Search

In September this year, the Government of India banned the manufacture, sale and distribution of 328 Fixed-Dose Combination drugs (FDCs) after a protracted legal battle with manufacturers. The ban followed a report by a Supreme Court-mandated experts’ panel that not only was there no therapeutic justification for the ingredients in these drugs, but they can in fact pose health risks. This paper argues that the move against “irrational” and

Controversies over the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala and Koodamkulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu, development issues regarding Sangur and Nandigram in West Bengal have exposed the political double talk on the excuse of people's concerns.

Non-conventional weapons, specifically, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN), pose threats to civilian safety, national security, and environmental sustainability. These threats are amplified by the use of emerging technologies such as Large Language Models, 3D printing, and drones, which can make the development and deployment of CBRN weapons easier and the implementation of countermeasures more challenging. This brief discusses

President Barack Obama has to understand the Indian psyche before advising rapid economic reforms and realise that without adequate safety nets, open unemployment will be a scourge for India.

Traditional Indian fermented foods represent a confluence of cultural heritage, nutritional functionality, and environmental sustainability, offering an effective dietary intervention amidst public health and climate-related challenges. Produced through natural or controlled microbial fermentation involving lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, and yeasts, these foods—such as idli (steamed rice cake), dosa (rice and lentil crepe), dahi (curd),

It is gratifying to note that women's safety did figure in the Annual Budget 2014-15 with an outlay of Rs 200 crore. Good enough for the lowered expectations but not sufficient given the exponential rise in violence against women across the country. Same allocation for the Patel statue has made the matters worse by pitting living and breathing population against a memorial.

It is gratifying to note that women's safety did figure in the Annual Budget 2014-15 with an outlay of Rs 200 crore. Good enough for the lowered expectations but not sufficient given the exponential rise in violence against women across the country. Same allocation for the Patel statue has made the matters worse by pitting living and breathing population against a memorial.

On the anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, it is not surprising that the first thoughts that come to mind relate to the safety and security of the country. The obvious question to be posed here is: Are we safer today than we were five years ago? Sadly, the answer will be no.

MoEF, on the one hand, abruptly enforces the 'no-go' rule on 203 coal blocks with a potential output of 660 million tonne of coal per annum, jeopardising power generation, while on the other, it talks about developmental needs taking precedence over environmental and safety concerns when it comes to nuclear power plants.

India's interests in Iraq and the region should be seen in the larger context of the seven million Indians working in West Asia, of which nearly 18,000 are in Iraq. Safety and security of this population should dominate the Indian policy.

Emerging technologies have the potential to reshape our world. These innovations, also called disruptive technologies, have started to seep into the area of finding solutions for mobility. Is existing infrastructure prepared for such technological advancements? These and related themes were discussed in a roundtable organised by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) on 8 February 2016. The roundtable, Urban Transportation and Disruptive Technologies

India’s young women, now more educated and healthier than ever, are entering a phase of significant socio-economic progress. Many of these women also aspire to become social innovators. With gender parity in education and an increasing number of women in STEM fields, they have increased potential for social innovation. However, barriers such as gendered social norms, domestic and care responsibilities, the digital divide, safety concerns, limit

ORF and Hammurabi & Solomon, a law firm, have submitted a memorandum to Justice Verma Committee, detaling suggestions in the law and the government setup to provide for speedier justice and enhance safety and security of women.

On April 3 this year, a one-day conference was organised in Washington by the South Asian Studies department of the John Hopkins University. One of the sessions was on Pakistan, specifically on the safety of its nuclear installations.

Rajasthan’s Right to Health law mandating private hospitals to provide free emergency care has irked private medical practitioners who doubt government’s commitment to reimburse costs. But for citizens dreading medical expenses bankrupting them, the state covering for emergencies is a welcome safety net

India’s competitiveness in manufacturing and the success of ‘Make in India’ depend on its ability to produce high-quality products and services. Product quality is important for human health and consumer safety, as well as for protecting the climate and the environment. One way of ensuring that products and services meet certain standards is through technical regulations with mandatory compliance. However, technical regulations also have th

The Aadhar project remains complex - a herculean task. The UK government shelved its identity card project because it was untested and the technology not secure, and because of the risks to the safety and security of citizens. With India in the midst of an election, it remains to be seen what will happen when a new government is formed,

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly proliferating the healthcare landscape and has immense promise for improving health outcomes in a resource-constrained setting like India. With emerging technology still finding its footing in the healthcare industry in the country, there are systemic roadblocks to hurdle before AI can be made transformative up to the last mile of public health. AI also carries immense challenges for India’s mostly t

The concept of food security comprises access, affordability, food safety, food preferences and dietary patterns. Recently, there has been a demand-driven shift in food consumption patterns in India towards nutrition-rich and economically high-value horticulture (fruits and vegetables), livestock and dairy products. Providing for such consumption needs will require diversification of agricultural production beyond the staples, especially wheat an

Social protection is crucial in tackling extreme poverty and ensuring equitable development, thus catalysing the transition to a more stable and robust economy. About 50 percent of India’s economy hinges on its informal workers, who comprise 90 percent of the country’s total workforce. Yet, these informal workers continue to be excluded from current social-protection schemes, leaving them with no social or financial safety net and trapping th

With Sri Lanka forces capturing strategic towns occupied by LTTE not long ago, the supporters of the LTTE Chief Prabhakaran have expressed fears about his safety. Prabhakaran, believed to be hiding in a bunker in the dense forests of Vanni,

With the Sri Lankan security forces continuing their advance into north-eastern Mulaithivu district, the last stronghold of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the international community has again raised its concern over the safety of trapped Tamil civilians.

