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 DECEMBER 2021

NITI VAANi
SPECIAL EDITION | THE VOICE OF IIM LUCKNOW

What is this edition about?

About this Edition INDIA’S UNEMPLOYMENT

This edition brings a diverse set of topics in the domain of

IS INDIA A SAFE PLACE
public policy, where the students have penned down their
FOR WOMEN?
understanding of different policies and current events.
This edition brings opinions on a wide range of topics
ranging from the basic necessities like employment to SHOULD INDIA LEGALIZE
safety and has also shed some light on the latest issues CRYPTO?
like Cryptocurrency, Space Transportation, etc. which
needs policies development. THE DISASTROUS DOHA
DEAL

NATIONAL SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT MISSION

PRINCIPAL AGENT
PROBLEM OF INDIAN
PARLIAMENTARIANS

MNREGA PUBLIC POLICY

NATIONAL SPACE
TRANSPORTATION POLICY
2020
 INDIA’S UNEMPLOYMENT:
THE WAY FORWARD
BY ABHISHEK VARSHNEY

India has been

as Agro-processing to focus on labour-intensive
manufacturing. One of the ways to boost such
witnessing the unemployment crisis from even manufacturing firms can be tax incentives
before the Pandemic began. With a dismal which would allow small firms to grow. These
employment-population ratio of 43% in 2020, small firms have access to the rural workforce,
which fell from 46.7% in 2019, India has one of which is otherwise difficult for the government
the worst unemployment rates in the world; to target.
what this means is that not even one in every Also, investment needs to be made to enhance
two people in the working-age is employed. the export capacity of the existing industry.
The condition is even worse when we talk This will create jobs in services sectors,
about female employment. Due to this rising specifically transport and logistics. One of the
unemployment, a lot of India’s productive ways to make the domestic manufacturing
potential is wasted. Even those who are able to industry more competitive could be to
find work, often work at miserable pay. reevaluate tariffs and improve relations with
trade partners.
How can we address this unemployment
crisis? Secondly, upskilling the workforce should be
A well thought out national strategy is needed the priority. A huge proportion of the workforce
to overcome the problem comprehensively. is unskilled labour, so it is unable to fetch
higher remuneration. Government programs
Firstly, government investment should be like MGNREGS also provide benefits for
made in sectors that are labour intensive. We unskilled labour. However, campaigns like Skill
need a policy framework to make sectors such India are steps in the right direction. Quality
 making jobs better. Protection like health
insurance and retirement benefits are basic
requirements and should be made available to
everyone. Healthcare is also a major concern
when it comes to a productive workforce.
Government should move towards universal
healthcare. Ayushman Bharat Yojana takes a
small step towards a better healthcare system.
It is a national health insurance scheme that
aims to provide free access to healthcare for
the poor.

In conclusion, considerable political will and

sustained efforts at all levels are needed for a
education and hands-on training are essential
long duration to fight the employment crisis in
to increase the productivity of labour which
India. The above recommendations will take
also increases their wages. India’s spending of
India towards becoming a more inclusive
just 3% of GDP on education is too little
society and help India reap the demographic
compared to other countries like China. We
dividend to its fullest potential.
need to spend at least 6% on education if we
want some serious progress. National
References: -
Education policy is a good initiative but more
[1]https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/
needs to be done to review the current
economy/policy/centre-may-notify-labour-
education system, which still focuses on
codes-in-4-months/articleshow/84184252.cms?
memorization rather than practical
utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=t
application. Also, the private sector should be
ext&utm_
roped in to provide internships to students to
campaign=cppst
prepare them for the job market challenges.

Other references: -
Lastly, structural reforms must be taken to
1. Policy Challenges 2019–2024 — Centre for
streamline industrial laws. Government is
Policy research
started codifying the labour regulations, these
2. Annual report: Periodic Labour Force Survey
are:
(2017/2018) National Statistical Office,
i. Code on Wages.
Government of India
ii. Industrial Relations Code.
3. Economic Survey 2020–21.
iii. Social Security Code.
iv. Occupational Safety, Health and Working
Conditions Code

The implementation, however, could be part as

some of the provisions like the national floor-
level minimum wage and gratuity payout could
kick in later, giving a breather to the employers
to tide over the financial stress on their
balance sheets due to the Pandemic.[1]

