
Articles
Elections | How far is India from online ballots?
A decentralised blockchain technology with an immutable ledger could be explored to enhance the security and transparency of voting. Another set of five assembly elections are concluding this week. As expected, the elections often bring forth discussions around the voter’s […]
Can net neutrality survive market forces?
Enforcing and regulating net neutrality is not a straightforward task. Varying capacities to understand and adapt to technological changes make net neutrality a complex ecosystem to enforce. Recently, the Department of Telecoms tried to ease nerves by saying there was […]
Global Hunger Index a stark reminder to address hunger, poverty
The challenges in addressing hunger and poverty cannot be effectively met through general schemes devised solely at the central or state levels. India’s poor ranking in the recently published Global Hunger Index brought the focus back to discussions around poverty, […]
Biomedical Waste Management: A Perinthalmanna Model
Perinthalmanna has an effective system for the management of biomedical waste with few areas for improvement Waste management is a pressing concern for urban practitioners, government officials, as well as state and local governments. In Kerala, a majority of regions […]
Robust Economic Growth Critical for India to Take Care of its Elderly
A development in India’s ‘care economy’ for the elderly will depend on the wealth growth of the younger generation in the next two decades. Key Points India is at the threshold of a demographic transition marked by a surging ageing […]
Embracing the Decentralised Approach: Role of Aerobic Bins in Waste Management
By Amal ChandraCPPR YLF Fellow 2023Urban centres worldwide are grappling with the challenge of managing increasing volumes of waste generated by growing populations. In this pursuit, innovative and sustainable waste management solutions are essential. One such solution that has gained […]
അശാസ്ത്രീയ മാലിന്യസംസ്കരണം മത്സ്യബന്ധന മേഖലയെ പ്രതിസന്ധിയിലാക്കുമ്പോൾ
പലവിധത്തിലുള്ള ദുരിതത്താൽ ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടുന്നവരാണ് വൈപ്പിൻ ദ്വീപുനിവാസികൾ. അക്കൂട്ടത്തിൽ ഏറ്റവും പ്രധാനമായ ഒന്നാണ് വൈപ്പിനിലെ അശാസ്ത്രീയമായ മാലിന്യ സംസ്കരണം. വൈപ്പിനിലെ മത്സ്യബന്ധനമേഖല നേരിടുന്ന പ്രതിസന്ധികളിൽ പ്രധാനപ്പെട്ട ഒന്നാണിത്. മീൻ പിടിക്കാൻ വലയിടുമ്പോൾ പലപ്പോഴും പ്ലാസ്റ്റിക് ഉൾപ്പെടെയുള്ള മാലിന്യമാണ് കിട്ടാറുള്ളതെന്ന് തൊഴിലാളികൾ പറയുന്നു. ഇത് തങ്ങളുടെ സമയം പാഴാക്കുന്നു. പലപ്പോഴും ബോട്ടിന്റെ എഞ്ചിൻ കേടാകുവാനും, വല കീറുവാനും വരെ […]
Empowering Student Unions in Indian Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Democratic Participation
Indian students’ role in politics goes back to the freedom struggle, where students emerged as trailblazers in the Swadeshi Movement, leading picketing campaigns against foreign goods to ignite a spirit of economic self-reliance and national pride. After independence, the activism […]
India’s PM-eBus Sewa Scheme and the Path to Net Zero
With the approval of the “PM-eBus Sewa” bus scheme for augmenting city bus operations by the Union Cabinet, India’s path towards achieving its net zero targets by 2070 is lauded by many. The scheme would have an estimated cost of […]
Shifting Political Tides in the Maldives: Implications for India
The upcoming Maldives Presidential election holds historical significance as it features seven candidates vying to challenge incumbent President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih. The presence of former President Abdulla Yameen, who is advocating for an India-out campaign while aligning with China, adds […]
The News Click Saga – The Global Propaganda Game Of China
The New York Times has recently brought out a sensational investigative story on global Chinese propaganda and the interlinkages of a network of activists’-groups, non-profit organisations, and shell companies in such operations. At the heart of this network is an […]
Support to E-buses will not be sufficient to address India’s public transport woes
India’s public transport system lacks efficiency, finance, and professionalism. Even the discourse around buying electric buses is not well-informed or debated. It demands structural changes in the way the business is conducted. Recently the Union government announced 10,000 electric buses […]
The SCO Energy Club as the New Energy Agenda Setters of Central Asia
In the 21st century, energy is an important tool that shapes geopolitics and controls the geoeconomics of countries. Central Asia has emerged in recent years as an alternate energy source for countries like China and India as their growing populations […]
Rethinking the Classification System to boost the Homestay Business in Kerala
As defined by Kerala’s tourism department, homestay means “A family business carried out by the owner of the house providing accommodation alone or food and accommodation facilities to tourists visiting Kerala”. The state’s homestays can be divided into two categories: […]
Navigating Ambiguity: The Dichotomy Between Development and Transport Plans in Urban Mobility Services
With the world’s second-largest road network, Indian roads carry 85% of passenger traffic and 60% of freight traffic and are thus the lifeline of the nation’s development. However, the overreliance on private vehicles has resulted in traffic congestion, road safety […]
China – A Close Look on Industrial Espionage – Intellectual Property Rights
By copying or stealing new technologies through espionage or violation of the IPR norms, Chinese firms have been able to spend more on production by undercutting the prices of global competitors which need to develop such technologies through protracted research […]
Why is 2026 the best time to get Women’s reservations done?
