Policy Pulse #7 | Smt. Draupadi Murmu is President!
Policy Pulse #7 | Smt. Draupadi Murmu is President!
In Focus: A New President Emerges
This week brings with it the election of Smt. Draupadi Murmu as the President of India. With this election, she shall be first person of tribal heritage and the second ever woman to ascend to the post of President. Hers has been a story of both, struggle and triumph.
Smt. Murmu was born in 1958 in the Uperbeda village of Odisha, to a modest family from the Santhal tribe. Hers was considered a ‘sardar’ family, with her father and grandfather having acted as heads of the village panchayat. Despite social, gender-based and regional inequities, she completed her education, securing a bachelor of arts degree from the Rama Devi Women’s University.
In the 1990s, she caught the attention of Rajkishore Das, a legislator who then worked with the BJP, for her work with a Santhal organisation. She would enter politics in 1997, becoming a councillor, and later the vice chairperson, with the Rairangpur Notified Area Council. She went on to win two consecutive elections to the Odisha legislative assembly in the years 2000 and 2004. As a legislator, she was instrumental in the promotion of Santhali, which was included in the eighth schedule to the constitution in 2003. She was given the Nilkantha Award for the best MLA of the assembly in 2007.
2009, however, marked a dark turn in her life. Her 25-year old son, Lakshman, passed away unexpectedly, after attending a gathering in Bhubaneshwar. Death would come to visit her family often. Her younger son, Shipun, died in an accident in 2013. Soon, in quick succession, she lost her mother and younger brother. And then, in 2014, her husband passed away due to cardiac arrest, after suffering for a year in deep depression. Through this difficult period, she turned to spirituality for strength, joining the Brahma Kumaris movement and taking to Raja Yoga meditation.
Amidst this wave of tragedy, her political career, too, came to a pause. She did not contest elections to the Odisha legislative assembly in 2009. In 2014, she lost to BJD’s Saiba Sushil Kumar Handsah. She has not contested elections since.
In 2015, she was appointed the Governor of Jharkhand. She would prove her mettle in handling the many challenges that came with the office, demonstrating a mix of tenacity and humility that would see her become the only governor to hold a full term in the politically volatile state. During this time, she was known for promoting education, particularly for tribal persons, and was instrumental in setting up a tribal languages department at the University of Ranchi.
The Print and Open Magazine carry excellent profiles on the new President.
Smt. Murmu contested the presidential election as the candidate of the BJP, facing off against former civil servant and politician, Sri Yashwant Sinha. At the end of the third round of counting, she had won 2,161 votes, carrying a value of 5,77,777, against Sri Sinha’s 1,058 votes with a value of 2,61,062. At this juncture, she had won over 50% of the vote, and accordingly prevailed in the elections.
Top Stories of the Week
TRAI to set up new in-house Study Centre
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has established a new Study Centre to support proactive research work into emerging developed technologies that might further disrupt the telecom and broadcasting industries. The focal point will be digital inclusion. The Study Centre will be an independent division which will release papers from time to time. TRAI Consultant Anil Kumar Bharadwaj has been appointed to serve as the Director General. Syed Tauseef Abbas has also been promoted by TRAI as principal advisor for broadcasting and cable services (B&CS). The new Centre is expected to become a valuable asset for TRAI in terms of information gathering and issuing recommendations in the telecom and broadcasting sectors.
US House approves CAATSA waiver for India
The US House of Representatives last week passed a legislative amendment with bipartisan support in favour of granting a waiver to India under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia without facing punitive measures. Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna, who is also the vice-chair of the Congressional India Caucus and who had introduced the Bill, underscored the importance of the US-India partnership and its significance to US interests in the face of growing Chinese influence.
The amendment is the first step in a long road to securing the waiver. If the US decides to grant the waiver, it must first be debated and then put to vote by the Senate (the upper house of the US Congress) and then finally signed by the President. Read more
Monkeypox in India: what now?
India is the first country in the South East Asia Region to report a confirmed case of Monkeypox virus. So far, two cases have been confirmed, with the Union Health Ministry advising strict screening of all international passengers arriving at airports and ports to minimize the threat of importation of the virus.
