The Discussion Cards on “Achieving Safe On-Site Sanitation in Rural Areas” is designed as part of the Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) project implemented in two districts of Odisha – Angul and Dhenkanal. The SLWM Project was implemented by the Centre for Policy Research in partnership with UNICEF, Housing and Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha, and Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, Government of Odisha, with support from the District Governments, Urban Local Bodies, and Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The rural population in the pilot districts relies primarily on on-site sanitation systems like septic tanks and leaching pits for managing wastewater at the household level. The discussion cards are designed in English and Odiya to aid Swacchagrahis, community leaders and mobilisers, and Gram Panchayat (GP) representatives for educating rural households in the districts regarding proper design and maintenance of on-site sanitation systems to ensure safely managed sanitation for all.
“This is a ‘stay-the-course’ budget on green growth, with the possible exception of support for hydrogen, but not, as yet, a green transformation inducing budget,” said Navroz K. Dubash, Professor at CPR.
“In several areas, such as hydrogen, battery storage, gas, transmission, it seeks to stimulate green production. But it focuses less on green development – using renewable energy for an inclusive transition and promoting rural productivity,” he added.
On greening the electricity sector:
“Budget allocations for renewable energy evacuation and energy storage are useful to enable India’s renewable energy transition, but enhanced support for distributed energy resources will be critical to inclusive transition, promoting rural productivity, and thus, achieving the vision for Amrit Kaal – an empowered and inclusive economy,” said Dr. Ashwini Swain, Fellow at CPR.
Central allocations to build transmission systems for evacuation of 13 GW RE from Ladakh and provide viability gap funding for 4 GWh (or 1 GW capacity) battery storage will give an impetus to stagnated RE deployment pace in India. Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) was envisioned as a significant component in India’s 2022 targets and will remain critical to India’s energy transition. Enhanced support for off-grid solar and PM-KUSUM schemes, though from a low baseline, is a good step. DRE based reliable power supply could be a useful complement to the various supports outlined in the budget for economic empowerment of women through self-help groups, PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PM VIKAS), agricultural productivity, and thus, to unleash the potential of rural economy.
On air pollution and transport – progress in some areas, regress in others
“The budget presents mixed messages on air pollution with substantial progress on adjacent areas such as transport, and an almost total regress in abating household air pollution and mitigating crop residue burning,” said Dr. Bhargav Krishna, Fellow at CPR
In the Finance Minister’s first budget speech of Amrit Kaal that featured green growth as one of its seven key pillars, there are mixed messages on air pollution. While there have been substantial increases in commitment to adjacent sectors such as transport, the almost total phase out of subsidies for LPG signal an end to the initially ground-breaking Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. The lack of subsidies, coupled with the substantial increase in prices of LPG over the last year will almost certainly mean more households will revert to using polluting cooking fuels in their homes, harming the health especially of women and children.
On increased funding for NCAP and no allocation to crop residue burning:
“The increased funding for NCAP is welcome, but the lack of attention to crop residue management or crop diversification mean there is unlikely to be any substantial improvement in crop residue burning this winter,” said Dr. Bhargav Krishna, Fellow at CPR
The increase in allocation for the National Clean Air Programme from INR 600 Cr (RE) to IN 756 Cr is a positive step. Coupled with the ongoing 15th Finance Commission grants to urban local bodies for air quality, there is greater momentum on addressing this issue at the city level. Greater scrutiny is needed, however, on how these monies are spent and how the incentive structures of the NCAP align with prioritizing investment in untested techno-fixes such as smog towers and anti-smog guns.
Simultaneously, however, the lack of investment in both crop residue management mechanisms or in crop diversification programmes indicate a shift of responsibility for management of stubble burning from the Union to States. In the absence of a Union governmentled mechanism to facilitate this transition, there is unlikely to be any substantial reduction in crop residue burning this winter.
On battery storage:
“While the viability gap funding for battery storage is intended to cover about 4% of the 2030 CEA storage capacity projections, it is an important step for generating interest and gauging further support needed,” said Dr. Easwaran Narassimhan, Associate Professor at CPR
The budget proposes supporting battery storage systems with a capacity of 4,000 MWH with a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) policy. A 4-hour battery storage utilization translates to 1GW of storage capacity. While this is a small share of the 27GW projected for 2030 by the Central Electricity Authority, this VGF supported tender is likely to generate interest amongst project developers and help gauge the level of policy support needed to meet the 2030 projections.
On capital investments for energy:
“The capital investments towards energy transition, net-zero objective, and energy security appears to be directed towards the MoPNG. This may help with energy security, but it is unclear what the allocation for oil marketing companies means and whether it represents a bet on natural gas as a bridge fuel,” – Dr. Aman Srivastava, Fellow at CPR.
The budget provides 35,000 cr for priority capital investments towards energy transition, net-zero objective, and energy security. While this appears to be a significant allocation, almost all of it seems to go to MoPNG to meet India’s energy security objectives through 5000 cr. of new allocation towards strategic petroleum reserves and 30,000 cr. of capital support for oil marketing companies. Although investment in a strategic petroleum reserve enhances energy security, it is unclear what the huge allocation for oil marketing companies means. For example, if a majority of this allocation would go towards gas exploration, then it signals a bet on ‘gas’ as the bridge fuel to India’s energy transition.
On green hydrogen:
“The outlay for the Green Hydrogen Mission is important to support the feasibility of green hydrogen, but it is not yet clear how this compares against support being provided by other countries to make hydrogen exports competitive,” said Dr. Aman Srivastava, Fellow at CPR.
The outlay of INR 19700 crore for the Green Hydrogen Mission (with an initial allocation of INR 297 Cr) aims to support annual production of 5 MMT by 2030. This public expenditure – which could cover investments, subsidies, and other avenues – is equivalent to about INR 40/kg. In contrast, the US Inflation Reduction Act provides subsidies of up to INR 250/kg to produce green hydrogen. Although the two are not strictly comparable because one is for multiple purposes and the other just for subsidies, it is important to clarify how these outlays will be used to improve the competitiveness of domestic hydrogen.
