തിരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് തോൽവിയുടെ പശ്ചാത്തലത്തിൽ എന്തൊക്കെ മാറ്റങ്ങളാണ്  കേരളത്തിലെ കോൺഗ്രസ്‌ പാർട്ടിയിലും യു ഡി എഫിലും ഉടലെടുക്കാൻ പോകുന്നതെന്നു രാഷ്ട്രീയ കേരളം ഒന്നടങ്കം ഉറ്റു നോക്കുന്നു. തലമുറമാറ്റം എന്ന ദീർഘ കാലത്തെ ആവശ്യം പാർട്ടി നേതൃത്വം അംഗീകരിക്കുമോ എന്നത് വരും ദിവസങ്ങളിൽ വ്യക്തമാകും.

സി പി പി ആർ ചെയർമാൻ ഡോ ഡി ധനുരാജുo സി പി പി ആർ ഉപദേശകനും മുൻ കേന്ദ്ര സർവകലാശാല വൈസ് ചാന്സലറുമായ ഡോ ജി ഗോപകുമാറും പങ്കെടുക്കുന്ന പോഡ്കാസറ്റ് ഈ വിഷയത്തെ അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്യുന്നു.