The freeze on constituency boundaries for both the Indian parliament and the respective state assemblies is set to end in 2026. This means that a census-based delimitation is scheduled to be done in the upcoming years. Given the exponential rise […]
Reanalysing the Student Concession in Kerala
The development model of Kerala emphasises a welfare state, however, there is a lack of adequate documentation recognising the participation of private players in the welfare and development of the State. The public transport sector of Kerala has turned a […]
Women’s Empowerment in the Bartending Industry in Kerala: A Call for Action
In the bustling world of bartending, where creativity and hospitality intertwine, there exists a realm of untapped potential for women in Kerala, India. However, the path to women’s empowerment in this sector is marred by invisible barriers and overlooked opportunities. […]
Building India’s First Seaweed Marketplace: The Algae Store
Seaweed (macroalgae) refers to marine algae found in oceans and seas, exhibiting diverse physical and physiological characteristics while holding significant ecological importance. Seaweeds have wide-ranging applications in industries such as agriculture, cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, energy and packaging. In India, there […]
Twin Crises Affecting Israel
For the past several months, Israel has been beset by massive protests by thousands of Israeli citizens against the judicial reforms initiated by the right-religious coalition government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The present government is the most right-wing government […]
Unlocking the Potential: The Role of Teachers in Integrating EdTech for Enhanced Learning Experiences
In recent years, Education Technology (EdTech) has witnessed remarkable growth. With the Indian EdTech market contributing 6% to the global EdTech market, it is projected to reach a value of $10 billion by 2025, at a compound annual growth rate […]
Stop-gap Measures to be Prioritised for Female Labour Reforms
The Central Government’s formulation of the four Labour Codes in 2020 received much fanfare and was touted to herald major reforms in Indian labour laws. Three long years have passed, and it is yet to be implemented. A section of […]
Employment of Women in Bartending: State-wise Analysis of Legal Barriers
Women across the world still have difficulty finding employment and obtaining equal access to the global workforce. Legal barriers to the employment of women have been one of the biggest reasons why women are less likely to enter the labour […]
Seeking Truth from Facts : China’s Success At Shangri-La Dialogue?
“CHINA’S SUCCESS AT SHANGRI-LA DIALOGUE?” According to some reports, the large Chinese delegation led by its new Defence Minister Gen. Li Shangfu seemed pleased as they headed back home after the three-day Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, as their mission was […]
Chinese Intelligence : A Thousand Grains of Sand
“The Chinese intelligence network has now reached greater heights of expansion and professionalism under the leadership of Xi Jinping.” Sun Tzu, the most influential Chinese military writer of the 6 th century BC says that success in the realm of […]
AU’s Membership in the G20: Is it Time for Africa?
The inclusion of the African Union (AU) as a member of the G20 has been a subject of discussion and has received strong support from many G20 members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently wrote to the G20 leaders, calling for […]
Unresolved Vypin Bus Issue Continues to Plague Islanders
The issue of inadequate bus connectivity between Vypin and Kochi city has plagued the residents of Vypin for more than 18 years now. With the recent draft scheme notification dated May 17, 2023, by the Kerala State Transport Department to […]
The world needs local policies to address the global refugee crisis
Disrupted lives deserve the relief of policies aimed at refugee well-being, welcoming host communities and local integration. Low and middle-income countries (LMCs) host 85% of all refugees The recent Greek coast shipwreck tragedy was another reminder that the lives of […]
India – SCO: Leveraging Soft Power for Enhancing Regional Ties with Central Asia
India’s Connect Central Asia (CAA) policy of 2012 is a broad-based framework involving political, economic, security and cultural connections. Reviving the cultural and civilizational linkages within the region will be a driving force to destabilise the existing peace and security […]
India-US Critical Technology Cooperation: The Hurdles and Way Forward
PM Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023 has added further momentum to the critical technology cooperation between India and the US as the significant defence contracts, particularly the agreement for the production of jet engines in […]
Evaluate Shakti scheme on its outcome, not intention