Monkeypox is a zoonotic infection closely related to smallpox. It spreads through close physical contact with infected humans or animals or when a person comes in contact with the typical skin rash or through fomites. It does not spread via air, as is the case for Covid-19. As per World Health Organization, detection of viral DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the preferred laboratory test for monkeypox. The best diagnostic specimens are directly from the rash – skin, fluid or crusts, or biopsy where feasible. Antigen and antibody detection methods may not be useful as they do not distinguish between orthopoxviruses.
Monsoon Session of the Parliament
Click here for details of the key bills that have been tabled for discussion.
This Week in Policy
Macroeconomics, Finance and Taxation
Several changes to applicable goods and services tax rates took effect from July 18, including the imposition of a 5% tax on pre-packaged unbranded food items, premium hospital rooms, cheap hotel rooms, and more.
In view of the softening of international oil prices, the Government has reduced the windfall tax on domestic crude and export levy on oil exports.
Labour
The investment committee of the EPFO has increased its exposure to equities from 15% to 20%, pursuant to which, INR 36,000 crore of provident fund money shall enter the equity markets every year.
Workers registered on the e-shram portal shall soon receive pension and health benefits, while the government continues to integrate state and central databases to ensure that an increasingly wider set of benefits are available to unorganised workers.
Agriculture and FMCG
The Department of Consumer Affairs vide Second Amendment Rules 2022 has allowed electronic products to declare certain mandatory declarations through the QR Code for a period of one year.
Former Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal to head the panel set up to make the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system more effective, and transparent, and to suggest ways to promote zero budgeting-based agriculture.
Telangana Government has invited comments on the new Agricultural data Management Policy proposed to monetize data. Comments can be sent in through form or sent via email to osd_itc@telangana.gov.in with a copy to consultant-itc@telangana.gov.in.
Healthcare
To accelerate the pace of vaccination and encourage booster shots, the Government has announced free COVID-19 precautionary doses for the 18-59 age groups at government vaccination centers under a 75-days special drive on the occasion of ‘Azadi ka Mahotsav’.
The government of India is planning to create digital health infrastructure enabling AI solutions to provide care to an individual and help them stay healthy, along with providing the ability for healthcare professionals to understand the day-to-day patterns and needs.
Shri Mangal Pandey, Health Minister of Patna has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Ahmedabad. The objective of the MoU is to provide training to health care workers through customized executive education program
Foreign affairs
Major India-Africa investment conclave was conducted over 2 days in New Delhi, which saw participation from forty high-level ministers from 17 African States. Read more
I2U2 Summit: Joint Statement signed by India, Israel, UAE and US for multilateral cooperation with a focus on food security and clean energy.
Technology, Media and Telecommunications
Data protection: analysing the risks posed by data localisation norms in the proposed draft PDP Bill.
5G auction: Reliance Jio outplays Adani’s Rs. 100Cr earnest money deposit with a massive Rs. 14,000 Cr.
MIB blocked 78 Youtube channels in 2021-22 for violating the IT Act: Minister Anurag Thakur informs Lok Sabha.
Rajasthan gets AI-powered tool for fast disposal of cases at Lok Adalat
International trade and commerce
Govt to introduce amendments to foreign trade policy in line with the RBI’s new mechanism for settlement of trade in Indian rupees
Roberto Azevado, Director General of WTO, addressed the WTO Ministerial Meeting of Developing Countries (hosted at New Delhi on 14 July) regarding WTO reforms.
Banking, Financial Services and Insurance
Ashish Kumar Chauhan, currently the MD and CEO of the BSE, has been appointed as the next MD and CEO of NSE.
NITI Aayog released a report on Digital Banks, proposing a licensing and regulatory regime for the sector.
Manufacturing
PM unveiled ‘SPRINT challenges’ at the naval seminar organized to engage Indian industry and academia towards achieving self-reliance in the defence sector.
The Union Government during the Lok Sabha session addressed bringing EVs under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile and auto component industry, reducing GST on electric vehicles and chargers, and waiving road tax.
As per the Ministry of Communication, the last date for submission of Applications for Design-led manufacturing under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Telecom and Networking Products has been extended up to 5th August 2022.