On electric vehicles and transport:
“While the focus on EV manufacturing and adoption is commendable, a larger green industrial policy strategy is missing as R&D investments to develop indigenous capabilities to climb the EV value chain are non-existent. On transport sector decarbonization, EV deployment and ethanol blending incentives are a plus but support for public transportation is missing,” – Dr. Easwaran Narassimhan, Associate Professor at CPR.
The budget announced a greater outlay for the FAME-II subsidy scheme (up from 2898 Cr to 5172 Cr) and customs duty exemption on capital goods and machinery required to manufacture lithiumion battery cells locally for electric vehicles. Coupled with the vehicle scrappage policy, this would significantly boost domestic manufacturing of clean energy technologies. However, the lack of investments in R&D is a clear miss.
While it is unclear what the INR 30,000 Cr capital infusion to oil marketing companies will be allocated towards, some emphasis on enhancing charging infrastructure through these funds will aid the EV transition. Additionally, while targets on ethanol blending for the transport sector are welcome from an energy security perspective, questions remain on whether these targets will align with our broader goals around air quality, and how quickly a transition to wide use of E20 fuels can be effected.
On the need greater focus on LiFE-consonant urbanization:
“With LiFE a substantial policy focus both internally and externally, there must be greater focus on urban infrastructure development that is consonant with these goals. This means investing in greater adoption of public and non-motorized transport, and building infrastructure that facilitates sustainable urban living,” said Dr. Bhargav Krishna, Fellow at CPR
While the INR 23,175 Cr allocated to building metro systems is laudable, focus on supporting and building last mile connectivity will enhance the adoption of public transportation thereby reducing the contribution of vehicular emissions. Additionally, utilizing funds allocated to AMRUT and urban infrastructure to facilitate the development of non-motorized transport infrastructure and sustainable urban spaces consonant with the Prime Minister’s call for LiFE is the need of the hour.
Missed opportunity on skilling:
“Several reports have highlighted the requirements from a manpower perspective to facilitate improvements in air quality and to meet India’s targets for installed RE capacity. There was a missed opportunity here in dovetailing the story on green growth with that of skill development and employment by mainstreaming training for these roles through the Skill India Mission. This is perhaps an area that could see significant employment potential coupled with environmental co-benefits if the policies across these sectors are joined up” said Dr. Bhargav Krishna, Fellow at CPR.
2022 saw significant challenges and disruptions across the globe. From the Russia-Ukraine war to the deepening climate crisis, from the continued socio-economic aftershocks of the pandemic to debates on India’s polity and federal dynamics, scholars at CPR remained at the forefront, enriching the public discourse and interpreting the impact of these developments.
Through the year, CPR scholars published more than 800 commentaries in the mainstream media, 75 policy briefs and reports, 19 working papers, 15 book chapters and 31 journal articles.
Here are some key highlights of CPR’s research, discussions and other engagements.
Select Research Outputs
Accountability, State Capacity and Governance
The 14th volume of Accountability Initiative’s annual Budget Brief series was released. Using government reported data, these briefs analysed the trends in allocations, release, expenditure and implementation of nine flagship social sector programmes of the Government of India.
CPR’s State Capacity Initiative released a series of working papers that analyses the principles and debates of the rich discourse on administrative reform in civil services. The working papers draw largely on the reports of committees constituted by the Union government at various points of time and are therefore more focused on reform conversations about the higher civil services, and particularly the IAS.
Climate, Energy and the Environment
In a series of working papers, scholars of CPR’s Initiative on Climate, Energy and Environment (ICEE) explored some of the key institutional issues faced by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and their counterparts in union territories, the Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
In another report, Manju Menon and Kanchi Kohli highlighted the scope and functions of a dozen tree laws implemented in different states in India.
Economy
Partha Mukhopadhyay authored a policy brief to explore asset monetization. The brief highlighted how India can unlock the value of investments in public sector assets by tapping into private sector capital and efficiencies.
Foreign Policy and Strategic Affairs
Shyam Saran authored a path-breaking new book titled, How China Sees India and the World. Published by Juggernaut, the book is the most authoritative account of the India–China relationship and how China perceives our country.
The Russia-Ukraine war resulted in an unprecedented refugee crisis. A brief by Nimmi Kurian looked at how institutionalised biases within EU’s decisionmaking process are changing the notion of the border in fundamental ways with enormous consequences for the rights of the vulnerable.
Politics
CPR’s Politics Initiative devised a study protocol that maps out the Lok Sabha election manifestos of the Congress, the BJP and the CPI(M) since 1952. These three parties represent the ideological spectrum of Indian politics, and the study maps the evolution of issues that matter to Indian democracy.
Natural Resources
In a working paper, Namita Wahi of CPR’s Land Rights Initiative reviewed the constitutional and legal framework underlying the right to water in India, and presented a comprehensive analysis of judicial decisions that have enforced this right, based on insights from two original datasets.
Social Policy
A series of reports by CPR’s Initiative on Cities, Economy and Society focused on initiatives and measures to improve portability and access to social protection and welfare for women and children affected by migration. The reports covered the states of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
Urbanisation
CPR’s Scaling City Institutions for India (SCI-FI) Initiative released a report that discusses a framework to conceptualize and measure urban distress in the Indian context. This framework can help the cities to ‘build back better’ as we recover from the ongoing pandemic and steer inclusive development in the face of emerging challenges including climate change.
Select Public Engagements
In 2022, CPR organised over 60 events, workshops and discussions on a range of issues.