A clear objective needs to be set, and the scheme must be monitored to study whether it is achieving its intended impact. The Shakti scheme, implemented by the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government, has garnered attention due to its provision of free […]
The Modi Effect on India-US Defence Partnership
The dawn of the 21st century in India-US relations was marked by a series of significant events, with the inception of the historic visit by then-President Clinton to the Indian parliament in March 2000 acknowledging the emergence of India as […]
Kochi fire must be an eye-opener for cities, state governments
Waste management systems are often failing in India, the latest example being the land dump at Brahmapuram in Ernakulam District, Kerala. The land dump of Kochi Municipal Corporation (KMC) located at Brahampuram, about 20 km away from the city, caught […]
തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പിലേക്ക് ഉറ്റുനോക്കുന്ന ബജറ്റ്; പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കാനും ഏറെ
കഴിഞ്ഞ വർഷങ്ങളിലേതുപോലെത്തന്നെ മൂലധന ചെലവിന് മുൻതൂക്കം കൊടുക്കുന്നതാണ് ഇത്തവണത്തെയും കേന്ദ്ര ബജറ്റ്. അടിസ്ഥാന മേഖല വികസനത്തിനുവേണ്ടി ഇത്തവണ മാറ്റിവെച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത് ജി.ഡി.പിയുടെ 3.3 ശതമാനമാണ്. ഒമ്പത് സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങളിലെ തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് നടക്കാനിരിക്കുന്നതും പൊതു തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പിന് മുന്നോടിയായുള്ള അവസാന ബജറ്റ് എന്ന നിലയിലും മാത്രമാണ് ഇത്തവണത്തെ ബജറ്റ് പ്രാധാന്യം അർഹിക്കുന്നത്. അടിസ്ഥാന മേഖലയിലെ വികസനം ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടുന്നത് തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പിൽ വിജയ ഫോർമുലയാകുന്നുവെന്നതിനാൽ […]
Budget 2023’s focus on urban India is promising
The announcements made in the Union Budget 2023-24 are mostly on the expected lines. The trend towards increasing capital expenditure with every budget aligns with the mission projects previously announced. An increase in the outlay for the railways and coastal […]
അടിസ്ഥാനസൗകര്യ വികസനത്തിലൂന്നിയും മധ്യവർഗ്ഗത്തെ സന്തോഷിപ്പിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിച്ചും
പ്രതീക്ഷിച്ചതുപോലെ ഈ വർഷവും അടിസ്ഥാനസൗകര്യ വികസനത്തിലും മൂലധനച്ചെലവിലും ശ്രദ്ധ കേന്ദ്രീകരിച്ചുള്ള ഒരു ബജറ്റാണ് കേന്ദ്ര സർക്കാർ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളത്. കഴിഞ്ഞ കുറേ വർഷങ്ങളായി മോദി സർക്കാരിന്റെ പ്രവണത ഇതാണ്, പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും റെയിൽവേ, റോഡുകൾ, സാമൂഹിക അടിസ്ഥാന സൗകര്യങ്ങൾ എന്നിവയുടെ കാര്യത്തിലാണ് കൂടുതൽ ശ്രദ്ധ നൽകിയിരിക്കുന്നത്. സമ്പദ്വ്യവസ്ഥയുടെ മിക്കവാറും എല്ലാ മേഖലകളെയും സ്പർശിക്കാൻ ബജറ്റ് ശ്രമിക്കുന്നുണ്ടെങ്കിലും റവന്യൂ പിരിവ്, […]
Kerala Budget Expectations: A ‘road’ map for development
The Union Budget presented on February 1 focused on capital expenditure for infrastructure development that mainly includes the railways, highways, and roads. The Union Budget presented on February 1 focused on capital expenditure for infrastructure development that mainly includes the […]
National Logistic Policy is a right step towards a well-integrated, efficient Freight System
India has a growing logistics sector representing 5% of India’s Gross Domestic Product and employing 2.2 crore people. India has the second largest road network in the world through which 68% of the freight movement happens along with a well-functioning […]
Floods will continue to inundate India’s unplanned city development
The recent floods in Bengaluru was a result of an unplanned infrastructure, developed by flouting the laws in city governance, and by disregarding the building capacity to tackle the challenges of urbanisation. In recent years, the paucity in programming and the lack […]
Do governance dashboards actually provide any insights?
Dashboards need to carefully select key indicators and ensure that the quality of the data used is high. Otherwise, they will remain as a visualisation exercise and not be able to provide insights expected from them The recent controversy about […]
Kerala Budget 2022: Missing Links in Building Knowledge-Economy
With the slew of initiatives under the Knowledge Economy Mission, the State through its recent Budget 2022-23, firmly established its aim in transitioning to a knowledge economy – an economy that creates, consumes and disseminates knowledge to enhance growth and […]
Kerala Budget 2022: State Big on Being a Provider than a Facilitator
Kerala has consistently topped the charts with a near hundred percent literacy rate among all Indian States. Even with this favourable statistic, the standards of teaching, quality of education, absence of academy-industry-linkages, etc. have been concerns to address in the […]
Bigger Concerns of Big Government
The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered many economies towards ‘Big Government’, triggering a populist surge with large expenditure and borrowing, coupled with unprecedented power to meet contingencies. With Kerala, this has been a decadal trend regardless of the political parties coming […]
What should prevail instead of K-Rail?