Despite concerted efforts to improve urban public transport, the use of personal vehicles has increased across India. City administrations must consider promoting the use of paratransit vehicles, such as bike-taxis, that can provide ridership to more commuters than a private vehicle. While bike-taxis are prevalent in some Indian cities, their use is curtailed elsewhere in the country by state policy and statutes. Amid growing city congest

The recommendations are based on a stakeholder consultation organised by ORF on 1 December 2022. Although the authors have made the best efforts to give voice to the concerns of various stakeholder groups, this is not a consensus document and does not attribute comments to, or claim to represent, the positions of any individual or organisation. All statements, assertions or factual errors are attributable only to ORF.

Defining safety in urban spaces as just one of physical protection is self-defeating as it presupposes the existence of only reactive action. The construction of safety in sheer physical terms reduces, and often completely eliminates, the possibility of proactive action.

The troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir is governed by two controversial laws – the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act (AFSPA) of 1990 and its predecessor, the Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA), 1978. In the past few years, state security forces have been enforcing these two laws against suspected militants and insurgents with increasing severity. This paper argues that the combined enforcement of these two laws has s

It’s time for greater efforts to confront this challenge.

In 2019, the Indian Railways (IR) recorded zero fatalities from accidents caused by operational errors. However, many people continue to meet with train-related mishaps that are beyond the IR’s control; many of these accidents result in death. The IR’s experience in preventing deaths in accidents caused by operational errors (technically called “consequential accidents”) offers lessons on minimising all railways-related fatalities. This p

Food insecurity and mental health issues are linked in a syndemic relationship, where their interplay exacerbates negative outcomes, particularly among vulnerable populations. Chronic food insecurity contributes to psychological distress and depression, creating a self-perpetuating cycle that hinders access to adequate nutrition and undermines mental well-being. This bidirectional dynamic is further influenced by socio-economic disparities, gende

Access to safe drinking water and sanitation is essential for maintaining good health and well-being. However, empirical studies undertaken in several Indian cities reveal deficiencies in the quality of water and sanitation services provided by city governments. This brief focuses on the state of water and sewage systems in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, which contains India’s capital city, New Delhi. The brief highlights that many qu

Is former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress General Secretary, Mr. Digvijay Singh, living dangerously? Or is he on high wire act secure of a safety net below?

It is essential that the government goes ahead and tables the NSRA Bill.

Ever since the US declared Iran a member of the ¿Axis of Evil¿, and more so after the Iraq invasion, the question very often asked in many of the essays that appeared in the West was ¿Is Iran next?¿ And now, after a bruising experience in Iraq, the US administration cannot just retreat to the relative safety of the White House and glower at the rest of the world.

An increasing number of startups and new businesses have been founded in India over the last decade, the majority of them by men. While many Indian women have entrepreneurial ambitions, it is often more difficult for them to succeed. This brief examines the impediments to greater participation of female founders in India’s economy by first gathering available data to describe the situation of women entrepreneurs in the country. It then explores

चिनी कर्ज पुनर्गठन करण्यास विलंब केल्याने श्रीलंका काठावर ढकलले आहे.

गृह मंत्रालयाच्या अभ्यासानुसार, भारतात किमान ८,५९९ अग्निशमन केंद्रांची आवश्यकता आहे, परंतु सध्या केवळ २,०८७ केंद्रे कार्यरत आहेत.

साथीच्या आजारादरम्यान ऑनलाइन बाल लैंगिक शोषणाच्या विरुद्ध लढण्यासाठी ऑस्ट्रेलियाचे प्रयत्न इतर राष्ट्रांसाठी एक उदाहरण म्हणून काम करू शकतात.

कट्टरतावादाच्या जलद जुळवून घेणार्‍या स्वरूपांच्या बाबतीत भारतातील कायदेशीर व्यवस्था मागे आहेत. धोरण क्वचितच तंत्रज्ञानासोबत राहू शकते. 

या वर्षीचा जागतिक अन्न सुरक्षा दिन उत्तम आरोग्य आणि आरोग्यासाठी सुरक्षित पौष्टिक अन्नाच्या भूमिकेवर लक्ष केंद्रित करतो; समुदाय आणि सरकारने याची खात्री करण्यासाठी पावल

या वर्षीच्या जागतिक अन्न सुरक्षा दिनाच्या निमित्ताने  हा लेख, आपल्या अन्न पुरवठ्याची सुरक्षा, गुणवत्ता आणि अखंडता सुनिश्चित करण्यासाठी अन्नपदार्थांच्या मानकांचं काय �

पाच वर्षांतील विविध मसूदे, सल्लामसलती व मुत्सद्देगिरीचा परिपाक म्हणून जरी डीपीडीपी कायद्याकडे पाहिले जात असले तरी एका ठोस उपायापेक्षा या उपायापर्यंत पोहोचण्याची ही सु

राज्याद्वारे तंत्रज्ञानाचा गैरवापर रोखण्यासाठी पर्यवेक्षण यंत्रणेच्या अभावामुळे नागरिकांसाठी मोठा धोका आहे.

जी-२० परिषदेने डिजिटल अर्थव्यवस्थेच्या दृष्टिकोनातून सायबरसुरक्षा समस्यांकडे पाहिले असले तरी, सायबर सुरक्षेचे कायद्याच्या अंमलबजावणीशी असलेले संबंध दुर्लक्षित केल�

जिथे रूग्णांचा जीव वाचावा यासाठी प्रयत्न केले जातात त्या रूग्णालयांमध्येच जर जिवीत हानी नोंदवली जात असेल तर त्याहून दुर्दैव ते काय?