🌱 Empowering Grassroots Governance through XV Finance Commission Grants 🌍 The Government has released the 2nd installment of XV Finance Commission Grants for Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh for the Financial Year 2024–25, marking a significant step towards empowering local governance. Key Allocations: Uttar Pradesh: ₹1,598.80 crores for 75 District Panchayats, 826 Block Panchayats, and 57,691 Gram Panchayats. Andhra Pradesh: ₹446.49 crores, including ₹25.49 crores of withheld funds, for 13 District Panchayats, 650 Block Panchayats, and 13,097 Gram Panchayats. These untied grants provide Panchayati Raj Institutions with the financial autonomy to address region-specific challenges and opportunities, fostering self-reliance, accountability, and localized decision-making. The funds can be utilized for essential community initiatives, including: -Sanitation -Drinking water supply -Rainwater harvesting -And other critical local development needs. Driving Inclusive Growth & Strengthening Grassroots Democracy This initiative is a cornerstone of India's commitment to inclusive growth and reinforces the foundation of grassroots democracy. By enabling villages to take charge of their own development, it supports the nation’s vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India), where every community contributes to the country’s collective prosperity. More than just financial support, these grants represent a transformative governance model that amplifies local voices, promotes sustainable progress, and builds a more self-sufficient India. #XVFinanceCommission #PanchayatiRaj #GrassrootsGovernance #LocalDevelopment #InclusiveGrowth #SelfReliance #SustainableProgress #ViksitBharat #IndiaDevelopment #Empowerment #CommunityDrive

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In my column for News18 India, I discuss how path dependency has shaped India's agricultural policies, particularly the entrenched focus on wheat and rice production, despite changing consumption patterns. Drawing from the 2023-24 Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) analyzed by the EAC-PM Working Paper, food expenditure has dropped below 50% of household consumption for the first time, with significant declines in cereal spending—driven by free grain schemes—and rising consumption of higher-value foods such as fruits, vegetables, and proteins. This shift calls for recalibrating agricultural policies, moving public support from cereal-centric models to more diversified cropping systems that align with evolving consumer demand.

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A short-duration program focussing on concepts, contemporary issues, and public policy in the domain of inclusive finance in India. If you are in the domain, do seriously consider joining it. #inclusivefinance #financialinclusion #Microfinancefirms #smallfinancebanks #commercialbanks #cooperativebanks #regulators

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Images of crocodiles on Vadodara streets seemed like a dystopian nightmare come true. But they also provide a fresh perspective on financial risks arising from climate change. As regulators and authorities build new guardrails to minimise financial risks from climate change, gaps in the existing framework may give birth to a new breed of predators. My column in moneycontrol.com. #climatechange #climatefinance #greenbonds #greendeposits https://lnkd.in/d65Ra4k9

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Navigating the Paradox of Vote Bank 🆚 Development in Policy-making In India, policymaking walks a tightrope between appeasing vote banks for political gains and ensuring long-term development for citizens and national growth. While this paradox is well understood, it is rarely discussed openly. The Vote Bank Approach: This approach focuses on catering to specific demographic or community interests to secure votes in elections. Policies/schemes are generally implemented before elections to woo voters and get immediate results. Examples: 1. Farm Loan Waivers: Announced before elections to favor farmers, these provide short-term relief but neglect structural issues in agriculture. 2. Caste-Based Reservations: Expanding quotas closer to elections secures votes but stirs social unrest and leaves broader inequalities unaddressed. Impact: These policies address immediate needs but lack sustainability. They create wrong expectations from governments and undermine economic and developmental aspects. The Development-Centric Approach These policies aim for long-term development and inclusive growth. They are sustainable and ensure holistic growth over immediate benefits. Examples: 1. GST: Unified the economy despite challenges. 2. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Improved health and sanitation with long-term benefits. Impact: Though resisted initially, successful implementation results in economic and social growth. Balancing the Two: Is It Possible? Striking a balance between electoral aspirations and sustainable development is challenging but not impossible. For instance- Ayushman Bharat: Provides free healthcare for weaker sections, strengthening healthcare infrastructure. MGNREGA & Mid-Day Meal: Provide immediate benefits while fostering community development. What Can Be Done? 1. Mixed Policy Approach: Identify gaps and derive solutions with shared benefits. 2. Holistic Evaluation: Design policies considering both short-term impacts and long-term outcomes. 3. Cooling-Off Period: The Election Commission could implement a one-year cooling-off period before elections to prevent announcing new schemes. How do you think we can better align political and developmental priorities? Let’s discuss! #PublicPolicy #PolicyImplementation #GoodGovernance #SocialImpact #CommunityEngagement #PolicyInAction #GovernanceMatters #PolicyInnovation #DigitalGovernance #SustainableDevelopment #InclusiveGrowth #PublicSector #DataDrivenPolicy #CivicTech #SocialChange #SmartGovernance #PolicyAndDevelopment #Transparency #Accountability #PolicyForPeople