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
CPR celebrated Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav by launching a special lecture series, ‘India and the World’, bringing together distinguished speakers who have a long and deep engagement with India. In this series, we were delighted to host, Peter Varghese (Vice Chancellor, University of Queensland, Former Australian High Commissioner to India), Nabil Fahmy (Founding Dean, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy & Distinguished University Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy, The American University in Cairo and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Egypt), Ibrahim Gambari (Chief of Staff to the President, Nigeria), Mohamed Mustafa ElBaradei (Egyptian law scholar and diplomat), Tshering Tobgay (Former Prime Minister, Bhutan) and Pravin Jamnadas Gordhan (Minister of Public Enterprises, Republic of South Africa).
CPR also launched a podcast series on the Indian Civil Services (ICS) as part of India Speak: The CPR Podcast. Hosted by Yamini Aiyar, the series featured Dr KP Krishnan. In the first episode, they discussed the structure of ICS and its evolution since its inception. In the second episode, they highlighted the shifts in the design of the ICS, whether explicitly through policy changes or implicitly, in adapting to the complex social and political challenges of the country. The third episode focussed on the ailing framework of India’s steel frame and the implications of economic transitions on the direction of ICS reforms. In the final episode, they talked about the relationship between India’s democracy and the civil services.
CPR Dialogues 2022
After a two year pandemic induced hiatus, we returned with our flagship conference, CPR Dialogues. Addressing the theme of ‘New Perspectives for a Changing World’, the speakers for this year included leading names like Adam Tooze (Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Professor of History and Director, European Institute, Columbia University), Parameswaran Iyer (Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog, Government of India), Suman Bery (Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Government of India), Saurabh Garg (Chief Executive Officer, Unique Identification Authority of India, Government of India), Buggana Rajendranath Reddy (Minister of Finance & Planning, Commercial Taxes, Legislative Affairs, Skill Development & Training, Andhra Pradesh), Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management, Government of Tamil Nadu), Shrayana Bhattacharya (Senior Social Protection Economist, World Bank in India), Amitabh Kant (India’s G-20 Sherpa and Former Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog, Government of India), Kelly Sims Gallagher (Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy, Fletcher School, Tufts University), and Gerry Shih (India Bureau Chief, Washington Post). Watch all videos from CPR Dialogues here.
In September 2022, a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between CPR’s Accountability Initiative and the Government of Meghalaya to understand the on-ground status of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the state. The project involves interviews with key stakeholders across various indicators, discussions with government departments, and household-level field surveys across the 11 districts of Meghalaya.
The Accountability Initiative partnered with the Chief Minister of Rajasthan’s Economic Transformation Advisory Council (CMRETAC) to understand data use for better policy formulation. This project includes mapping data generation, use, and processes across education, health and family welfare, and rural development departments. The study will focus on identifying limitations, duplication, and redundancies. It will recommend methods to manage data flows and use it for effective decision-making, while considering global and domestic best practices.
Awards and Recognition
The Scaling City Institutions for India (SCI-FI) Initiative at CPR won the award for the ‘best non-profit engagement model in sanitation: rural and urban’ at the 6th edition of the ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards Ceremony and India Sanitation Conclave. CPR’s SCI-FI Initiative was presented the award in recognition and appreciation for the unique urban-rural convergence model for faecal sludge management in Dhenkanal in Odisha. The initiative has been working in the state since 2014, offering technical expertise to the state and local-level administration to achieve safely-managed sanitation for all.
The launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in 2014 brought in significant policy attention on universalising basic sanitation in India. The programme set out to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by October 2019, however also helped make all tiers and agencies of the state focus on all aspects of sanitation. Around the same time, Odisha which had been lagging on sanitation services also witnessed an increase in policy attention towards achieving safely managed sanitation for all driven from a number of internal factors. Based on early research on alternative sanitation service delivery models since 2013, in 2015, Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and Practical Action with the support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and Arghyam initiated Project Nirmal in partnership with Odisha’s Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD), District Administration, and Municipal governments initiated a pilot demonstration for instituting Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) systems and strengthening decentralised sanitation service delivery in two medium towns of Odisha – Dhenkanal and Angul. Project Nirmal was conceptualised in response to an increased thrust towards, and need for, FSM in the state. It was envisaged that the learnings from Project Nirmal’s implementation would inform state- and national-level legal, financial, institutional, and community participation frameworks for scaling up the project approach. In 2018, under Project Nirmal, Dhenkanal emerged as one of the first municipalities in Odisha to construct a Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) with support from AMRUT. Consequently, Odisha rapidly embarked on a journey to achieve SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation for all) in its urban areas by covering all urban local bodies under FSM. By 2022, all but two of the 115 cities and towns in the state had already built and started operating safe citywide FSM systems.
As rural India also embarked on a journey towards eliminating Open Defecation under SBM-G, rural areas in Odisha witnessed rapid construction of toilet facilities marked by a predominance of on-site sanitation systems. Our research and surveys showed that a bulk of these toilets had been constructed with single pits or septic tanks and not twin pits as recommended by the programme. Consequently, the emerging need for FSM in rural areas was identified. To address this issue and building on Odisha’s success with instituting FSM systems in its urban areas, CPR and UNICEF with support from the District Government of Dhenkanal, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) piloted a novel “urban-rural convergence” in Dhenkanal district by taking a district-wide planning approach. This novel “urban-rural convergence” approach aims to leverage the existing FSM treatment infrastructure and desludging services in urban areas to provide FSM service in neighbouring rural areas. The urban-rural convergence approach, therefore, bridges the urban-rural divide, bypasses the need for creating additional infrastructure, and provides opportunities for institutional convergence. Moreover, by virtue of providing FSM services in rural areas, this approach has consequential positive impact on local environmental pollution abatement and minimising health risks associated with unsafe management of faecal waste. Therefore, to apply theory to practice, the Dhenkanal pilot demonstration was conceptualised and executed to demonstrate the workings of this approach by extending existing FSM services in Dhenkanal Municipality to neighbouring Gram Panchayats (GPs).
