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This Week at #IMPRI
(2021 | W7 | February 15 - 21)

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Dear IMPRI Well-wisher,

Greetings from IMPRI! We hope you're well and in good health.

The past week's events discussed the Budget 2021-22 of India's Government and its implications on the economy. The cataclysmic disaster in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand was a center point of deliberation in IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk. The coming week will look into discussions based on gendered dimensions in suicide bereavement and explore solutions to Uttarakhand's climatic disasters.

The newsletter provides an overview of the upcoming #WebPolicyTalk, the week's publications, and videos of past week's #WebPolicyTalks in case you missed them.

Wishing you a productive week ahead! Stay tuned...

Anshula Mehta, Assistant Director, IMPRI

Past Issues of the Newsletter

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Upcoming #WebPolicyTalks
Register to attend!

#GenderGaps

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Dr Nandini Murali (Life Coach, Facilitator, Author) on Gendered Dimensions and Impacts of Suicide Bereavement: Exploring Lived Experiences
When: February 15, 2021; 18:00 IST (Monday) | REGISTER HERE

Chaired by Prof Prabha Chandra (NIMHANS), Dr Carla Fine (Author, Lecturer, and Workshop Leader), Dr Alok Mathur (TBC; Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India), Dr Nappinnai (TBC; Marital Therapist)

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Panel Discussion

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Panel Discussion on Uttarakhand Flood Disaster 2.0: From Analysis to Action

When: February 17, 2021; 16:00 IST (Wednesday) | REGISTER HERE

Chaired by Shri Rajendra Singh (Chairman, Tarun Bharat Sangh, Alwar) and moderated by Dr Indira Khurana (Vice-Chair, Tarun Bharat Sangh, Alwar) and Dr Simi Mehta (CEO, IMPRI) with the panelists - Ms Nivedita Khandekar (Independent Journalist), Dr Anjal Prakash (Research Director and Adjunct Associate Professor, Indian School of Business)

#ForeignPolicy

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Dr Harsh Pant (Director, Studies and Head of the Strategic Studies Programme, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi) on India and the Evolving Global Order

