KERALA
A seven-step path to better governance
The second Pinarayi Vijayan government takes oath with an unprecedented mandate. It has a chance to rewrite the history of Kerala like no other government in the past 50 years. Here is my humble advice for the newly-elected CM.
- Minimise interference: Kerala has been immensely successful with a decentralized, participatory model of governance. But, from time to time, bureaucratic bungling, in the form of interference in pushing the rule of the ruler ahead of rule of law, has caused much misery.
- Make health, education, and wealth creation key governance issues: Kerala has the potential to be the number one state in India in all three parameters. Although it has done exceedingly well on wealth and wellness, it lags behind its potential in education and entrepreneurship.
- Do not make great ideas a prisoner of ideology: Despite his ideological underpinning, Vijayan’s government has made remarkable progress in investing in techno-commercial enterprises that has helped raise the quality of lives of its people. One hopes that he will continue to embrace and act on good ideas irrespective of their origin.
- Kerala for All: Kerala cities will need to become more cosmopolitan and multilingual to compete in the changing world. This government should encourage professionals from different parts of the world to work and live here.
- Strike a balance between stability and change: Governance is not the same as a government. Government is a blunt instrument designed to enforce the will of the many over the few. All living systems have this tension between being conservative and progressive. By swearing in a young cabinet, the government has taken the first progressive step. The young leaders should be allowed to implement some of their change ideas.
- Start CM’s research fellowships: The one-year fellowship programme follows a ‘field research and forum’ approach, wherein, researchers spend six weeks in the field in their respective districts, following which they gather together at IIM campus in Kochi, Kozhikode to collate their findings, brainstorm solutions and prepare their presentations to the CM. Their work is further structured into three essential workstreams — Modules, Capsules and Pilots, each designed or facilitated by IIM and other academic institutions.
- Open and share data transparently for good governance: The story of governance, at least in the past few hundred years, is also that of a move towards democratization and transparency. Data in general, but government-produced data in particular is and should be on a path towards democratization.This means that data should be open. Open data from government-sponsored research projects can lead to advancements in healthcare or even in entrepreneurial activities.
- INTERNATIONAL
India, France, Australia – First Trilateral Dialogue
On the view of the G7 foreign ministers meeting, the first ever trilateral dialogue at the ministerial level of foreign affairs of India, France, and Australia was held in London, England. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar of India, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Senator Marise Payne attended the meeting.
The tripartite meeting between France, India, and Australia was initiated at the foreign secretary level in September 2020, but it has been upgraded to ministerial level within one year from the date of its establishment. It has the three common priorities of maritime security, environment and multilateralism.
The members of the G7 are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Global Report on Food Crises by GNAFC
The Global Anti-Food Crisis Network (GNAFC) released the “2021 Global Food Crisis Report”. GNAFC is an international alliance composed of the European Union, the United Nations, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations.
According to the report, the economic crisis is the main reason for pushing 40 million people into hunger in 2020. Compared with 2019, this number has increased by 24 million people.
Conflicts related to COVID-19, extreme weather and economic shocks are pushing millions of people into food insecurity.
According to the report, by 2020, more than 155 million people will experience severe food insecurity. Compared with 2019, this number has increased by 20 million. Among them, 133,000 people are in the most serious period of food insecurity. They are mainly from Burkina Faso, Yemen and South Sudan.
By 2020, more than 28 million poplars will face emergency-level food insecurity. The emergency level means they are only one step away from starvation. Urgent action to prevent the spread of famine.
NATIONAL
IREDA Conferred with Green Urja Award
IRDEA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd) has been conferred with the “Green Urja Award” for being the Leading Public Institution in the Financing Institution for Renewable Energy this year by means of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
IREDA gets the award for the pivotal & developmental position it plays in Green Energy Financing.
Despite the pandemic time, IREDA has ended the year 2020-21 ended on a strong observe and disbursed the 2nd highest (from the date of inception) quantity of loan amounting to Rs. 8827 crores, which shows that IREDA has the capability to translate this trouble into an opportunity.
SWAMIH Completes Its First Residential Project
As the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Fund completes its first residential project, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs handed over possession to homebuyers.
Rivali Park, a residential development in Mumbai’s suburbs, was the first housing project in India to receive SWAMIH Fund funding.
In 2019, the SWAMIH Fund was launched.
Rivali Park Wintergreens is the Fund’s first investment and also the first project to be completed.
Despite COVID-19-related constraints, the SWAMIH Investment Fund is one of India’s largest private equity teams and has done commendable work.
Indian Researchers Sequence Pangolin Scales
Indian scientists have sequenced 624 pangolin scales, allowing them to differentiate between Indian and Chinese pangolins.
Despite being classified in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, pangolins are still the most trafficked mammal on the world.
The primary demand for its scales in the production of conventional East Asian medicines has resulted in a $2.5 billion annual illicit trade.
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