Under the Dhenkanal urban-rural convergence pilot demonstration, a “Plug-in Model” for tagging rural GPs with Dhenkanal Municipality was built by using a step-by-step planning approach wherein:
spatial analysis was conducted to identify ‘plug-in zones’ (within a 10-20 km radius from urban areas);
sample survey was conducted to estimate the rural faecal sludge loading;
capacity utilization trend for Dhenkanal FSTP was analysed to estimate spare capacity; and
stakeholder consultations were organised to build consensus amongst and urban and rural local bodies.
Afterwards, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between Dhenkanal Municipality and tagged rural GPs to codify the terms of agreements such as tariff structure for desludging services, mechanisms for payment, and financing and monitoring. Additionally, Information Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns were launched in the tagged rural GPs to spread awareness and generate demand for FSM services.
Figure 1: Memorandum of Agreement signing between urban and rural functionaries
The urban-rural convergence pilot in Dhenkanal successfully extended FSM services to 110 plugged-in rural GPs, benefitting over 2 lakh rural households. As of October 2022, Dhenkanal Municipality’s FSTP has received and treated over 1000 KL of rural sludge received from the plugged-in rural GPs.
Figure 2: Desludging vehicles emptying faecal sludge and septage at treatment plant
Figure 3: Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant in Dhenkanal Municipality
After the successful pilot demonstration in Dhenkanal, a similar pilot was also implemented in the Angul district of Odisha where 77 rural GPs were tagged to Angul Municipality, benefitting over 90,000 rural households. Moreover, based on the learnings from the pilot demonstration for urban-rural convergence using the district-wide planning approach, we have developed a “Template for District-level Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) Planning” that aims to aid state and district governments, practitioners, and developmental partners in creating a District-level FSM Plan for any district in the country. The Template is founded on two approaches to enabling FSM services for rural households, viz. plug-in and greenfield (stand-alone FSM infrastructure and services in rural GPs), aligned with the guidance from the SBM-G Phase II.
The urban-rural convergence model has received significant traction in the state and national policy circles owing to the uniqueness and replicability of this approach. The Government of India releasing a notification on 14th September, 2021 urging the state governments across India to facilitate the adoption of an integrated approach by urban and rural authorities for convergent action on FSM and Plastic Waste Management (PWM). Moreover, due to the success of the pilot demonstrations in Dhenkanal and Angul districts and recognition by the State and National Ministries, the Government of Odisha decided to scale up the urban-rural convergence model for FSM and PWM to all the districts in the state, supported by Centre for Policy Research. Consequently, a Letter of Understanding (LoU) was signed on 21 September 2021 between the Housing and Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, Government of Odisha, and CPR and UNICEF for scaling up the model in a phase-wise manner.
Figure 4: Signing of Letter of Understanding Event
Recognising the uniqueness and potential for replication of the urban-rural convergence model, Dhenkanal Municipality was felicitated with the ISC-FICCI Sanitation Award for the “Best Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Model” in 2021. In 2022, Centre for Policy Research won the ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards 2022 for Best Non-Profit Engagement Model in Sanitation: Urban for spearheading the pilot implementation of the urban-rural convergence model in Dhenkanal.
Figure 5: ISC-FICCI Sanitation Award 2022 ceremony
Sabina Dewan is a Senior Visiting Fellow at CPR and Founder and Executive Director of the JustJobs Network. Her research focusses on delineating strategies for job creation and workforce development. She works closely with governments, businesses, multilateral and grassroots organisations providing critical labour market information to improve interventions aimed at generating more and better employment, and cultivating employability, especially for women, youth and marginalised groups. In this edition of CPR Faculty Speak, she talks about her work and interests at CPR, why they matter, what impact she hopes to achieve and more.
Tell us about your research work and interests at CPR.
“To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness.” With this quote, American philosopher and educational reformer, John Dewey captures the centrality of purposeful work to our lives. My life’s work is understanding labour markets. This includes examining the impact of major forces like technology, climate change, and the pandemic, on employment in India. At CPR, I focus on unfolding trends; for instance, how the proliferation of digital labour platforms affects women’s work; or how the pandemic affected small businesses and their workers. The goal is to ultimately suggest ways to manage the impact of these forces and to create better work, more resilient workforces, and an inclusive labour market.
Why do these issues interest you?
I believe that a healthy labour market is the foundation for everything from the well-being and development of society, to political and economic performance. Given the scale and heterogeneity of India’s labour market, the challenges we face are enormous. India has the largest youth population in the world. Over 90 percent of our employment is informal; and close to 70 percent of our businesses are unregistered. Our female labour force participation is among the bottom third relative to other countries. We must prioritize the provision of enough good quality employment for our large and growing youth population; improve women’s economic participation; and enable wider access to entitlements. My work is focussed on cultivating a deep understanding of these issues from the ground up, and to help find solutions to a range of employment challenges. We must lift these issues up as priorities in public discourse and policymaking.
How has this issue evolved in the country and globally over the years?
Over the last decade, the world has moved from a discourse centred on the impact of economic integration and globalization on labour, to a focus on how major forces such as climate change, technological acceleration, demographic transitions, and more recently the pandemic, are restructuring labour markets and upending traditional employment models. These changes are happening at a pace and scale that is faster than the ability of governance institutions — labour regulation, social protection, education and skills training systems, to keep up. India is also grappling with these challenges.
What impact do you aim to achieve through your research?
My work tries to understand the impact of these forces on the world of work and suggest ways to (re)design relevant governance architecture such as the labour codes and associated rules; social security provision; education and skills training systems; incentive and support for small businesses, to help build more resilient labour markets. My goal is to help move beyond reactionary policy and action to prompt a more strategic approaches to good job creation and workforce development.
What are you currently working on and why is it important?