When: February 24, 2021; 16:00 IST (Wednesday) | REGISTER HERE

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Latest Publications

'Urban employment guarantee and increased cash transfers to poor: Remedy for emergencies' by Soumyadip Chattopadhyay, Arjun Kumar, Sunidhi Agarwal, Nikhil Jacob | Counterview
Dr Amit Basole suggests the need for a National Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme, which could de be designed as a self-targeted one on the lines the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) with 100 days’ work guarantee at near urban casual wage.
'US Skepticism towards Climate Agreements' by Gurinder Kaur | Indrastra Global
While highlighting the historical reluctance of US to join climatic agreements and finally rejoining of Paris Agreement, Prof Gurinder Kaur urge US equate its emissions of greenhouse gases, at least on par with the European countries (55 percent cut) on 1990 emissions levels. It should do so at a quicker pace than any other country.
'Mental health worries in a post-Corona world' by Anita Mishra and Ritika Gupta | The Pioneer
Fighting the COVID-19 crisis and the mental health woes that it has brought with it essentially requires a holistic approach that sufficiently integrates infrastructural, social, behavioural and psychological aspects to prepare for any emergency response.
'Environment and Budget 2021: Preserving India’s ecosystem or business as usual?' by Amita Bhaduri, Ritika Gupta | Counterview
Mr Thakkar pointed out that many Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Cumulative Impact Assessments, monitoring activities etc are performed by the consultants, experts and committees and governance happens through them. He remarked that what is required is to consider the governance of these reports as most of these are dishonest and doctored.
'Uttarakhand Tragedy: Wake Up Call to Revise the Economic Development Model' by Gurinder Kaur | The Citizen
The state of Uttarakhand is naturally very beautiful as it has invaluable resources like dense forests, innumerable rivers, and high mountains. At the same time, it is worth mentioning here that it has a very fragile ecosystem. Hence, the state is prone to natural disasters
'Need to revamp developmental planning in the Uttarakhand hills' by Gurinder Kaur and Arjun Kumar | India Water Portal
Earthquakes, cloudbursts, landslides, and massive avalanches, and other natural disasters have been a part of natural processes. Still, the increase in their frequency and depth of intensity is due to human activities. The people of Uttarakhand have a fair knowledge of the environmental priorities and are aware of the fragility and eco-sensitivity of its environment. They have been trying to save it for a long time.
'How can the return of US in the Paris Climate Agreement become meaningful?' by Gurinder Kaur | Counterview
If the Biden administration is really taking the Paris Climate Agreement seriously, it should not start from where the Obama administration left it ,because environmental damage done must be taken into account during the four years of the Trump administration.
'Easing eco-norms? Uttarakhand havoc result of Govt of India development model' by Gurinder Kaur, Arjun Kumar | Counterview
Magsaysay award winner Chandi Prasad said that he had written a letter to the then Environment Minister in 2010 warning about the adverse effects of hydropower project on Rishiganga. His fear is realised in 2021. He claimed that if his warning had been followed in 2010, then such catastrophe would have been prevented.
'Are Democracies mostly Majoritarian?' by Simi Mehta, Shivani Chaudhary | Indrastra Global
The phenomenon of democracies becoming majoritarian has proliferated across the world, ranging from the rise of Trump in the United States (US), Erdoğan in Turkey and, Modi in India. Therefore, it warrants an interrogation in this situation to understand what it means for a democracy to be majoritarian. Does this majoritarianism overlap with the idea of illiberal democracy or is it something else?
'Budget 2021: Environmental conservation or business as usual' by Amita Bhaduri, Ritika Gupta | India Water Portal
“Despite the country’s economic growth and its position of being the fifth largest economy in the world, the allocations to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) have been shrinking in real terms,” said Ashish Kothari, Founder-member, Kalpavriksh, Pune while chairing the session.
'An ecologically illiterate Budget' by Ashish Kothari | The Hindu
In 1991, when the then Finance Minister Manmohan Singh ushered in economic reforms that catapulted India into the global economy, I had asked him how he intended to balance rapid economic growth with environmental protection.
'Slum-Urbanization In India: The Experience Of Kolkata' by Mahalaya Chatterjee | Youth Ki Awaaz
Slums are low-quality housing found in urban areas which originated in the colonial era. The migrants came to the emerging urban areas (port cities, factory towns, plantations, etc.) searching for jobs such as domestic workers which had substantial female components while other occupations were male-dominated.
'The Government Showed Its Vulnerability With The Pandemic And Climate Change' by Simi Mehta, Ritika Gupta | Youth Ki Awaaz
Reminiscing the loss of many notable personalities, such as singer S B Subramanyam due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Leo Saldanha stated that lives have become precarious considering the latest developments two decades. Global warming has resulted in the rapid melting of ice caps in the Arctics and Antarctica.
'Blurred Boundaries Of Women’s Work Amid COVID-19 Pandemic' by Ritu Agarwal | Youth Ki Awaaz
How does the coronavirus pandemic has affected women’s lives in Wuhan, China is yet to be revealed in its substantial details. But from the available news reportage, it emerges that women have shouldered far greater professional responsibilities but at the same time experienced severe vulnerabilities as well.
'India’s New Agricultural Laws 2020: Looking Beyond Farmers’ Concerns' by Utpal K De, Simi Mehta | Youth Ki Awaaz
Various scholars have sided these laws saying much-awaited reforms in agriculture but this picture juxtaposed with some scholars arguing that the central government is in favour of strong privatization of agriculture.
'Pandemic, Policy, and Patriarchy: Process of Gender De-equalization' by Simi Mehta, Anshula Mehta | IMPRI India
According to professor Ritu Dewan, the lack of policy response has reversed the past years’ gains. She quantified the problems of the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic life by presenting data. She mentioned, in pre-pandemic era, there has been a sharp fall in GDP and employment.
'Release of study Findings Rural Telephonic Time Use Survey Study in Bihar- Life in the Era of COVID-19: Impact on VillageMakers of Bihar and Future Prospects' by IMPRI and Centre for Catalyzing Change (C3) | IMPRI India
IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, with the support of Centre for Catalyzing Change’s (C3) Sakshamaa Initiative, conducted a telephonic time-use survey in rural areas of the state of Bihar.
'Adivasi Women: Issues of Forest, Land, and Livelihood' by Simi Mehta, Anshula Mehta | IMPRI India
Prof Indra Munshi highlighted 200 years old history of adivasis when forest department was set up and forest policy was introduced to bring transformation into the economics and organization.
'Monetary and Fiscal Policy Responses to the Pandemic and the State of Gender Inequality' by Simi Mehta, Anshula Mehta | IMPRI India
Prof Lekha Chakraborty says 'the government has acted as the employer of last resort and the central bank as the lender of last resort during pandemic.'
'Water Governance: Challenges and the Way Forward' by Simi Mehta, Amita Bhaduri | IMPRI India
Water Governance poses one of the biggest challenges in modern-day India that looks out for definitive solutions. How this scare water resource is to be allocated? How to generate livelihood in the food-energy nexus?
'The State of Education Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact, Policy Suggestions and the Way Forward towards New India@2047' by Madhav Chavan | IMPRI India
World Bank simulation reports that COVID-19 could bring down the effective years of basic schooling received by children from 7.9 to 7.3 years.
'Economy is within Ecology – Mr Ashish Kothari at IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk' by Simi Mehta, Amita Bhaduri, Ritika Gupta, Sunidhi Agarwal, Nikhil Jacob | IMPRI India
Mr Kothari, outlined the broad context of the discussion from a layman’s perspective by drawing attention to the fact that despite the economic growth achieved by the country, which today is the 5th largest economy in the world, the allocations to the Ministry of Environment has been shrinking in real terms.
'Carry Out Strategic Impact Assessment of Every Project – Mr Debadityo Sinha at IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk' by Simi Mehta, Amita Bhaduri, Anshula Mehta, Sunidhi Agarwal, Manoswini Sarkar | IMPRI India
Several environment institutions and organizations play a critical role in aspects of data collection, monitoring, law enforcement and conservation.
'Environment Concern Should Be Internalised in Our Economic Policy – Prof Kanchan Chopra at IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk' by Simi Mehta, Amita Bhaduri, Anshula Mehta, Sunidhi Agarwal, Nikhil Jacob
Dwelling on the trust for the renewable energy sector in the Budget, Prof Chopra lauded the capital infusion of Rs 1,000 crores to the Solar Energy Corporation and of Rs 1,500 crores to the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency.
'Source Sustainability of Water Supply under JJM Needs Attention – Dr Indira Khurana at IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk' by Simi Mehta, Amita Bhaduri, Ritika Gupta, Nikhil Jacob, Manoswini Sarkar
Commenting on the quantum leap seen in the allocation for the Jal Jeevan Mission from Rs 11,000 crore in the Budget 2020 Revised Estimates to Rs 50,011 crores in the current Budget, she maintained that the project does not take the aspect of ‘source sustainability’ into consideration.
'Need for A National Urban Water Policy to Develop Water-Smart Cities – Mr Himanshu Thakkar at IMPRI #WebPolicyTalk' by Simi Mehta, Amita Bhaduri, Anshula Mehta, Sunidhi Agarwal, Manoswini Sarkar
Speaking on the push for Hydropower projects by the government, hailing it as a clean and green source of energy, he maintained that this is a misconception and not all non-carbon energy sources are necessarily environment friendly.