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Rural poverty in India is a complex issue, and several socioeconomic factors contribute to it. The key determinants include: #Dependency #Ratio Households with a higher dependency ratio, meaning more non-working members, are more likely to be poor * #Education Lower levels of education, particularly years of schooling, significantly impact #poverty levels -* #Occupation* #Engagement in low-paying or unstable occupations contributes to poverty #Gender of Household Head Female-headed households are more vulnerable to poverty Per #Capita Monthly Income Lower income levels directly affect poverty status #Access to #Credit Limited access to credit and financial services exacerbates poverty - #Caste and #Tribe Poverty is disproportionately high among certain caste and tribe groups #Health and #Education Limited access to quality healthcare and education perpetuates poverty #Geographical #Location Remote or resource-scarce areas face unique challenges These factors intertwine, creating a poverty trap that's difficult to escape. For instance, limited #education options lead to lower-paying #jobs, reducing income and access to #credit, #healthcare, and #education. The 2024 #Global #Multidimensional #Poverty #Index report highlights that 84% of the world's poor live in rural areas, with India being one of the countries with the largest number of poor individuals. Addressing rural poverty requires a multifaceted approach, incorporating #education, #economic #empowerment, and social inclusion strategies. Reforming #policies and #programs, such as those supported by the UNAccc (UNITY OF NATIONS ACTION FOR CLIMATE CHANGE COUNCIL) , can play a crucial role in addressing these #socioeconomic determinants. Some potential solutions include: Improving Access to Education and Healthcare Investing in #qualityeducation and healthcare services in rural areas. #Economic #Empowerment Providing training, credit, and livelihood opportunities for rural households. #Social #Inclusion Addressing caste and tribe disparities through targeted programs. #Infrastructure #Development Enhancing rural infrastructure to facilitate access to markets and services. By understanding the complex interplay of #socioeconomic factors contributing to rural poverty in #India, we can work towards effective solutions to improve #livelihoods and #quality of #life. Narendra Modi NITI Aayog NITI Aayog Official Rajiv Kumar Rajiv Kumar UNAccc (UNITY OF NATIONS ACTION FOR CLIMATE CHANGE COUNCIL) Gottlieb W. Keller Neville Gaunt 💡⚡️ H.E. Sir Dr Ian Peter Anderson Prof. Amit Sharma (PhD) United Nations UN SDG Action Campaign

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An opinion piece by Prachi Mishra, Professor of Economics, Director and Head of the Isaac Center for Public Policy, Ashoka University on how the impact of air pollution on education is an over-looked crisis. Read More: https://lnkd.in/gKjFQxHX #AshokaUniversity

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the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in *West Bengal* are set to be a defining moment in the state's political history. The evolving dynamics of *identity politics, religious polarization, and outreach to marginalized communities* are shaping a fiercely contested battle for electoral supremacy between the TMC and the BJP. *Women empowerment* has emerged as a critical theme, with both parties seeking to sway the crucial female voter demographic. As the state braces for this critical electoral showdown, the political landscape is poised to undergo further evolution, reflecting the *intricate interplay of identity, representation, and empowerment.* https://lnkd.in/gJVVATkv

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Scaling up finance to enable the green transition remains one of the biggest open questions for this decade' Write Sehr Raheja, Trishant Dev & Avantika Goswami of CSE's Climate Change programme for Mint: https://lnkd.in/gJhQvAb4

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The recent SBI research published says that the poverty level in India is 4.86% in rural areas and 4.09% in urban areas. According to the research, it was 25.7% in rural areas and 13.7% in urban areas in 2011-12. The news was widely shared by the Central Ministers, including the Finance Minister, some of whom attributed it to the visionary leadership. A few things do not add up though. https://lnkd.in/dCUjJvAQ Just two days back, while sounding the poll bugle in Delhi PM Modi said, "...the central govt is providing free ration to nearly 75 lakh needy people in Delhi." In a city with around 3 crore people, 25% of the population avails free rations. If urban poverty has reduced to 4% why is such a large number of people still dependent on free ration? https://lnkd.in/dYMMkJ2S A little over a year PM Modi extended free ration to the poor for 5 years, claiming it will benefit 80 crore people. In a country of 140 crore, that makes it 57% of the population. What miracle happened in a short time for the poverty to fall down below 5%? https://lnkd.in/dsY9rwCt The official poverty line has not been revised since 2009 when the Tendulkar committee set it at Rs. 816 per month for rural areas and Rs. 1000 for urban areas. SBI research set the benchmark at Rs 1632 in rural areas and Rs 1944 in urban areas. That makes it Rs. 54.4 per day in rural areas and 64.8 per day in urban areas. Just for reference, the cost of 1 litre of milk in Delhi is Rs. 56. 

