Number of results to display per page
Search Results
142. Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U)
- Author:
- Avani Kapur and Sanjana Malhotra
- Publication Date:
- 07-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for Policy Research, India
- Abstract:
- The Swachh Bharat Mission- Urban (SBM-U) is the Government of India’s (GoI) flagship programme targeting universal sanitation coverage in urban areas. Using government data, this brief reports on: Allocations, releases, and expenditures, State-wise and component wise trends in releases, Progress on toilets built, Progress on Solid Waste Management (SWM), and Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
- Topic:
- Government, Infrastructure, Budget, Urban, and Sanitation
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, and Asia
143. Beyond Poles and Wires: How to Keep the Electrons Flowing?
- Author:
- Navroz K. Dubash and Ashwini K. Swain
- Publication Date:
- 06-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Centre for Policy Research, India
- Abstract:
- India’s move to electrify every village and household in the country has been lauded as a success. Building on decades of targeted programmes and public investments by multiple governments, the country completed 100% village electrification in April 2018; a year after, it has electrified nearly all ‘willing’ households. Despite the time it took to get here, these achievements are important milestones in India’s development trajectory. But does connecting households to the electric grid resolve the electricity access challenge? The answer depends on whether electrons flow through the wires and whether all consumers are served equally and adequately.
- Topic:
- Development, Government, Infrastructure, Investment, and Electricity
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, and Asia
144. Policy Note: Dialogues On Sanitation: Legal Perspectives on Sanitation in Urban India
- Author:
- Scaling City Institutions for India: Sanitation
- Publication Date:
- 03-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for Policy Research, India
- Abstract:
- The event was organised as a part of ‘Dialogues on Sanitation’ series and specifically focused on the legal and regulatory regime pertaining to urban sanitation. The event brought together senior policymakers, city and state level implementers, technocrats, members of the civil society and legal experts to brainstorm towards bettering the regulatory regime on urban sanitation. Several aspects such as the role of law and regulation in Faecal Sludge Management, rights of sanitary workers, and public-private participation in Urban Sanitation were discussed during the course of the workshop.
- Topic:
- Government, Law, Regulation, Urban, and Sanitation
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, and Asia
145. Sanitation in Large and Dense Villages of India: The Last Mile and Beyond
- Author:
- Aditya Bhol, Shubhagato Dasgupta, Anindita Mukherjee, and Aastha Jain
- Publication Date:
- 03-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Centre for Policy Research, India
- Abstract:
- The aim of this white paper is to explore the nuances of the prevalence of on-site sanitation systems in large and dense villages of India. Villages which have a population of 1000 persons or more and a density of greater than or equal to 400 persons per square kilometre were classified as large and dense villages in an earlier research – Towards a New Research and Policy Paradigm: An Analysis of the Sanitation Situation in Large Dense Villages. Stimulated by the findings revealing a preferential pattern for selection of on-site sanitation systems in these settlements, a primary household survey was conducted in large and dense villages from five Indian states - Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The survey also included qualitative components – stakeholder interviews and transect walks. In this study the survey data has been canvassed to explore the preference patterns of households and the factors guiding them in their decision making for the construction and maintenance of on-site sanitation systems. We find that these large and dense villages exhibit a higher preference for septic tanks over pits in all states except West Bengal where pits are preferred. A majority of households have reported their toilets were private constructions. We find the preference patterns are manifested not only by the choices of building septic tanks or pits but also through the large variations in their design and sizes which are influenced by socio-economic, technical and behavioural factors. We also find specific trends in demand for desludging services by households which are influenced by internal factors such as their social status and economic well-being and by external factors such as availability of mechanised operators or continued reliance on manual cleaning and their costs which cumulatively constitute the supply side of sanitation services.
- Topic:
- Government, Water, Infrastructure, and Sanitation
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, and Asia
146. Synthesis Report on State of Water: A Look at the Legal and Regulatory Framework Governing Water Services across Jurisdictions
- Author:
- Maanav Kumar and Parag Mohanty
- Publication Date:
- 03-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Centre for Policy Research, India
- Abstract:
- This study looks at the development of legal and regulatory framework governing drinking water and sanitation services in South Africa, England and United States. Around 780 million worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water and almost 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation according to data published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In such a situation, it becomes extremely important to study the legal and regulatory measures used internationally to control, manage and improve these resources. This study, covering South Africa, England and USA, sets out to identify, comprehend and analyze these legal frameworks and structures; examine the control exercised by national, state/provincial as well as municipal governments over water and sanitation-related questions; and the responsive measures being taken by them to preserve the water resources and their quality for future generations. The authors have observed that in presence of varying geographical, historical and social factors, while it would be impossible to compare each model against the other on the basis of merit, it becomes increasingly important for governments to balance the individual’s right to water with the planet’s ecological balance.