The debate on the utility and feasibility of K-Rail continues in Kerala. The arguments range from the environmental to the geographical divide for those who do not favour the proposed project, whereas the supporters of the project pitch for the […]
Kerala Budget 2022: Why major reforms need not be expected
Rahul V Kumar & Dr D Dhanuraj Off budget borrowings through KIIFB, CAG reports and finally the acceptance of the state government indicates the dire financial situation of the Government of Kerala. The Government is desperate to generate revenue to […]
കേരള ബജറ്റ് 2022: വലിയ പരിഷ്കാ രങ്ങള് എന്തുകൊണ്ട് പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കേ ണ്ടതില്ല
കിഫ്ബി, മറ്റു വരുമാന സ്രോതസ്സുകളിലൂടെയുള്ള വായ്പകളും സിഎജി റിപ്പോര്ട്ടുകളുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലും ഒടുവില് ഇപ്പോള് സംസ്ഥാന സര്ക്കാര് തന്നെ സമ്മതിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തതിലൂടെ കേരള സര്ക്കാരിന്റെ കടുത്ത സാമ്പത്തിക സ്ഥിതി വ്യക്തമാണ്. ഒരു സാമ്പത്തിക ദുരന്തം ഒഴിവാക്കാന് വേണ്ടി വരുമാനം ഉണ്ടാക്കാനുള്ള തീവ്രശ്രമത്തിലാണ് സര്ക്കാര്. വരുമാനവും സാമ്പത്തിക പോരായ്മയും അതിരൂക്ഷമാണ്. ഈ പ്രതിസന്ധി തരണം ചെയ്യാന് വരാനിരിക്കുന്ന സംസ്ഥാന […]
Challenges to implement an urban job guarantee scheme
With the upcoming Union Budget, once again there have been discussions over the rural employment guarantee Act be extended to urban areas after a parliamentary standing committee put forth its recommendation to the Union government. The main arguments favouring such a scheme are […]
K-Rail goes against Kerala’s much-vaunted decentralisation model
The hotly-debated topic in recent times in Kerala is the K-Rail project. K-Rail is a government-proposed speed-rail corridor connecting Kasaragod in the north and Thiruvananthapuram in the south. K-Rail promises a 200 km per hour speed, and is expected to […]
How remittances have shaped the socio-economic landscape of Kerala
Dwindling remittances will have dire consequences for the Kerala economy The historic discovery of oil in West Asia and the subsequent commercialisation of it in the 1960s stimulated great demand for skilled and unskilled labour. Keralites, confronted with a stagnant […]
Kitex controversy is a sign Kerala is yet to shake off its anti-industry image
The apathy towards business and investments in Kerala is once again in the limelight with the recent remarks by Sabu M Jacob, Chairman of Kitex Garments. Kitex is a leading garments manufacturer with a significant export market share in the […]
Himalayan tasks in a post-pandemic Kerala
When we talk about the kind of challenges that Kerala is going to face post -pandemic, it can be differentiated into health, economic, and social. Vaccinating the entire population of Kerala is bound to be a major hurdle. Now, Kerala […]
Pinarayi 2.0 | Kerala Cabinet formation reflects CPI(M) decision-making
There is a political message Pinarayi Vijayan gives to the public and his opponents by choosing a team of freshers for the Cabinet in the second term. He is consolidating his position in the party and is becoming the ultimate […]
The Other Pinarayi
For decades, Kerala has been known for the adverse political climate it creates for development projects and especially entrepreneurial initiatives. Pinarayi kept up the traditional focus on education and basic infrastructure, but also tried to come out of the traditional […]
Challenges ahead for Pinarayi Vijayan in his second term
During his first term, Pinarayi Vijayan converted every crisis into an opportunity. Now, he has the unique chance to open a new path to governance and economic reforms Most of the pollsters who observed Kerala assessed that the campaign trail […]
What is in the voter’s mind?!
Dr D Dhanuraj with Ananthitha Anandan Today could be marked in the history of democratic Kerala as a decisive turning point. As the 2.7 Crore voters of our State are expected to cast their vote today, what will be the […]
The curious case on inner party democracy in Kerala
The whip culture in the political system should be done away with, and instead, the more significant ideological debates featuring in the socio-cultural context should be encouraged to maintain the sanctity and survival of the political space. D DHANURAJ and […]
Success of Rahul Gandhi’s campaign will decide Congress’ future in Kerala
Rahul Gandhi’s extensive focus on Kerala and Tamil Nadu is a good opportunity for him to resurrect his political career by leading from the front — this will not only help the Congress in the south, but will also give […]
Private sector can give government’s COVID-19 vaccination drive a shot in the arm
While vaccination is a public good and bestows a greater responsibility on the government, the greater the availability of the vaccine in a deregulated space, the closer we get to the intended outcomes Dr D Dhanuraj and Sam Thomas After […]
The Confused Finance Minister and His Miraculous Budget: Why Should It Bother You and Me?
