Carbon Copy A freshly passed amendment to the Forest Conservation Act has created a stir among ecologists, parliamentarians and stakeholders. With several contentious provisions, the amendment reveals an afforestation push where rights and justice take a backseat to commercial interests. This week, amidst a raucous monsoon session, the Indian Parliament saw the passage of several consequential pieces of legislation in quick succession. Among them was the contentious amendment to the Forest Conservation...

Scroll.in The Jan Vishwas Bill, 2023, passed by Lok Sabha on July 27, is in the news for its lenient approach to the crime of manufacturing “not of standard quality” (NSQ) drugs. But comparatively less attention is being paid to the adverse impact that the legislation will have on an equally serious issue, which is the regulation of pharmacies that have a key role to play in India’s drug supply. To begin...

Scroll.in In a recent survey conducted by Lokniti-Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in partnership with the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, King’s India Institute and Royal Holloway, University of London, we set out to examine in greater depth how Indian citizens view health. This five-state survey is the first systematic interrogation of electoral perceptions around health in India. Between March-April 2022, we interviewed 1,500 voters across five Indian states...

The Telegraph Jharkhand NREGA Watch, a network of organisations and individuals actively working on MGNREGA in the state, have detected irregularities in MGNREGA works with misuse of the national mobile monitoring system (NMMS) app at a block in West Singhbhum district. A two-member team of Jharkhand NREGA Watch comprising convener James Herenz and Balram visited Golasai and Edelbera village under Asantalia panchayat of Sonua block in West Singhbhum on Wednesday as part...

The Status of Policing Report in India 2023 (SPIR) was released on 31 March in New Delhi by Common Cause and Lokniti-Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. SPIR 2023 study explores public opinions and experiences regarding digital surveillance in India. Recent developments, such as the Supreme Court's recognition of the right to privacy and discussions surrounding data protection, have intensified debates around privacy and surveillance. The study also considers...