SPRFDriving evidence-based policy change. We deliver impactful, non-partisan research across economics, governance, environment & climate change, foreign & defense policy, and human rights & law, focusing on monitoring and evaluating policy progress in crucial areas impacting society. We bridge the gap between research and public policy.
This project seeks to explore the nuances of the Indian welfare state, and draw comparisons between the welfare approaches taken by different governments at the state and centre. Particularly, the project will involve exploring the political environment during which major welfare regimes and institutions were created, the management of these institutions by the central and state governments and the political economy of welfare in Indian public life.
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Disclaimer: This issue brief was written before the announcement of reciprocal tariffs by the new Trump administration on 2nd April, 2025, which imposed tariffs by a baseline of 10% for all countries exporting to the USA, and additional tariffs depending on their respective MFN tariff binds, with certain exempt commodities. For India, this amounts to […]
Introduction In the May of 1990 when Montek Singh Ahluwalia delivered his seminal paper, “Towards a Restructuring of Industrial, Trade and Fiscal Policies” for an internal discussion in the government, a reservation on the question of labour was made for a later date, saying, “Reforms relating to labour legislation are also necessary. However, this is […]
Background The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a remote archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, are renowned for their pristine beaches, rich biodiversity and vibrant indigenous cultures. Much of the rich biodiversity has remained undiscovered in parts of the islands, and the fragile ecosystem faces significant environmental challenges. The island of Great Nicobar, a part of […]
Introduction The European Union has been at the forefront of global climate policy, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 under its European Green Deal. To support this goal, the EU has introduced several measures, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The CBAM has been viewed as a key intervention to reduce carbon leakage. […]
Abstract India is currently at a complex standpoint since, as the most populous country, it is continuously exploring new and alternative energy due to its growing energy needs. Yet, it is now also among the largest emitters in the world. Amidst India’s energy transition goals, the country is moving towards expanding its share of renewable […]
Introduction India’s investment in research and development (R&D) has been slow, decreasing from 0.82% of its GDP in 2009-10 to 0.64% in 2020-21. As noted by the Department of Science and Technology in a 2023 report, most developed countries spend more than 2% of their GDP on R&D. However, India’s R&D investment has been lower […]
The gig economy has been growing rapidly in India, with a massive consumer base from tier-1, tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, gig workers were deemed essential workers and the services were allowed to operate.
World Health Day is going to be celebrated this year on 7 April, and will mark the beginning of a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health, titled Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures. The campaign aims to urge governments and the healthcare community globally to prevent maternal and newborn deaths, and to ensure women’s health and well-being. At SPRF, we have written extensively on gender-sensitive healthcare, reproductive health, and postnatal health from a policymaking perspective.
Abstract This essay focusing on maternal incarceration analyses how keeping the mother in custody can turn punitive for her child. In India, when mothers are incarcerated, their children under the age of 6 accompany them in prison. Otherwise, most children end up homeless. This piece uses National Crime Records Bureau [NCRB] data, judgements, and ethnographic […]
Context According to the Sample Registration System [SRS], in India, between 2016-2018, the maternal mortality ratio [MMR] was 113 deaths per 10,000 live births – a decrease from 130 deaths per 10,000 live births between 2014-2016 (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2021a). The government’s multi-pronged policy aims to curb home births and increase institutional […]
Introduction In September 2024, a meeting was held in Hyderabad to discuss integrated Perinatal Mental Health intervention in rural India. Representatives from six districts of Telangana partook in the meeting to identify key problems to maternal mental health in rural India and investigate potential solutions. Maternal Mental Health (MMH), also called Perinatal Mental Health (PMH), […]
Introduction Throughout India’s history, both pre- and post-independence, Maharashtra and West Bengal have been leaders in advancing social reforms for women. Maharashtra’s contributions include the pioneering efforts of Jyotiba Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule, who broke societal barriers by establishing the first school for girls in Pune. Reformers like Dhondo Keshav Karve further pushed […]
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The term Shershabadi (original Shershabadia) has direct reference to the community’s place of origin, i.e., the former Jawar-e-Sarsabad, which comprised parts of Murshidabad, Malda in West Bengal, and Sahibganj district in Jharkhand.
Owing to various social, political, and environmental reasons, they migrated from their place of origin, and are now settled in Kishanganj and its neighbouring districts, in Bihar. Originally a community of settled agriculturists, they slowly dispersed along the river banks and tried to make a living through cultivation.
arrow_outwardThe photo story captures the neighbourhood which falls under the administration of Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation and is navigating complex ecological, geographical, and governance problems.
arrow_outwardMalihabad, tehsil and Nagar panchayat in Lucknow district, Uttar Pradesh is famous for its mangoes. The Malihabadi Dussehra, a variety of mango, got its Geographical Indicator [GI] tag in 2009[1]. Even though Mangoes are widely consumed across the subcontinent, a common narrative of all the mango cultivators of the region is: “Everybody loves mangoes, but no one wants to make the lives of mango farmers any better.”
arrow_outwardn the east of Delhi lies Ghazipur. Over the years, Ghazipur has become an essential route and a stop for people looking to purchase flowers for special occasions.
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