Issues like social protection have a huge role in

Is India a safe place for women?
BY RUKMINI SAMANTA

In 2018, India was ranked the most international coverage, it still took
dangerous country for women out of seven years to bring it to justice. It gets
the world’s 10 worst countries. This one thinking whether the judicial
report released by Thomson Reuters system is somehow responsible for
Foundation included a study claiming such rising numbers of rape cases.
India as the most dangerous place
because of high incidences of sexual Although amendments are made to
violence, lack of justice in rape cases, the criminal law every time the nation
prevalent child marriages, female faces a shake of conscience, the
feticide, human trafficking, and a lot definitions for marital rape do not
more other inhuman torture done to seem to fall under the purview of a
women, including domestic violence. It criminal offense. The IPC explicitly
was even more surprising that India states that sexual acts by a man on his
had outranked countries like Syria and wife, not being under fifteen years, is
Afghanistan, which were at war and not rape, thus immunizing the culprits
still are. Although the poll, based on a from prosecution. India is one of the 36
survey of 548 experts on women’s countries that have not criminalized
issues, was heavily criticized later marital rape, whereas it is impeached
being based on opinion and not facts, in 100 countries as a criminal offense.
the reality is not very far from what
was published. Although following aggressive writ
petitions having challenged this
In 2012, the heinous crime that constitutional exception has made the
shocked the national capital of India Supreme court increase the age limit
and left a dark stain on women’s safety from fifteen to eighteen, there seems
and security sadly was not the only to be no recourse for adult female
rape case reported in 2012 according victims. The government that fears
to NCRB report. And the number of marital dirty linen being aired in
reported rape cases only keeps on courts ultimately legislated a law
increasing as it took a massive jump “Protection of Women from Domestic
from 24,923 in 2012 to 38,947 in 2016, Violence Act,” 2005, to appease the
almost 56%. Even after the incident at clamorous feminists. Although the
Delhi got massive national and long struggle of women’s rights
organizations bore fruit for their was the law back in the 1860s when
labour, the DV act has much to be the original IPC was drafted when a
ascertained upon deeper inspection. At married woman was not considered a
face value, the act seems to be separate legal entity. Glad we have
criminal, dealing with the offense of come this far to now get denied equal
domestic violence. But a casual perusal protection of the laws as guaranteed
of the objects would clarify that the DV by the Indian Constitution.
act is a civil act and not criminal.
India, where 99% of sexual violence
The law, which was intended to cases go unreported, where an average
protect women from being victims of woman is 17 times more likely to be
domestic violence and sexual abuse sexually assaulted by her husband
provides reform for the criminal than from others, does it do enough to
mindset and not the act. The safeguard the interests of the culprits
magistrate under the act has no power or the victims?
criminalizing the action of a man
raping his wife, let alone sentencing Our penal laws handed down by the
him. They only have the ability to British have largely remained
provide civil remedies ranging from untouched even 74 years after
counseling to drafting services of independence. Even though the
protection officers in extreme cases. English have amended their law books
The justification of the lawmakers in to criminalize marital rape way back in
this situation was that the victim 1991, our government hasn’t shown the
should be enabled to live in the slightest interest in actively trying to
marital family atmosphere in their in- remedy this problem. It is high time
law’s house, and it is not the intention we take cognizance of this legal
of the act to get the relationship with infirmity and bring marital rape under
their in-laws and spouse snapped. In the purview of rape laws and eliminate
this regard, the lawmakers have the Section 375 section of IPC.
decided civil remedies to be enough.
And if counseling does not mend their Rape is rape, irrespective of the
ways, the only way forward would be a identity of the perpetrator or the age
divorce. of the victim. A woman raped by a
stranger must live with the horrible
Is that the only solution? Is that even a memory. But a woman raped by her
solution for Indian women in a husband must live with her rapist. It’s
patriarchal society where they are time we give Indian women the
considered the property of their respect and dignity they deserve.
husbands after marriage? At least that
 SHOULD INDIA LEGALIZE CRYPTO?
BY ESHAAN KULSHRESHTHA