The last two decades have seen a proliferation of digital platforms and the emergence of an ecosystem of digital work. One of my current projects looks at how work mediated through digital platforms is gendered; how it affects outcomes for women; and how it does, or does not, shift power relations for women in the economy, society, and in their own households. The many benefits of women’s economic participation are well known, and yet their participation rate in India remains low relative to other countries and relative to Indian men. We need to understand why this continues to be the case, and the opportunities and challenges emerging trends in the labour market pose for women’s work.
I am simultaneously working on a study that assesses the impact of COVID-19 on Indian small businesses and their workers. 63.4 million non-agricultural micro, small and medium enterprises employ just under 111 million workers and contribute to approximately 30 percent of Gross Domestic Product. Given these facts, understanding what factors helped some businesses survive the crisis while others failed, and the experiences of the workers in these businesses, is critical to securing businesses and workers against future shocks.
To know more about Sabina Dewan’s work, click here.
New Delhi 7 December: The Scaling City Institutions for India (SCI-FI) Initiative at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) won the award for the ‘best non-profit engagement model in sanitation: rural and urban’ at the 6th edition of the ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards Ceremony and India Sanitation Conclave. CPR’s SCI-FI Initiative was presented the award in recognition and appreciation for the unique urban-rural convergence model for faecal sludge management in Dhenkanal in Odisha. The initiative has been working in the state since 2014, offering technical expertise to the state and local-level administration to achieve safely-managed sanitation for all.
The urban-rural convergence project was conceptualised by CPR’s SCI-FI Initiative in response to the emerging need for faecal sludge management in Odisha’s rural areas as the state witnessed rapid construction of toilet facilities under Swachh Bharat. The model is based on taking a district-wide planning approach to sanitation. It involves leveraging existing urban sanitation infrastructure and services for rural areas, in neighboring gram panchayats. The successful implementation of the model has led to a scale-up across Odisha. It has also received traction at the national level.
Speaking on the occasion, Shubhagato Dasgupta, Senior Fellow and Director of CPR’s SCI-FI Initiative said, “We are delighted to receive this award and would like to thank our many partners including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, Arghyam, Practical Action, the Municipality and District government of Dhenkanal and finally and foremost the Housing and Urban Development Department of the Government of Odisha without whom this would not have been possible.”
President and Chief Executive of CPR, Yamini Aiyar said, “In the past few years, CPR has broadened its engagements and deepened work at the subnational level, offering technical expertise to solve difficult and complex policy problems. Our longstanding work in Odisha aimed to provide safely managed sanitation for all is one such example. This award is a recognition of that effort.”
Land Rights Initiative turns 8 today! As we mark this important milestone, I am incredibly grateful to the Centre for Policy Research, our researchers, donors, mentors, collaborators, government, civil society groups, and communities that have made this journey possible and our work sustainable.
I set up the Land Rights Initiative (“LRI”) with the belief that land is central not just to India’s economic development agenda but to the very idea of India itself. Even as we celebrate 75 years of India’s independence this year, almost 60 percent of all Indians are directly dependent upon the land for their livelihoods. Land is not just an economic resource; it is also central to individual dignity and community identity, history, and culture. Land reforms were crucial not only to India’s economic development but also to its political independence and social redistribution story.
India’s freedom movement was premised upon liberating us from a past of colonial domination and subordination and upon building a future that would bring about rapid economic development for all Indians and ensure individual dignity for all. The Indian Constitution adopted in 1950 safeguarded land rights of Scheduled Tribes and through the inclusion of the fundamental right to property in Article 19(1) (f), for the first time guaranteed equal property rights to all Indians, including women and Dalits or Scheduled Castes. Together, women, Scheduled Castes, and Adivasis or Scheduled Tribes constitute the bottom 60% of the population.
However, as the development agenda played out over the following decades, it brought to the fore the inherent tension between the utilitarian nature of the “development discourse” and the dignitarian nature of the “rights discourse”. This led to the gradual demise of the right to property through a series of constitutional amendments between 1951 and 1978. Ostensibly done for the benefit of the poor, the period since the abolition of the right to property in fact saw greater displacement and dispossession of people from the land due to various development projects. Particularly vulnerable were the Scheduled Tribes, which constitute only 8.6% of India’s population but constitute nearly 50% of those displaced between 1950 and 1999, many of them twice in one lifetime due to dams, mines, wildlife parks, and sanctuaries. This widespread development-induced displacement led to persistent and ubiquitous legal and extra-legal conflict over land, plaguing the lives of people across millions of hectares of land and threatening investments worth billions of dollars.
It was against this backdrop that Land Rights Initiative set out to investigate the reasons for conflict over land and to build a body of knowledge that would enable the government to formulate and implement policies in a way that would preserve the land rights of the people of India without derailing the development agenda.
Over the first five years of its existence, LRI released two pioneering research reports and a singular policy brief that outlined reasons for land conflict and made policy suggestions for reform. The first research report on Land Acquisition in India: A Review of Supreme Court Cases from 1950 to 2016 (CPR: 2017) constituted a first-time-ever comprehensive attempt to analyse all judicial decisions by the Supreme Court on land acquisition, numbering 1269, to illuminate the reasons for popular discontent with the government’s processes of land acquisition which had, in turn, led to both legal and extra-legal conflict over land. This Report has been used extensively by the Department of Land Resources in the Ministry of Rural Development and has been used in training and capacity-building programmes by the National Highways Authority of India and the National Institute for Defence Estates Management. The Report has also been used widely by individual litigants defending their lands against governmental acquisition. That this Report is now the authoritative text on land acquisition is evident from the fact that it was cited by opposing parties, both the government and farmers, before the Supreme Court Constitution bench in Indore Development Authority v. Manoharlal and others (2020).