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Dr Sasmit Patra is an interesting parliamentarian to watch, bringing to the fore issues of an institutional nature. It may be the more reasoned deliberations at the back-end, of MPs like Dr Patra, that produces real work, in the absence of maturity and substantive depth in those leading the poor quality of the opposition's grouse mining narrative spins. Building congruency, needs a reasonable nod to reality, and that is compromised by the poor quality of legislative deliberations descending purely to exacerbating issues in the pursuit of vote-banks, rather than act as a check on government excesses. Even our institutional structures like courts, in many cases, appear to prefer moral posturing rather than building a bridge to better policy implementation, the decontextualized nature of their abstractions, and a procedural morass. where the fealty to procedural means have overtaken substantive and practical ends (tareek pe tareek!) - leads any resolution into an endless procedural maze. The tough task of "performing" in governance, making a careerist bureaucracy with its deep vested interests work, is difficult even for the strong willed, and may not even be in the agenda as the primary focus of those slanted by their electoral bargains.

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Punjab is confronting a critical water crisis stemming from over-extraction, dwindling river sources, outdated infrastructure, and prolonged political gridlocks. The state lacks a coherent water policy, leading to short-term fixes influenced by economic needs and political factors. Immediate actions are crucial to prevent a looming water disaster. Today's Op-Ed piece in the HT Chandigarh delves into this urgent matter.

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As part of the AgriStack initiative, for rolling digital farm lending in Uttar Pradesh for its eight crore farmers, the State government is currently working with the IFC - International Finance Corporation for providing APIs of the state’s land records & farm boundaries to SatSure & a couple of other companies. Bengaluru-based Space tech company SatSure provides satellite-based risk scoring & ratings reports at both farm & village level. It extracts patterns from satellite imagery using AI algorithms which can identify what crop is growing within a land parcel. It tracks changes in health, productivity, & provides insights on how these changes are related to climatic variables like rainfall, temperature, & humidity. These insights help banks understand the farmer’s income from the land & his ability to repay a loan. It also works with the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), credit rating agencies like TransUnion CIBIL Limited, & several large private sector banks like ICICI Bank & HDFC Bank. SatSure is not alone. Last week, Dhruva Space announced AstraView, a commercial satellite imagery service. AstraView provides end-users with high-resolution, multi-dimensional insights. This analytic-ready dataset increases operational efficiency, Dhruva said. It allows customers to search & order archived imagery or request for fresh collection of satellite data, ensuring they have access to both historical & real-time geospatial information. Users can use satellite imagery to optimise operations, & track environmental changes, without the complexity of traditional procurement methods. Prateep Basu, CEO, SatSure, told The Economic Times, that it is currently using open Copernicus programme data from the European Space Agency - ESA that is available every five days anywhere globally, & ISRO - Indian Space Research Organization's Bhuvan portal for land use maps as underlying layers to accurately delineate the croplands, fallows, & agro-forestry areas. “We have to access the digitised land records from different states, & there are several layers of complexity in delivering the satellite-based solution because we need to know where the land is & whom it belongs to," he added. A bank which is taking a farmer’s loan application, where they must submit information on the land’s location, can enter that information into SatSure's systems or their system (wherever APIs are integrated) & fetch the farm risk report at the land parcel level of the farmer. This saves them days of time & helps provide better services to farmers. Sanjay Nekkanti, CEO of Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space, also concurred that in agriculture, satellite imagery data enables precision farming by monitoring forests, crop health, soil conditions, predicting yields, & optimising resources for better productivity. Full story: https://lnkd.in/gR8sxt_f ETtech

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Mr. Sinha, Director General of Audit at the Office of the #Comptroller and #AuditorGeneral of #India; #SAIIndia underscores that financial landscape for #climatemitigation is complex, requiring key #stakeholder involvement. #SDG13 #UN #INTOSAI Symposium

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