Bitcoin was invented by

has organized. Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, the
Twitter CEO and Mastercard are on the crypto
a kind of anonymous engineer called “Satoshi bandwagon. This thing is huge but it is nothing
Nakamoto”. His creation solved an unsolved as compared to the future it awaits if we
mystery in computer science. In 2010, embrace it instead of banning it.
cryptocurrency was worth $0. Today, its value
has reached $1trillion. Of which, 60% value is Here are the 4 reasons why cryptocurrency
just of bitcoin. Bitcoin came in 2009 and it was should not be banned -
revolutionary by itself. And then came a game
changer cryptocurrency called Ethereum in 1- Crypto means India cannot be deplatformed
2015. Ethereum lets engineers write programs — Bitcoin and Ethereum are decentralized
that can send and receive money. systems. This means that there are no
Decentralized finance and decentralized apps authorities controlling the system.
are built on top of ethereum, which is already
worth 30 Billion Dollars. So, the field of 2- Foreign Investments — It is estimated that as
cryptocurrency is huge. 2020 recorded more the price of bitcoin rises, 25% of billionaires
transactions in bitcoin and ethereum than in would be crypto owners. So, if we ban bitcoin,
Paypal not only will it become illegal for millions of
. Indians who have already invested in it but we
Even, International Monetary Fund described are also telling billionaires with capital in BTC
bitcoin as the next step in the evolution of to keep themselves from India. This might not
money. The World Bank has said that Bitcoin is be the best thing for our country. Imagine the
changing the way the world and commerce exact opposite
 cryptocurrencies and national digital
currencies as foreign assets. Infact, in 1999
India’s move from FERA to FEMA i.e. it moved
from currency protection system to currency
management system was marked as an
important step in India’s integration into the
global economy. FEMA was used to liberalize
the Indian economy.

Similarly, this act can be tweaked to

incorporate cryptocurrencies in the Indian
economy. Cryptocurrencies which are not
securities can be treated as a “good” or
“software” under this act. The RBI may regulate
3- Crypto enables the remote economy — In the
the drawing of such crypto-assets under FEMA,
last 3 years, more than 400 M users have
such that only ‘authorised persons’ are
gotten connected to the internet thanks to JIO.
permitted to deal in foreign currency.
Also, many people are going to work from
home thanks to Covid. Predictions are that in
ICO (Initial Coin Offering) can be brought
the USA, 60% of Americans will be working
under the regime of SEBI by tweaking the
from home. India is already a world leader in
“Collective Investment Schemes” Act. India can
business processing and outsourcing.
bring cryptocurrencies under the Prevention of
Cryptocurrencies work across borders and
Money Laundering Act by adopting KYC/AML
across the world as fast as the internet. India
rules. Thus, India can tweak its existing laws to
has the potential to become a world leader.
bring cryptocurrencies under its economy,
which will be beneficial for the economy in the
4- Deterring financial fraud — All the
long run. Legalizing crypto will open up India
transactions in the network are protected
to the financial internet, just as liberalizing
through cryptography. It makes accounting
foreign exchange opened up India’s financial
really transparent and easy to track. In fact, the
markets.
auditing becomes automated. Blockchain
would ensure that proof of reserves for taking
the loan is built in the chain. Blockchain can
reduce the burden on regulators by making
sure all the financial actors are in compliance.

Basically, India doesn’t need to take a risk with

a novel ban on the financial internet. Existing
laws such as the Consumer Protection Act,
FEMA, IPC, Information Technology Act, PSS
Act, PMLA, Prize Chits Act, deposits-related
laws, securities laws, and tax laws should be
actively enforced with regard to crypto-asset
business activity, Since much of such activity is
already covered by these laws. It can modify
FEMA to regulate decentralized
The disastrous Doha deal that
doomed Afghanistan
BY ISHU KUMAR