The second research report on The Legal Regime and Political Economy of Land Rights of Scheduled Tribes in Scheduled Areas of India(CPR:2018) for the first time mapped the Scheduled Areas and plotted the forest cover and mines in India to show a significant overlap with the Scheduled Areas. Through a review of the constitutional and legal provisions pertaining to the Scheduled Areas, and conflicting narratives of identity and development of Scheduled Tribes, the Report was able to shed light on the reasons for the displacement, poverty, and landlessness of Scheduled Tribes. Recommendations from this Report and the National Seminar on Understanding Landlessness and Displacement of, and Atrocities against Scheduled Tribes co-organised by LRI and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) in 2018, and the 2020 NCST report on Tribal Land Alienationin India, for which I served as an expert advisor, were incorporated into NCST’s Annual report (2019-2020) under Article 338A of the Constitution. NCST’s Annual Report was sent to the President of India in early 2021.
Consolidating our work over a five-year period, the policy brief on Understanding Land Conflict in India: Suggestions for Reform (2019) highlighted the conflicting people versus state narratives over land which in turn had led to over a thousand colonial and post-colonial laws and administrative practices. The absence of a publicly available comprehensive database of land laws greatly hampered citizen access to the laws that govern one of the most important aspects of our lives. The desire to fill this gap is what birthed LRI’s most ambitious project called One Thousand Land Laws: Mapping Indian Land Laws. Conceptualised and executed over a period of five years, this project involves an attempt to create a comprehensive, exploratory archive of all land laws in India, a veritable “google maps for land laws”. This year, we launched the web and mobile versions of this website, accessible at landlawsofindia.org.
The website currently features officially authenticated copies of nearly 500 original and active central laws, and state laws from a geographically representative sample of eight states, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Punjab, and Telangana. The website also features Hindi and English language summaries of all laws. From laws pertaining to land reforms and land acquisition, to revenue and taxation and land use, forest and mining laws; from laws promoting and regulating urban and infrastructural development to laws dealing with evacuee, enemy, ancestral and religious property, this vast legal apparatus governs the lives of the people of India, and their interactions with each other and the state. Embedded within the website is a subject-wise classification of all the laws according to over thirty categories, further subdivided into a hundred and fifty sub categories.
For our work in creating citizen awareness and deepening democracy, in 2020, LRI was one of fifteen organisations (out of a hundred and fifty) shortlisted for the inaugural Shamnad Basheer Citizenship Prize, which recognises organisations transforming the field of law and justice. LRI’s research papers have informed courses and curricula across law schools and social science programmes. LRI’s internship programme has exposed and nurtured an entire generation of students in research on this complex subject. As the pioneering institution in the land policy space, LRI has also nurtured the land policy ecosystem by supporting the work of land policy initiatives at other research institutions.
Even as LRI enters its ninth year, climate devastation is upon us and world leaders are meeting in Egypt at the UN Climate Change Conference 27 to shape our collective response to the climate crisis. Our learnings over the past eight years have led us to conclude that land is not just crucial to the imagination of India, but also crucial to our imagination of sustainable survival on planet earth. We at LRI strongly believe that the indigenous imagination of “jal, jungle, zameen” as constituting an indivisible ecosystem, is crucial not just to the preservation of the way of life of Adivasis or Scheduled Tribes but is crucial to sustainable living on the planet. Land rights are an important mechanism for ensuring individual dignity and intergenerational equity, and community-based resource management systems are important for sustainable development. Over the next two years, LRI hopes to create dialogic engagement between our body of work on land rights and economic development with climate imaginaries of sustainable survival.
Dr. Namita Wahi
Founding Director, Land Rights Initiative
Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research
The 49th anniversary of the Centre of Policy Research is an important occasion, and one that calls for both celebration and introspection. The sheer efflorescence of output at CPR is reason to celebrate. CPR was envisaged as an ecosystem that interfaced between the university and government to breathe intellectual life into what its founder then saw as a “moribund system of public administration, hamstrung by the poverty of imagination”. Dr.V.A. Pai Panandiker, Former President of CPR, laid the foundations of a vibrant space that pioneered the impressive body of work on policy issues in India that has become synonymous with CPR.
The nature of policy research is not narrowly prescriptive here. What is emphasized is the option generating imagination, that is best suited to the complex, diverse, highly variegated governance ecosystem of the country. CPR’s experts contribute to a dialogic process that brings voices to the table that are not often heard during policy consultations. Policy makers often draw on this rich repertoire for innovative scenario building.
The local and the global are not seen as discrete spaces, but as a matrix of criss- crossing trajectories that require collaborative, consultative engagement. This kind of interdisciplinarity is fully on display at the hugely popular Annual CPR Dialogues that draws enthusiastic participation from across sectors. Moving seamlessly from the local through the national, regional and global domains, CPR’s work transcends programmatic silos.
Through all the multisectoral work that we do, the leitmotifs reflect (1) an engagement with first principles, (2) the long view of the nature of the ethicality of the social compact, (3) how it delivers on democracy, on social and economic rights and enhances human dignity. We examine the normative dimension – not merely what is expedient for policy – but on how it impacts those it is intended for.
As we enter the 50th year as one of India’s premier think tanks, we celebrate our various milestones, but also collectively introspect on our evolving role and mandate:
How useful is our research and to whom does it matter? Are we an effective bridge between state, civil society and academia?
Does our knowledge production feed effectively into policy spaces?
Do we contribute to a wider epistemic community beyond the compulsions of funding deadlines and ‘outcome’ expectations?
Do we buttress democratic praxis?
In our quest for solutions how sensitive have we been to what questions remain…which we failed to ask?
In the dialectical interplay between ‘governance’ and ‘democracy’ is embedded our abiding question of what it would take to build a responsive, equitable, inclusive, effective 21st century State for India.