Retail and e-commerce
The Department of Consumer Affairs has set up a committee chaired by Additional Secretary Smt. Nidhi Khare to develop a framework for a ‘right to repair’ products, including automobiles, mobile phones and farming equipment, among others.
Following discussions with key ONDC executives, major venture capital firms are reportedly advising their portfolio companies to onboard on the ONDC network. Separately, e-commerce firm Snapdeal has been onboarded on the ONDC.
Logistics and Warehousing
The Government plans to link imported coal plants to domestic supply in a bid to isolate domestic generation from global supply shocks.
The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited intends to invest INR 3,036 crore in the Navayuga Quazigund Expressway, a 16.3 km expressway which includes a bi-directional 8.5 km twin-tube tunnel, one of the longest highway tunnels in India.
UPS announces a new airport gateway facility at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, allowing flights to connect UPS customers with international trade opportunities.
Sustainability
Amendments to Energy Conservation Act to make use of clean energy mandatory and institute a regulatory framework for carbon trading.
Indian Oil enters into an MOU with NTPC for 650 MW of round-the-clock renewable energy by December 2024 to power its refineries.
Gujarat government allots 6024 hectares of wasteland for a solar/wind/solar-wind hybrid renewable energy project with an expected capacity of 9000 MW.
India to ramp up CNG stations over the next two years. To reach 8000 stations from the current 4500 stations present in the country.
Upcoming Events
CII Digital Health Summit 2022
July 27 | Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi
CII is organising Digital Health Summit 2022 on July 27 at the Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi to bring together thought leaders from governments and industry and global healthcare experts to discuss opportunities for inter-sectoral collaborations in the burgeoning Indian IT healthcare sector. More information.
Symposium - The Ukraine Crisis: Challenges to India’s Foreign Policy
August 1 | Pune International Centre, Pune
Pune International Centre, Takshashila Foundation and XKDR Forum are organising a one day symposium on the challenges brought up by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war on August 1 at the Pune International Centre. The symposium aims to address the challenges to global economy and international relations and diplomacy thrown up by the war, and will bring together leading foreign policy, defence, economics, technology, and strategic affairs experts. More information | Registration Link
Charcha 2022 - Resilient Livelihoods for All
August 4 | India Habitat Center, New Delhi
The/Nudge Forum is hosting a livelihoods summit as its flagship convening on August 4 at India Habitat Center. The event aims to bring together policy makers, experts and philanthropists to further the cause of ‘resilient livelihoods for all’. Prominent attendees include former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and NASSCOM President Debjani Ghosh amongst others. More information.
A Few Good Reads
B. K. Syngal, the man who brought the internet to India, passed away last week. Read about his vital contribution to India.
Shashi Tharoor weighs in, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, on the controversy surrounding ‘unparliamentary expressions’ expunged from the record by the Lok Sabha secretariat.
Noah Smith gives a detailed explanation of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis.
Ruchir Sharma argues that consistent government interventions by Western countries have created ‘zombie economies’, even as emerging countries show consistent productivity gains.
This fantastic FityTwo article covers translation attempts across India’s ~800 languages through artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Tweets of the Week
UNICEF congratulates India on reaching the historic milestone of completing 2 billion COVID-19 vaccinations:
Sanjeev Sanyal injects some much-needed nuance into discussions around the Rupee-USD exchange rate, in this thread:
Sidin Vadukut (under a nom de plume based on a Frasier character) breaks down NFHS data on media consumption in India in this thread, leaving one with various curious insights:
Key Notifications
CBIC releases notice calling for stakeholder input on comprehensive changes in Form GSTR-3B. The proposed changes ensure that the GSTR1-GSTR2B linkage remains intact and as far as possible, the GSTR-3B should be auto-generated consequent to furnishing details in Form GSTR-1. Stakeholders can submit their comments on the concept paper latest by 15th September 2022 at gstpolicywing-cbic@gov.in
NHPC signs an MoU for the development of “Pilot Green Hydrogen Technologies” in Leh and Kargil.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs releases FAQs on GST applicability on ‘pre-packaged and labelled’ goods.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change releases updated Environmental Impact Assessment requirements, pursuant to which, highway projects related to defence and strategic importance within 100 km of the Line of Control or the border will be exempt from environmental clearance requirements.