After two decades of prolonging the The new entry on a significant global
war, the USA signed a peace deal with deal was China, as it eyes the vast rare
the Taliban in Doha. US special envoy earth resources of Afghanistan and is
Zalmay Khalilzad signed the deal and interested in exploring the potential.
proclaimed it as a historic moment, China started making secret deals with
claimed it would help Afghanistan. The other players in Afghanistan after the
power-sharing between the Kabul USA announced the leave of the nation
government and the Taliban will in September 2021. Last month Taliban
unlock new potential for the people of delegation met with its counterpart in
Afghanistan. Still, the current Afghan China.
government and Indian gov were not
happy with the deal. Another reason China was involved in
the deal is that it tried to maintain
The Kabul gov led by Ashraf Ghani stability in the infamous Xinjiang
worried releasing the 5000 Taliban reason, which has a separatism
prisoners can make the government problem. Current Taliban fighters
more vulnerable in the future. Still, as include those Tajiks and Uighurs who
it was part of the deal, they were want to control that part of China.
forced to release all high-level
commanders of the Taliban. The Indian
gov main concern was Taliban can
undermine the Indian interest in the
future as it is a puppet of Pakistan ISI
and military and openly roam in
Pakistan’s major cities like Quetta,
Karachi, etc. India has also invested
around $3 billion in Afghanistan
infrastructure to leverage the raw
potential of the market and raw
resources in the country. It is also part
of India’s long-term north-south
corridor.
The current situation is most of the 4. A battleground for new idea testing-
cities have fallen under Taliban control The nation prolong war has attracted
much earlier than expected. Afghan many global players’ attention, as it
force had a strength of around three was never under the proper control of
lakhs yet failed to maintain law and Kabul. They got the opportunity to
order against 60,000 Taliban fighters. control the reason like ISIS did with
The main reason for this scale setback the support of the Pakistan Taliban,
is as follows: which is trying to control all tribal
areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
1. The US hasty pull-out decision gave
the Taliban room to take over control 5. Pakistan blackmail- Pakistan
of the nation. More than a year after indirectly invaded a country while the
the peace deal, they gathered enough world watched in silence. When the
resources from Pakistan and China to Afghan air force tries to attack the
topple the current gov without US control area near the Pakistan border,
support easily. they warned to carry out a counter
strike on ANDF infrastructure deep
2. Those 5000 prisoners released under inside the nation.
the USA pressure have cost the Afghan
gov; most of these fighters lead the As a consequence of the peace deal
assault on different parts of the and Taliban takeover, Pakistan will
country. They are aware of local have direct influence over Afghan
conditions, and it makes easy for them decision-making. ISI could use the
to lead the charge at their will. land and resources of the nation
against Indian interests. Indian gov
3. Prevalent corruption in Afghan hasn’t forgotten the Kandahar hijack
forces has made them succumb to the and Afghan tribal assault led by the
pressure from the Taliban. A better- Pak army in 1947 on Kashmir. The
trained army under NATO and the US threat is real for Gov of India; though
forces lost to the ragtag militia in an back-channel diplomacy is on track to
open battle is appalling. Despite establish a relationship with the
outnumbering the foe 5 to 1, they lost Taliban, we still can’t trust them as an
the war. ally. It will take time to have a better
The only reason for such a blunder is relationship with them; till then, India
that they were never ready to handle must wait and watch to secure its
the nation’s security and always interest.
considered themselves a supporting
force to other international forces
stationed in the country.
 NATIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
MISSION OF INDIA
BY AKASH SINGH LODHI

If I were to ask you,

The government had identified this grave issue
that even after completing the higher
what is the biggest issue the country is facing education, most of the graduates were termed
right now, I believe most of you would include as unemployable. So, to overcome this issue,
unemployment among the various other issues. the Government of India had launched an
Unemployment is a very serious issue not just ambitious program which was called The
in India but across the world. There are lakhs of National Skills Development Mission. It was
people in our country who are in the working launched by the current Prime Minister of
age group and are willing to work but are not India, Mr. Narendra Modi on 15th July 2015 and
able to find a job. its aim was to train over 40 crore people in
India in different skills by the end of 2022.
The recent pandemic has only made the issue Since we are already in the second half of 2021,
worse. If India indeed wants to move into the so I believe it is the right time that we should
developed nations’ category, it needs to find a have a proper analysis of this mission and to
way to provide employment to all the see how this mission has fared out in
unemployed section of the society. If we are to implementation as it was one of the most
have a deep look into this crisis, we need to ambitious missions launched by the NDA
understand that whether the unemployment is Government during its first term.
increasing only due to fewer job openings or is
there some other reason as well. And a further The vision of the mission was to create an
study would tell you that lack of the desired empowered workforce by the end of 2022
skill-set is the biggest reason, the youth of this through various schemes and training courses.
country is unable to find a worthy job. Part of the Skill India Mission is to cater to skill