- Topic:
- Environment, Government, Natural Resources, Water, Law, Regulation, Legislation, and Sanitation
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, Asia, and Global Focus
147. White Paper on Regulating E-Commerce in India: Need for Principles-based Approach
- Author:
- Ananth Padmanabhan and Arjun Sinha
- Publication Date:
- 03-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Centre for Policy Research, India
- Abstract:
- E-commerce has come under heavy regulatory intervention in the past few months. From data localisation to mandatory sharing of data, and a catch-all definition of e-commerce itself to regulatory barriers for inventory-based business models in all these sectors, these recent proposals leave limited room for natural evolution through market competition. Pushing back against these proposals, this White Paper argues that a principles-based rather than rule-based approach must be adopted to regulate this sector. This can be operationalised through a four-step process: the first step is to identify critical sectors where a policy is required in the first place; the second requires prioritising concerns that regulation needs to address immediately rather than crystal-gazing; the third is to explore possible models of co-regulation; and the final step is to focus on effective enforcement of the limited number of areas where state intervention through policy would exist because of adherence to the first three steps.
- Topic:
- Science and Technology, Regulation, Internet, Business, and Trade
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, and Asia
148. Closing the Enforcement Gap: Groundtruthing of Environmental Violations in Bodai-Daldali, Chhattisgarh
- Author:
- CPR-Namati Environmental Justice Program
- Publication Date:
- 02-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Centre for Policy Research, India
- Abstract:
- Janabhivyakti, the Centre for Policy Research-Namati Environmental Justice Program and Oxfam India have jointly conducted a groundtruthing study of environmental violations in the Bodai-Daldali bauxite mine located in the Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh. A groundtruthing study is the process of comparing the facts as mentioned in official documents with the impacts being reported by affected communities. The methodology included undertaking group discussions with the affected communities. During the group discussions, impacts which the communities were facing were discussed first. This was followed by brief discussions on the various laws and institutions which are available for dealing with impacts arising out of environmental violations. The violations were confirmed by government reports and independent research studies. These reports and studies date back to the year 2007, and some of the impacts have been in existence since the beginning of the mining operations, and have been recorded in the aforementioned reports.
- Topic:
- Environment, Law Enforcement, Social Policy, and Justice
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, and Asia
149. Budget Brief 2019-20: Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY - G)
- Author:
- Sahithya Venkatesan and Avani Kapur
- Publication Date:
- 01-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for Policy Research, India
- Abstract:
- Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY - G) is Government of India’s (GoI’s) flagship ‘Housing for All’ scheme. The scheme was launched in November 2016 and aims to provide monetary assistance for the construction of a pucca house with basic amenities to all rural houseless households and those living in dilapidated and kutcha houses. Using government data, this brief reports on trends in PMAY-G along the following parameters: Allocations and cost estimates; Releases and expenditures ; Beneficiary selection and target setting ; Target completion and physical progress of house construction ; Payments to Beneficiaries.
- Topic:
- Government, Poverty, Budget, and Rural
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, and Asia
150. Kashmir: A Case for Self-Determination
- Author:
- Hafsa Kanjwal
- Publication Date:
- 09-2019
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Brown Journal of World Affairs
- Abstract:
- On 5 August 2019, the Indian government unilaterally changed the legal status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, undermining its own constitutional process and completely annexing a territory that remains disputed in the international arena. In a statement to the Indian parliament, the Indian Home Minister announced the abrogation of Kashmir’s special status enshrined in Article 370 of the Indian constitution, as well as the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories to be directly governed by the central government. Since then, the government has placed Indian-occupied Kashmir on lockdown. Despite restrictions on the movement of reporters and human rights observers and a clampdown on communication infrastructure (including the internet and some phone services), there have been reports of widespread human rights abuses including extrajudicial detentions (including of minors), torture, sexual violence, and lack of access to basic medical and healthcare services.
- Topic:
- Post Colonialism, Territorial Disputes, Self Determination, Colonialism, and Empire
- Political Geography:
- India, East Asia, and Kashmir