SPRF
CONTEXT With the continuing surge of COVID-19 cases in India, there has been a significant increase in the generation of biomedical waste (BMW). The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded the generation of 710 metric tonnes (MT) of biomedical waste per day, as of May 31 2020. Of this, 101 MT/day was COVID-related […]
CONTEXT Over the last week, several as yet unsubstantiated claims have been made regarding irregularities or a possible scam in procurement of Covid-related medical supplies in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) [1]. The irregularities are said to be in the varying prices at which Panchayats across several districts procured equipment such as oximeter, thermometer, […]
The most widely accepted definition of human trafficking across the globe can be found under Article 3(a) of The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children of 2000 (also called the “Palermo Protocol”) [1]. Simply put, it is the trade and transport of human beings for the […]
On August 1, 2019, the Indian Tea Association (ITA) made a public appeal to both the Centre and the state government of Assam for urgent intervention for the survival of the tea industry. Subsequently, the Consultative Committee of Plantation Association (CCPA) made a press statement on August 20 that the tea industry might not be […]
The decision to ban single-use plastics in India on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (October 2) was retracted that very day by the Government of India. This analysis explores the ban, would it have been initiated. On the occasion of India’s 73rd Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, called for a nation-wide movement against […]
In April 2014, in a landmark judgment in National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) v. Union of India and Others, the Supreme Court created the third gender status for transgender persons, recognising their legal and civil rights, and providing directives on affirmative action, access to public healthcare and other social welfare services. Though activists had pointed […]
Today, more than 1.2 billion Indians have a unique digital identity [1], and along with that, access to a basic savings account as well as the choice to conduct payments online using the simplest, low-cost mobile phones. Aadhaar has been the foundation, in the truest meaning of the word, of the bridge built to reach […]
Authored by: Shubhangi Priya The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2016, and passed on December 2018, provisioning a ban on surrogacy intended for commercial purposes. The Bill lapsed upon the dissolution of the parliament the same month, and was reintroduced in the Lok Sabha on July 2019. In […]
Authored by: Jasmine Bhalla According to World Bank estimates, spending on education by both central and state governments in India was 3.8% of the nation’s GDP in 2013 – significantly below the world average of 4.7% in the same year [1]. The country has also performed poorly in terms of quality, scoring second lowest with […]
Authored by: SPRF Research Team The Economic Survey 2018-2019 serves as an aspirational document for the sustained economic growth of India. The Survey presents a strategic blueprint for a nation of 130 crore citizens aiming to become a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2025. A blue sky thinking underlies the growth model pitched by the […]
Authored by: Anshu Chaudhery The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM, hereafter) was introduced in 2014 as an ambitious national project to eradicate open defecation, improve living conditions, ensure women’s safety, and achieve universal sanitation coverage. Open defecation, and the resultant contamination of water, has been an endemic problem associated with sanitation in India. The Lancet Journal, […]
Authored by: Shubhangi Priya This piece attempts to explore the relationship between the historical criminality of rape and the laws which govern sexually violent behaviour in India. The Bombay High Court’s affirmation of the constitutional validity of Article 376E, which sanctions the death penalty in cases of multiple sexual offences, presents an urgent inquiry into […]
Authored by: Karun Gupta Updated by Shubhangi Priya ‘Delimitation’ is defined by the Election Commission of India as, “the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body” [1]. The foundation of delimitation is grounded in the tenets of the democratic process, of […]
Authored by: Jasmine Bhalla In its biennial report, the Indian government has pointed out the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, including floods, droughts, and cyclones, exacerbated by changing demographics and socio-economic conditions [1]. The issue of climate change has also featured on the manifesto of two major political parties, against the backdrop of the 17th […]