development in India through a result-oriented
framework that corresponds with the needs of
the industry. The vision was really simple and
its objective was also very clear right from the
onset. The government had understood that if
the unemployed people be converted into
people having a variety of in demand skill-sets,
they would not have to depend on
government job openings and instead of that
the people would be more willing to start their
own ventures, so this could have also acted as
a boost to strengthen the entrepreneurship
culture of the country.
The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana was
deemed as the Skill India’s flagship skill
development scheme. The objective of the
scheme was to enable the youth to take up
different trainings in order to secure a better
livelihood for himself/herself and his/her family.
The training fee was covered by
government only. The Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship was set up
to coordinate all skill development efforts
across the country and it still overlooks the
entire operations. Some of the other schemes
under this mission are the UDAAN, SANKALP
and STAR schemes. As is the case with all the
public policies, it was brought in with very
good intentions and its success would have
proved to be a gamechanger for the economy
of this country but as per my own assessment
this scheme’s implementation
still leaves a lot to be desired. As per the
reports as well as through RTIs, it is revealed
that there is no doubt that there is a
substantial increase in the number of people
who were skilled in the following years as
compared to their previous counterparts. For
example, nearly 3.5 lakh people were trained
under this mission scheme in FY 17 and in FY 18
this number rose to more than 16 lakhs. But the
training should have been followed by people
getting employment in the industries for which
they underwent skill development training. But
sadly, the majority of trained people are yet to
find the associated jobs. As per the reports, only
3 out of the 10 people were able to find a job in
order to sustain their livelihood.
So we can see that the Skill India Mission is still
very far from achieving its desired objectives-
provide employment to the youth and make
them capable enough to be entrepreneurs. As
the per a policy research paper by a Paris-based
non-profit organization, Institut Montaigne, the
outcome of this policy has been less than
satisfactory despite the fact that the
government linked Skill India with its other
ambitious campaign Make In India initiative. It
was done in order to ensure that the Indian
capacity for harnessing entrepreneurship in the
MSME sector increases as in present it
contributes to less than 20 percent to the GDP.
Sadly the target of this scheme is not met and
it is partly due to the mismanagement of the
funds and also the funds which were allocated,
the were not spent quickly enough because of a
lack of candidates that were to benefit from
this scheme. But I still believe, the tide can be
turned around.
Since this is one of the most important
schemes of the government, I believe it would
be reviewed thoroughly and in the aftermath of
the pandemic, this scheme would be revamped
with all the sufficient rectifications. Along with
the enthusiasm from the youth, this would aid
in transforming our country and expedite our
progress towards being a self-sustaining
economic superpower.
Principal agent problem of Indian
Parliamentarians
BY SIDDHARTH

In 2017, While Tamil Nadu was facing an agrarian crisis, The state Assembly decided
to give 100% hike to its parliamentarians. Similar hikes were made in Maharashtra
where 200% hike was given while the state was facing a debt burden of Rs 3.5 lakh
crore. Indian Parliamentarians have received a hike of 1250% over the last 20 years
& they are paid as much as 1400 times more than an average Indian.

Analysis of Working hours of Parliamentarians

Fig 1: Analysis of Working Hours in Budget Session 2021(Source: https://loksabha.nic.in)

Fig 2: Analysis of Working hours in Monsoon Session, 2021(Source: https://loksabha.nic.in)

While Winter Session is still left, Overvaluation of Work Done
considering 2/3rd of working hours to To address this, Salaries of MPs were
be 151 hours, we get total Working reduced through the The Salary,
hours of parliamentarians to be 232 Allowances and Pension of Members of
hours/year. This works out to be around Parliament (Amendment) Ordinance,
40 mins/Day. These 40 mins also 2020.
include the time spent in addressing
the hustle & bustle created within the The Structural Reduction in salaries is
Parliament. as shown below:
There is no doubt that
parliamentarians are overpaid for the
work they do within the Parliament.

Parliamentarians set their own salaries

by passing a law. This is a unique
scenario in Indian context where other
constitutional office holders like
Government Officials, President, Prime
Ministers, Supreme Court Judges have
legislature deciding their salaries. Thus,
the salary giver & the salary taker is
differentiated. However, this
differentiation is not there in the case
of Parliamentarians leading to a
conflict of interest. This gives rise to
the Principal Agent Problem where
Parliamentarians are the Agent
focusing on their own utility rather
than the interests of their shareholders
(Citizens of India).