By D Dhanuraj with Ananthitha Anandan You cannot expect anything short of a ‘magical populist budget’ from a two-term ‘Finance Minister’, especially when presenting his last budget supposedly. Therefore, it was not entirely surprising when Dr Thomas Issac presented Kerala […]
Transfer powers of DMs to mayors to solve urban issues
One of the conditions laid down by the Centre for the state governments to increase their borrowing limit is to ‘bring in reforms to streamline the revenue of urban local bodies (ULBs)’. Though this has been in the discussion since […]
AAP’s victory makes a case for a strong city-state in India
The resounding victory of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi polls has engendered various debates among political circles as well as the citizenry. While the opposition parties have to learn a lot from the way the Arvind Kejriwal-led […]
Is the bullet train a priority?
The bullet trains and the high-speed trains are in the news for the last few weeks. After taking charge as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray announced that the bullet train project worth Rs 1 lakh-crore investment, connecting Ahmedabad […]
RERA and IBC: The real solutions for real estate
Recent announcements by the FM involving financial stimulus for the revival of the real estate sector are nothing but a reaffirmation of the importance of the sector. Estimates by the NITI Aayog show that the sector has a size of […]
India is staring at a water crisis and no politician is talking about it
The summer of 2019 is not only heated up by the intense general election campaign but also by the above average temperature forecasted in many parts of India. Even though the agrarian distress has been a major campaign issue, the […]
Who is going to bell the cat?
The black money trail in election campaigns has been a widely discussed topic in India over the decades. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has shared its concerns about the role played by big corporate houses, anonymous donors and foreign […]
Inland water transportation is the next big thing in green cargo
The development of inland waterways will help in the protection and conservation of waterways and canals. It will complement the SAGARMALA project, which envisions to build 10 economic zones spanning 300-500 square kilometres. The flagging off of the PepsiCo’s 16 […]
How Floods Uncovered the Truly Liberal Spirit of Keralites
Kerala has witnessed a disaster of an unprecedented nature in a century. The timely action and response in the aftermath of the floods has helped to arrest the death toll. The state government machinery geared up their coordination activities to […]
The Right to Walk
With the exponential growth in the number of personal vehicles in Kerala in the last two decades, the pedestrian sidewalks started disappearing from our cities at an alarming rate. Most of the discussions on urban mobility have focussed on motorised […]
KSRTC Doldrums: Is there a Way Out?
The debt-ridden Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) repeatedly finding a space in the regional media is no longer a surprise for the people of Kerala. The day-to-day functioning of this public sector undertaking is limping due to inefficiency, inferior […]
Segregating Politics from Education sector: The need of the hour
Most of the times educational institutions in India are in news not for their academic achievements but for the controversies surrounding them. In the recent times, three news stories related to the academic institutions that received more attention from the […]
Untangling the ‘Autonomy of Higher Education Institutions’
The debate on the quality of the educational institutions and the courses they offer has been and continue to be in the limelight for many years. The demographic dividend is still an elusive panacea given the academic excellence existing in […]
An Account of the Woes of the Indian Educator! (PART 2)
This is a continuation of the previous article which appeared in Pallikkuttam and authored by Dr. D Dhanuraj** In the previous edition of Pallikkutam, I wrote on the Government run arts & science colleges in Kerala and the various guidelines […]
Health Insurance and Telecom Markets – A Comparative Study
In this article Dr. D Dhanuraj, Chairman of CPPR, tries to find out the lessons the Health Insurance Market can learn from the already successful Telecom Market by doing a comparative market approach. In India as on today, private healthcare […]
An Account of the Woes of the Indian Educator! (PART 1)
Dr. D Dhanuraj, Chairman of CPPR looks into the various woes of the Indian Educator. This article* is the first in this series and more on the theme will follow in the coming months. The issues and challenges faced by the […]
The 10th ASER: An Eye-Opener Or Just Another Annual Report?
Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) for 2014 was released by the ASER Centre mid-January. This is their tenth report which in their own words “a way summary of what we have observed over the tenures of UPA I and […]
The Never-Ending Process of Trial and Error in the Indian Education Sector
It will not be an exaggeration when I say, ‘the Union HRD Minister and her ministry are always caught in controversy’. The decision to end German Language learning in Kendriya Vidyalayas and impose Sanskrit in its position was imperious to […]
Symbiosis of Universities and the Society: An American Experience
I was on an official trip to the United States as part of the ‘International Visitor Leadership Programme’ (IVLP), last month. This gave me an opportunity to interact with the leading ‘Think tanks’ and ‘Universities and Academia’ in the US […]
How a National Authority will help the cause of Energy Security in India
Ensuring Energy Security of the nation signifies the non-traditional preparedness of the establishment to tackle the challenges in the 21st century. Economic dexterity results in varied demands of the energy supplicants and even the slight derailment from supply could take […]
Higher Secondary/Higher Education: Is the government too confused?
** Allotment of new batches to the high schools to upgrade them to higher secondary schools is the latest controversy surrounding the education sector in Kerala. Since its beginning since early 90s, higher secondary sector courted controversy in regular intervals. […]
Why market competition hasn’t delivered better quality school education?
The fact that achievements of Kerala state in education and health sectors are comparable with the developed countries is widely known. The recognition for the value and the role of education in social development came as early as in […]
Skill vouchers: The next big thing for employability
By D. Dhanuraj Centre for Public Policy Research The nation is going to polling booths to elect its 16th LokSabha and the debate is entrenched on the type and nature of the policies that would accentuate the economic growth that […]
MOOC- The Game Changer?