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In case you missed it...

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Panel Discussion: Pandemic and Budget Implementation and Way Forward

Chaired by Prof Arun Kumar (Malcolm S. Adiseshiah Chair Professor, Institute of Social Sciences) the panel brought together Dr Jyotsna Jha (Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS)) Ms Malini Chakravarty (Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA)) Prof Jyoti Chandiramani (Symbiosis School of Economics)

Watch Now

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Special Lecture: Dhiraj Nayyar (Director, Economics & Policy, Vedanta, OSD & Head, Economics, Finance, Trade, NITI Aayog) on Budget 2021 & Economic Reforms 2.0 towards New India

Chaired by Prof Atul Sarma (Visiting Professor, Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, New Delhi) with panelist Ms Pankhuri Dutt (Public Policy Consultant, NITI Aayog, Government of India)

Watch Now

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#PlanetTalks: Dr Anil K Gupta (Professor, National Institute of Disaster Management, India) on Climate Emergency, Disasters and Resilience: Inclusive Business Continuity Management

Moderated by Dr Simi Mehta (IMPRI)

Watch Now

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Looking forward to seeing you at a #WebPolicyTalk!

Team IMPRI

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IMPRI, a startup research think tank, is a platform for pro-active, independent, non-partisan and policy-based research. It contributes to debates and deliberations for action-based solutions to a host of strategic issues. IMPRI is committed to democracy, mobilization and community building.

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Upcoming #WebPolicyTalksRegister to attend!

#GenderGaps

Panel Discussion

#ForeignPolicy

Latest Publications

In case you missed it...

Upcoming #WebPolicyTalks
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