To address this Overvaluation & (Sources: Salary, Allowances and

Conflict of interest, Policy needs to be Pension of Members of Parliament
Two-Fold. There is a need to Address: (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020;
1) Overvaluation of work done Salaries and Allowances of Ministers
2) Conflict of Interest (The Principal (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020;
Agent problem) Members of Parliament (Constituency
Allowance) Amendment Rules, 2020;
Addressing The Principal Agent Members of Parliament (Office
Problem Expense Allowance) Amendment
Several Countries have independent Rules, 2020; PRS)
bodies which set salaries of
Parliamentarians to avoid this conflict
of interest, Others peg it to salaries of This 21.9% reduction in overall salary is
senior civil servants (Ex: France). To a step in the right direction addressing
address this, India in 2018 as a part of the overvaluation of work done by MPs.
Finance Act,2018 pegged the increase
in MPs salaries against the Cost Impact: The amendment allows the
inflation index provided under The Government of India to save around Rs
Income Tax Act, 1961. 54 Crores which empowers it further to
This reduces the magnitude of fight the covid laden Indian Economy.
Principal Agent problem within a
single stroke.
 MNREGA PUBLIC POLICY
BY DEVESH TRIPATHI

The dichotomy between

unemployment allowance. The scheme has
tremendously empowered the local Gram
the suave lifestyle in smart cities and extreme Panchayats, who is responsible for the
poverty, unemployment and malnutrition in enrolment and distribution of job cards.
rural India generates pathos. The involvement MGNREGA has been revolutionary in
of the private sector in solving rural India’s environment protection, empowering rural
woes has been debated extensively. Are we women and fostering wage payment parity.
moving towards an increasingly capitalistic
society? Can poverty and unemployment be MGNREGA has created a system of gender
eradicated without the private sector? equity, whereby more than 53% (2020–21) of
the workforce is women. It has provided the
In 2006, the then UPA government launched right kind of impetus to womankind in the
MGNREGA, to promote rural employment and rural areas, paving the way to improve their
social security. What started with about two social status at large. In 2004–05, women
hundred districts in 2006 today covers the workforce was paid only 55% of the total wages
entire geography of India. The scheme provides paid to their male counterparts. Now, the
hundred days of guaranteed employment in situation has improved by leaps and bounds,
every financial year to adult members of a and the same has been acknowledged by the
household, who volunteer for unskilled manual World Bank in its 2014 Development Report.
labour. The workforce is engaged in the
construction of durable assets in their vicinity. However, the scheme has its fair share of
The citizens who fail to secure employment critics. The quality of assets is questionable,
under the scheme are entitled to an often criticized to be substandard.
 soften the stance of the incumbent
government when they decided to allocate an
additional 40,000 crores to MGNREGA, the
finance minister sticks her neck out and said
that this will act as a tool to employ the
workers who contributed to the biggest reverse
migration ever since partition.

To ensure better planning and long-term

assets, the 60:40 wage-material ratio is
currently maintained at the district level rather
than at the Gram-Panchayat level. The focus is
on utilising funding for water conservation and
sustainability initiatives. Natural resource
management accounts for around 67 per cent
Moreover, leading development economists of the funds. Farmer revenue is boosted by dug
have advocated against MGNREGA and instead, wells and ponds. Water conservation projects
asked the government to focus on skill have treated about 15 million hectares of land.
development schemes.
According to independent research conducted
In MGNREGA Sameeksha, it is broadly pointed by the Institute of Economic Growth (2018),
out that the scheme had little impact on only 0.5 per cent of MGNREGA-funded national
increasing rural wages. The mean days worked resource management projects were deemed
under the scheme are less than four. Moreover, to be unsatisfactory. Almost all of the aforesaid
the scheme is plagued with instances of steps were taken by the incumbent
corruption and leakages. Allegations have been government however their stance seems to
levelled against MGNREGA that most assets are shift drastically as far as MGNREGA is
only on paper and most beneficiaries are above concerned, they either become too critical
the poverty line. Incidentally, only 30% of about it while linking it to the plights of the
India’s BPL population has received its benefits. unemployed population who have to still dig
To overcome these logjams, social audit needs holes in order to earn their wages even after 75
to be strengthened. The minimum number of years of Independence or they use it as a tool to
working days needs to be increased and direct finance workers who are badly affected by the
transfer of funds should take place. Covid-19 Pandemic, so a firm stance on
MGNREGA is still not displayed the
Where is MGNREGA heading now? government.
In 2014, it was hailed as a ‘monument of failure’
and there were widespread calls to scrap it or The government should clear its stance on the
at least, reform it. Mr Nitin Gadkari, the then scheme, as any further dilution will come at the
Minister for Rural Development, proposed cost of thousands of crores of taxpayers’ money.
reducing it to extremely backward areas. The If the power of markets can solve all problems,
same was not taken forward; however, there it may be beneficial to shut down all doles like
were sharp budgetary cuts. The then chief of MGNREGA and it is absolutely no good in
the incumbent party termed it as a “living dragging it any further.
monument of Congress-led UPA’s failure”.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic seems to
National Space Transportation
Policy-2020: Landmark moment in
India’s journey of becoming a
major space player
BY SHUBHAM TIWARI