It is told that there are six types of You Tube interfaces which adjust automatically according to the gadgets and connectivity speed. With such mind boggling provisions in the internet) and the availability of cheaper smart phones and tablets, the […]
The Auto Rickshaw strike in Kochi – the policy imbroglio
The recent strike by the Auto Rickshaw drivers in Kochi City exposes the fundamental flaws in the Governance structure and policy note. Kochi is one of the emerging metro cities in South India having a total population of 1.8 million […]
A welfare statement called Kerala Budget 2013
By D.Dhanuraj These days, budget discussions are one of the media favourites, especially for the visual media because of its ability for creating a buzz easily across the various segments of the society. Kerala Budget 2013 is the latest one […]
Kerala Budget 2013 – An Open Letter to FM
Dear Minister, History reckons with you for the most number of Budget presented in the world. You are an experienced craftsman presenting the budget in a mercurial way. Your experience in politics and administration are un parallel and presents a […]
Random Thoughts
The recent hullabaloo in the coalition exercise of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has awakened the interest of political scientists to discuss Dharma in coalition politics, Neethi in policy making of a coalition arrangement and Karma of the coalition leader. Though […]
Kerala Tourism – The Role of the Government and Economic Impacts
Executive Summary Kerala tourism has won several national and international recognitions, mainly due to the region’s picturesque beauty and state’s responsible tourism projects. Based on the tourism policy documents of the central and state governments, the Kerala tourism model is […]
Defending Decentralisation in Kerala: Probing the Autonomy of Kerala’s Urban Local Bodies
Kerala is one of the few states in the country considered to have taken serious efforts in transferring powers to Local Self Government (LSG) institutions for strengthening the decentralisation process. The high rate of urbanisation in the state calls for […]
Evaluation of the Effects of Tariff Hikes on Indian Aluminium Industry
Study done by Lekshmi R Nair and D Dhanuraj of CPPR, to evaluate the effect of tariff hikes on Indian aluminium industry. Highlights of the study are: High tariffs on imported aluminium products, raw materials and aluminium scrap constrain consumption […]
A Stagnant Agriculture in Kerala: The Role of the State
Given the significant decline in agricultural production in Kerala in the last few decades, this paper elucidates how government policies and protective practices have created distortions in the agricultural market, hampering the growth of agriculture in the state. The distortions […]
Common Man’s Clothing – Effects of Taxes and Tariffs
The discriminatory tax policies and the higher tariffs imposed on Man-Made Fibres (MMF) in India compared to cotton, have resulted in the availability of MMF to the manufacturers at non competitive prices, compared to the competing countries. This has also […]
Evaluation of Government Interventions in Khadi Sector
Khadi sector is an over-regulated one in India, where the entire production process, sales, distribution, and marketing is fully regulated by the government through Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) . The paper examines the growth of Khadi market in […]
For a Free and Fair Sporting Sector in India
By, Dhanuraj and Rahul V. Kumar This study seeks to find an answer to this question: which one can be a successful model in sports in India: Planned Approach or a Spontaneous Order?’ The study explains that planned sporting activities […]
Understanding the Status of Higher Education in India
By, D. Dhanuraj and Rahul V. Kumar ABSTRACT The paper examines the higher education scenario in India and attempts to point out why very few serious investors invest in higher educational sector. Several factors are responsible for this. Primary among these […]
A Critical Assessment of Forest Legislations in India
By, Dr. D Dhanuraj and Rahul V Kumar In India, there is a huge demand for timber that is met largely through imports. State-led forest policies have been lax in meeting this requirement. This policy paper analyses the existing forestry […]
A Study on Liberalizing Liquor Trade in India
Authors: Dr. D Dhanuraj and Mr. Rahul V Kumar * India is one of the world’s most restrictive places for trade and doing business. In 2014, it is ranked 110 out of 152 countries, in terms of economic freedom, by […]
Study on Autorickshaws and Paratransit Systems in Chennai
The Study on Autorikshaw and Para-transit system in Chennai was conducted by M/s Civitas Urban Solutions for City Connect Foundation, Chennai. CPPR provided research input for the study.