Our research takes us to the intersections of this complex mosaic of perceptions, practices, structures, beliefs that collide, cohere, even collude in ways that significantly determine the manner in which the people of India experience their rights and the quality of citizenship. The changing nature of the state and its ‘capacity’ in the current phase of ‘globalization’ is the big idea that links our work on accountability, urbanization, sanitation, energy, climate change, land rights, migration, health, cities, and the nuts and bolts of federalism with the lived experiences of the citizens of the Republic whom the state is meant to serve – not just service.
The other big question that engages us, revolves around navigating the emerging geopolitical landscape and the congruence between domestic/ electoral compulsions, the economy and India’s global aspirations. As the norms of engagement in the global order change, how should India calibrate her geopolitical position? What are the new configurations at play?
In a globalized world, as the line between what is external and what is domestic becomes increasingly porous, how must India secure her credentials as a democratic, pluralistic polity with a stable growth trajectory?
For an institution that celebrates its Golden Jubilee next year, CPR is incredibly young. Its resilience and vitality is reflected in its ability to continuously reinvent itself. Keeping in mind the changing national scenario and global imperatives CPR has added newer projects, even while fine tuning and refining existing programs. There is a continuous striving for greater congruence between projects.
As much as we introspect, we also continue to make our work accessible in the larger public sphere and draw upon reasoned critique to help nuance, refine and push the envelope further on the quality, credibility, non-partisanship and efficacy of our suggestions for sustainable implementation. This enables us to sustain a unique multi-stakeholder space where leading public policy practitioners, academics, and members of civil society deliberate upon the opportunities and critical challenges that animate governance choices and trajectories for India in the 21st century. Our striving to sustain robust public discourse based on objective, informed and non-partisan research on the issues at stake is the enduring leitmotif of our work
for Faculty and PhD-holders belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Marginalised Groups
November 14-18, 2022
Centre for Policy Research is embarking on an ambitious programme to impart insights and skills in public policy research as well as research methods to scholars and faculty members belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other marginalised groups. The programme is funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and spanning over six months, this hybrid programme consists of three parts: 1) a 5-day inaugural workshop, 2) periodic online interactions will be facilitated between individual scholars and their respective subject experts, and 3) a 3-day concluding conference at the end of six-month period. The inaugural workshop will be held from November 14-18 2022 in New Delhi.
The workshop will have three components: 1) scholars and practitioners of public policy in India share their knowledge and experience; 2) methods in social science research will be explained in the context of individual participants, and; 3) lectures will be delivered on topics such as writing effective grant proposals, enhancing writing skills, exploring publication avenues, funding sources, and conducting impactful research.
Reading material, such as manuals, books, etc., will be provided. A candidate, belonging to any of the social groups mentioned above, should meet the following requirements. He/She must:
Below the age of 40 years
Trained in Social Sciences/ Humanities such as History, Law, Psychology, Sociology etc.
Holding a PhD (candidates without PhD but are teaching in universities and colleges are eligible)
The participants will get free boarding and lodging on a twin-sharing basis. Two-tier AC train fares by the shortest route will be reimbursed.
Eligible candidates may apply online or email their CVs to public.policy@cprindia.orgbefore 27 October 2022. Selected candidates will be intimated before 31 October 2022.
The Initiative on Climate, Energy and Environment (ICEE) at the Centre for Policy Research organised a seminar series from 2017 to 2018 entitled ‘Clearing the Air?’. Featuring the voices of prominent researchers, doctors, civil society members, and experts, this series of 10 events aimed to promote sustained and informed public discourse on the data, impacts, sources and policy challenges involved in addressing India’s air pollution crisis.
Filling the Knowledge Gap on Air Quality in Indian Cities Date: December 4, 2017 Speaker: Dr. Sarath Guttikunda – Founder and Director, UrbanEmissions.Info, NASA Earth and Space Science Fellow, and TED Fellow About the Seminar: Dr. Guttikunda discussed the contribution of various sources to air pollution in Delhi, identified gaps in knowledge and data availability on air pollution in India, and explained the challenges of monitoring emissions across different sources.
Selected excerpts from this discussion are available in the form of a written Q&A.
Health Effects of Exposure to Air Pollution (co-organised with Public Health Foundation of India) Date: December 20, 2017
Speakers:
Dr. Prabhakaran – Vice President (Research & Policy), Public Health Foundation of India
Dr. Preet Dhillon – Epidemiologist, Sr. Scientific Officer, Public Health Foundation of India
Moderated by Bhargav Krishna – Manager, Centre for Environmental Health, Public Health Foundation of India
About the Seminar: This panel of clinicians, health experts and researchers from the Public Health Foundation of India discussed the effects of air pollution on important health outcomes such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases and cancer.
Air Pollution as a Preventable Cause of Adverse Birth Outcomes in India: New Evidence from Cohort Studies in Tamil Nadu Date: January 10, 2018 Speaker: Kalpana Balakrishnan Ph.D., FAMS – Director, World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, SRU-ICMR Centre for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai
About the Seminar: Dr. Balakrishnan presents results from a recently concluded cohort study in Tamil Nadu that provides some of the first quantitative effects estimates for linking rural-urban PM2.5 exposures and birthweight in India, adding important evidence from high exposure settings that experience dual health burdens from ambient and household air pollution. Highlighting the need to consider maternal exposures to PM2.5, Dr. Balakrishnan emphasises the imminent need for strategic air quality actions focused on protecting vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and infants.
Role of the Transport Sector in Delhi’s Air Quality: Key Drivers and Opportunities for Intervention Date: February 1, 2018
Speakers:
Amit Bhatt – Director of Integrated Urban Transport, WRI-India
Parthaa Bosu – Lead Consultant, Environment Defence Fund
Sumit Sharma – Fellow and Associate Director, Earth Science and Climate Change, TERI
Moderated by Mukta Naik – Senior Researcher, CPR
About the Seminar: Vehicular pollution has been a significant contributor to air pollution in India. This panel deliberated on key technical and policy drivers for the reduction and management of emissions from the transport sector, including the source composition of air pollution from transport, potential gains from changes in fuel standards and fuel types, and issues related to public transport and modal shares.