The Indian Space Research launch sites and mobile platforms

Organization (ISRO) put its Draft (land, sea, or air). These recent reforms
National Space Transportation Policy- announced by the government
2020 in the public domain on June 25, towards unlocking the potential of the
2021. This augers a new age for the space sector in the country, are
Indian space sector as, for the first expected to attract entrepreneurs to
time, private companies are allowed to invest in cost-effective and quick
set up and operate rocket launch sites turnaround space transportation
within and outside the country, subject systems, crucial for small satellites, in
to prior authorization by the line with the global commercial
government. The draft policy was put launch services market.
forward by the Department of Space
and the Indian National Centre for For building space infrastructure,
Space Promotion and Authorization assured and reliable access to space
(IN-SPACe), an independent body transportation systems is essential,
made up by the Government of India allowing India to explore
under the Department of Space (DOS), opportunities, for national needs and
which is the nodal agency responsible even take part in global events.
for overall approval. Any rocket launch Besides sustaining and reinforcing the
(orbital or sub-orbital) from Indian or national space infrastructure
foreign territory can be done only via comprising various classes of satellites,
its prior authorization. Indian space transportation systems
also enable the commercialization of
As per the draft National Space launch services as well as robotic
Transport Policy-2020 brought out by space exploration and human
the Department of Space, the launch spaceflight to near-earth orbit.
can take place from own or leased In tune with the government’s
signature Make in India initiative the Improvement in the space sector has
Indian space transport sector is been a priority of both ISRO and the
witnessing the emergence of new Government of India. The private
players in the private sector realising sector has been associated with ISRO
the commercial potential of small for more than a few decades and has
satellite launch services, and are eager contributed significantly to the various
to take advantage of the national missions undertaken by it.
facilities established by the
government[1]. The draft National Space Transport
Policy-2020 is comprehensive,
The increasing number of start-ups in covering all aspects of rocket
the country in recent years, seeking to launching, launch pads, re-entry of a
develop independent space launch space object and more. The policy is
systems, needed a smooth overall well made, as it covers a lot of
technological and regulatory route into ground, and is in line with
the country. This required an international policies. It even allows
authorization mechanism following launching overseas and
international treaties and safety building or leasing own launch sites.
regulations because of the impact of
such activities on public safety, The draft policy goes into specifics on
domestic and global transport and in- what is required under each category
orbit satellites. for approval. Further, since IN-SPACe is
the sole agency responsible for overall
The draft policy was needed for approval of the launch by the Indian
creating a fertile environment for entity after verifying its clearances, this
Indian entities to develop launch single window system streamlines the
vehicles and launch them from the authorization process.
Indian Territory. The policy aims to
strengthen the capabilities of Indian Moreover, the participation of private
entities to promote research and agencies in providing launch services
development and capture a significant has increased globally, with some even
share of the space economy. For this, it becoming significant players in the
is necessary to provide relevant commercial market for launch services
technologies, along with test facilities [2].
and installations, including launch
sites through a regulatory mechanism. With this policy, GoI seeks to provide
This will allow the private space opportunities to Indian entities to
ecosystem to prosper in the region, capture a share of these global launch
create employment, and even bring in services markets while also allowing
innovative technologies; the government agencies to speed up
thus benefiting the Indian economy in focused R&D to build space
more ways than one. transportation capabilities for future
space endeavours.
However, certain aspects of the policy,
such as the guidelines on liability and References:
insurance, remain vague. The 1. draft_national_space_transportation
government would do well by enabling _policy.pdf (isro.gov.in)
this sector with clear guidelines on 2. Private players in India can build
these industry enablers, as these are and operate rocket launch sites — The
very important aspects. Further, time- Economic Times(indiatimes.com)
bound approvals are to be
implemented for the benefit of the
stakeholders.