Mobility Hub Feasibility study report
Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) developed the feasibility report of this Mobility hub at the behest of the Confederation of Indian industry (CII) and Ernakulam District Administration. CPPR provided inputs that were futuristic and technology driven, ensuring the […]
Pedestrian Audit Report, September 2008
A Pedestrian Audit is a species of the genus known as a Road Safety Audit; an initiative usually undertaken by governmental authorities to estimate the safety needs of the roads. It’s more than just a plain analysis. It seeks to […]
Uneconomic schools of Kerala
By D. Dhanuraj This is a study which brings out the condition of governement and aided schools in Kerala and explores the reasons behind the increase in the number of ‘uneconomic schools’ as defined by the Government. To View the […]
Traditional Fishermen Folk In Kerala & Their Livelihood Issues
By D. Dhanuraj The God’s own country is known for her ravishing beauty and hospitality nature. The potential in the tourism segment has been emphasised over the years. Lakes, rivers, ponds and lagoons supplement this argument along with the food […]
Entry Level Barriers to start a Private School in Tamil Nadu, June 2007
D. Dhanuraj This study is on the The Tamil Nadu Recognized Private school regulations Act, 1973 which regulates establishment, management and control of private schools. To View the File >> Click Here
Drinking Water Utilisation- Olavanna shows the way, October 2005
By D. Dhanuraj This study follows the successful efforts of the villagers of Olavanna Gram Panchayat in Kozhikode district, Kerala in effective drinking water utilisation and tackling water scarcity. As a result, 60 small, water supply schemes are operational in […]
Vana Samrakshna Samithi- a study on Thenmala and Palaruvi, January 2006
By D. Dhanuraj This study examines the concept of Vana Samrakshana Samiti (VSS) and its implementation through two case studies from Kerala. It explores the opportunities avilable to make VSS more potent and effective in the conservation of natural resource. […]
Conservation of Fishery Resources in Pulicat Lake, February 2006
By D. Dhanuraj This is an interesting study on community management of fishery resources in Pulicat Lake in India. Pulicat Lake is the second largest backwater lake in India.It lies almost parallel to the Bay of Bengal and covers an […]
Conservation of Natural Springs in Western Ghats, March 2006
By D. Dhanuraj This study is on the initiative of the Pazhakulam Service Society (PASSS) for the conservation of natural springs in order to use it as a source of safe drinking water. PASS situated at Pazhakulam near to Adoor, […]
Story of 1957 Education Bill in Kerala, May 2006
By D. Dhanuraj This paper traces the history and the scenario in which the Education Bill of 1957 was passed in Kerala and how the act was one of the reasons which led the to fall of the first democraticaly […]
Coconut Development Board
By D. Dhanuraj Coconut is grown in 92 countries in the world. Global production of coconut is 51 billion nuts from an area of 12 million hectares. The four major players; India, Indonesia, Philippines and Sri Lanka contribute 78% of […]
Do governance dashboards actually provide any insights?
Dashboards need to carefully select key indicators and ensure that the quality of the data used is high. Otherwise, they will remain as a visualisation exercise and not be able to provide insights expected from them The recent controversy about […]
കേരള ബജറ്റ് 2022: വലിയ പരിഷ്കാ രങ്ങള് എന്തുകൊണ്ട് പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കേ ണ്ടതില്ല
കിഫ്ബി, മറ്റു വരുമാന സ്രോതസ്സുകളിലൂടെയുള്ള വായ്പകളും സിഎജി റിപ്പോര്ട്ടുകളുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലും ഒടുവില് ഇപ്പോള് സംസ്ഥാന സര്ക്കാര് തന്നെ സമ്മതിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തതിലൂടെ കേരള സര്ക്കാരിന്റെ കടുത്ത സാമ്പത്തിക സ്ഥിതി വ്യക്തമാണ്. ഒരു സാമ്പത്തിക ദുരന്തം ഒഴിവാക്കാന് വേണ്ടി വരുമാനം ഉണ്ടാക്കാനുള്ള തീവ്രശ്രമത്തിലാണ് സര്ക്കാര്. വരുമാനവും സാമ്പത്തിക പോരായ്മയും അതിരൂക്ഷമാണ്. ഈ പ്രതിസന്ധി തരണം ചെയ്യാന് വരാനിരിക്കുന്ന സംസ്ഥാന […]
Challenges to implement an urban job guarantee scheme
With the upcoming Union Budget, once again there have been discussions over the rural employment guarantee Act be extended to urban areas after a parliamentary standing committee put forth its recommendation to the Union government. The main arguments favouring such a scheme are […]
In a week, nearly three-fold rise in Covid clusters in Ernakulam
The total number of Covid-19 clusters in Ernakulam increased to over 60 on Sunday. This is a three-fold increase in a week.There were only around 22 infection clusters in the district on January 16.All the infection clusters have sprung up […]
Call to extend Kochi Metro’s feeder service
It was in February 2020 that the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) had started a feeder bus service named ‘Pavan Doot’ between Aluva and Cochin International Airport Ltd (Cial).Two AC electric buses were operated along the route with an aim […]
K-Rail goes against Kerala’s much-vaunted decentralisation model
The hotly-debated topic in recent times in Kerala is the K-Rail project. K-Rail is a government-proposed speed-rail corridor connecting Kasaragod in the north and Thiruvananthapuram in the south. K-Rail promises a 200 km per hour speed, and is expected to […]
Outskirts of Kochi parched and pleading for drinking water
Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental right. But for many families living on the outskirts of Kochi, it is a luxury. Take Cheranalloor for instance. Over 100 families have been waiting for years to get a stable water […]
Uptick in registration of transport vehicles in Ekm
Ernakulam RTO has registered 2,030 non-transport vehicles in January this year. But it came down again with the onset of the second wave and took a U-turn by July. In September, 2,013 vehicles were registered in the non-transport category and […]
Lack of able leadership stands in way of development projects in Kochi