Selected excerpts from this discussion are available in the form of a written Q&A.
Crop Burning as a Source of Air Pollution in the National Capital Region Date: February 23, 2018
Speakers:
Dr. HS Sidhu – Senior Research Engineer, Borlaug Institute of South Asia
Pritam Singh Hanjra – Farmer from village Urlana Khurd, Panipat, Haryana
Dr. Rajbir Yadav – Principal Scientist, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
Moderated by Harish Damodaran – Rural Affairs and Agriculture Editor, The Indian Express
About the Seminar: This discussion on crop residue burning as a source of air pollution explored the genesis of the problem, and touched upon some recent technological interventions intended to address the issue. It also discussed some of the key political, scientific, economic and social drivers that need to be considered while designing a long-term solution to crop residue burning. Selected excerpts from this discussion are available in the form of a written Q&A.
Municipal Solid Waste as a Cause of Air Pollution Date: March 7, 2018 Speakers:
Ravi Agarwal – Founder & Director of Toxics Link
Nalini Shekhar – Co-founder of Hasiru Dala
Dr. Seema Awasthi – Founder & Director of ICUC Consultants Pvt. Ltd
Moderated by Arkaja Singh – Fellow, Centre for Policy Research
About the Seminar: Solid waste burning is being recognised as a significant contributor to the deteriorating air quality in the NCR. This panel discussed some of the best practices on waste disposal that can help reduce exposure to airborne toxins from municipal solid waste. Some of the strategies suggested gave primacy to waste workers, whereas others emphasised technology, infrastructure and management. Selected excerpts from this discussion are available in the form of a written Q&A.
Campaigning for Air Quality: Lessons from Two Decades of Advocacy Date: April 12, 2018 Speakers:
Anumita Roychowdhury – Executive Director, Research & Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment
In conversation with Navroz K Dubash – Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research
About the Seminar: Anumita Roychowdhury has been at the forefront of the clean air campaign in India for more than two decades. In this conversation, she discussed effective strategies to improve air quality regulation and governance, and reflected on some of the lessons learnt from shaping policy through deep government engagement and work with the courts. She also discussed the importance of strong institutions, evidence-based policy, and effective long-term implementation strategies to deal with poor air quality. Selected excerpts from this discussion are available in the form of a written Q&A.
Power Plants as a Source of Air Pollution in India Date: May 11, 2018 Speakers:
Vinuta Gopal – Co-founder & Director, Asar Social Impact Advisors
Priyavrat Bhati – Programme Director, Energy, Centre for Science & Environment
Ritwick Dutta – Environmental Lawyer & Founder, Legal Initiative of Forest & Environment
Moderated by Shibani Ghosh – Fellow, Centre for Policy Research
About the Seminar: Sulphates, nitrates, mercury and particulate matter emitted from power plants contribute significantly to air pollution in the country. The panel discussed the scale of the problem, described the governing regulatory eco-system, and analysed the policy formulation process for the 2015 emission norms, explaining why there was limited compliance. The speakers also deliberated on the role of the courts – the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court – in regulating pollution from power plants. Selected excerpts from this discussion are available in the form of a written Q&A.
Thick with Dust: Air Pollution in the National Capital Region Date: July 16, 2018 Speakers:
Dr. Umesh Chandra Kulshrestha – Professor, JNU, New Delhi
Dr. Anuradha Shukla – Chief Scientist, Central Road Research Institute
Mr. Sunil Agarwal – Founder and Managing Director, Black Olive Ventures
Moderated by Navroz K Dubash – Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research
About the Seminar: While dust is often seen as nothing more than an irritant, suspended particulate matter and other dust pollutants present very real threats to air quality, and create toxic respiratory conditions, particularly for vulnerable sections of the population like outdoor workers, children, and the elderly. This panel explored the environmental and health-related consequences of dust in the air, including the nature and scale of the dust problem, how climatic factors and increasing desertification contribute to the problem, and what changes need to be made to the regulatory environment.
Lessons from the Ground: Civic Engagement with Air Pollution Date: August 8, 2018 Speakers:
Dr. Rohit Negi – Associate Professor, Ambedkar University, Delhi
Ashutosh Dikshit – CEO, United Residents Joint Action, Delhi
Chetan Bhattacharji – Managing Editor, NDTV
Moderated by Dr. Navroz K. Dubash – Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research
About the Seminar: This panel analysed whether and how civil society has been able to constructively contribute to the public discourse on air pollution. It also explored ways in which it has been able to – or can potentially in future – influence policy change and ensure effective and sustained action on air quality regulation and governance.
On 10th January 2024, CPR received a notice from the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelling its FCRA status. The basis of this decision is incomprehensible and disproportionate, and some of the reasons given challenge the very basis of the functioning of a research institution. This includes the publication on our website of policy reports emanating from our research being equated with current affairs programming.
During the tenure of our suspension, we sought and obtained interim redress from the honourable Delhi High Court and will continue to seek recourse in all avenues possible.
This cancellation comes after a decision to suspend the FCRA status in February 2023. These actions followed an Income Tax “survey” that took place in September 2022. The actions have had a debilitating impact on the institution’s ability to function by choking all sources of funding. This has undermined the institution’s ability to pursue its well established objective of producing high quality, globally recognised research on policy matters, which it has been recognised for over its 50 years’ existence. During this time the institution has been home to some of the country’s most distinguished academics, diplomats and policymakers.
CPR firmly reiterates that it is in complete compliance with the law, and has been cooperating fully and exhaustively at every step of the process. We remain steadfast in our belief that this matter will be resolved in line with constitutional values and guarantees.