KOCHI: Kochi accounts for more than 40% of the state’s total revenue. Still, lack of effective implementation, absence of proper monitoring and want of a leadership to spearhead the execution of projects cripple the development of the city. Work on mega projects, […]
How remittances have shaped the socio-economic landscape of Kerala
Dwindling remittances will have dire consequences for the Kerala economy The historic discovery of oil in West Asia and the subsequent commercialisation of it in the 1960s stimulated great demand for skilled and unskilled labour. Keralites, confronted with a stagnant […]
Kochi city has nothing to cheer despite topping Niti Aayog index
KOCHI: In the sustainable development goal (SDG) index by Niti Aayog for the year 2021, Kochi City has secured the top fifth position. Though it underlines the city’s potential for developing its facilities in a sustainable manner, authorities hardly take note of the fact […]
Call to resume KSRTC’s premium bus services to suburbs
The KSRTC’s decision to deploy a bulk of air-conditioned low-floor buses as Bypass Rider services on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kozhikode route through the national highway and MC Road must not be at the cost of premium services it operated from the city […]
RSS, BJP leaders deny politics behind Akshayashree
“Undoubtedly, the Akshayashree networks will flourish further in Kerala and provide Sangh Parivar forces the much needed political mileage and advancement,’ said Ad. Jayashankar. Ernakulam: Various ventures and welfare schemes of the central government have become a tool for the […]
Himalayan tasks in a post-pandemic Kerala
When we talk about the kind of challenges that Kerala is going to face post -pandemic, it can be differentiated into health, economic, and social. Vaccinating the entire population of Kerala is bound to be a major hurdle. Now, Kerala […]
Pinarayi 2.0 | Kerala Cabinet formation reflects CPI(M) decision-making
There is a political message Pinarayi Vijayan gives to the public and his opponents by choosing a team of freshers for the Cabinet in the second term. He is consolidating his position in the party and is becoming the ultimate […]
The Other Pinarayi
For decades, Kerala has been known for the adverse political climate it creates for development projects and especially entrepreneurial initiatives. Pinarayi kept up the traditional focus on education and basic infrastructure, but also tried to come out of the traditional […]
Challenges ahead for Pinarayi Vijayan in his second term
During his first term, Pinarayi Vijayan converted every crisis into an opportunity. Now, he has the unique chance to open a new path to governance and economic reforms Most of the pollsters who observed Kerala assessed that the campaign trail […]
The curious case on inner party democracy in Kerala
The whip culture in the political system should be done away with, and instead, the more significant ideological debates featuring in the socio-cultural context should be encouraged to maintain the sanctity and survival of the political space. D DHANURAJ and […]
Success of Rahul Gandhi’s campaign will decide Congress’ future in Kerala
Rahul Gandhi’s extensive focus on Kerala and Tamil Nadu is a good opportunity for him to resurrect his political career by leading from the front — this will not only help the Congress in the south, but will also give […]
Private sector can give government’s COVID-19 vaccination drive a shot in the arm
While vaccination is a public good and bestows a greater responsibility on the government, the greater the availability of the vaccine in a deregulated space, the closer we get to the intended outcomes Dr D Dhanuraj and Sam Thomas After […]
Transfer powers of DMs to mayors to solve urban issues
One of the conditions laid down by the Centre for the state governments to increase their borrowing limit is to ‘bring in reforms to streamline the revenue of urban local bodies (ULBs)’. Though this has been in the discussion since […]
AAP’s victory makes a case for a strong city-state in India
The resounding victory of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi polls has engendered various debates among political circles as well as the citizenry. While the opposition parties have to learn a lot from the way the Arvind Kejriwal-led […]
Is the bullet train a priority?
The bullet trains and the high-speed trains are in the news for the last few weeks. After taking charge as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray announced that the bullet train project worth Rs 1 lakh-crore investment, connecting Ahmedabad […]
RERA and IBC: The real solutions for real estate
Recent announcements by the FM involving financial stimulus for the revival of the real estate sector are nothing but a reaffirmation of the importance of the sector. Estimates by the NITI Aayog show that the sector has a size of […]
A single agency should be in charge of roads in city limits
Potholes on the roads have become an annual affair for Kochi, one of the leading metropolises in India. The recent Palarivattom flyover fiasco demands the audit of road repair works done in the past 10 years to find out the […]
India is staring at a water crisis and no politician is talking about it
The summer of 2019 is not only heated up by the intense general election campaign but also by the above average temperature forecasted in many parts of India. Even though the agrarian distress has been a major campaign issue, the […]
Who is going to bell the cat?
The black money trail in election campaigns has been a widely discussed topic in India over the decades. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has shared its concerns about the role played by big corporate houses, anonymous donors and foreign […]
The Right to Walk
With the exponential growth in the number of personal vehicles in Kerala in the last two decades, the pedestrian sidewalks started disappearing from our cities at an alarming rate. Most of the discussions on urban mobility have focussed on motorised […]