Topics

1. Smart Ideas for Big Cities. (Indian Express)
2. Pathways for Digital Inclusion. (Indian Express)
3. Data beyond survey. (Indian Express)
4. A crisis of academic ethics in India. (The Hindu)

Smart Ideas for Big Cities

Context:

• Recent flooding incidents in major Indian cities have highlighted the consequences of unplanned urbanization and loss of water bodies.
• Factors contributing to increased flooding risks include rapid urbanization, population growth, construction in low-lying areas, and reduction of rainwater percolation due to concrete infrastructure.

Loss of Natural Blue Infrastructure:

• India has lost 40% of its wetlands in the past 30 years, leading to increased flooding risks.
• Many cities have witnessed a decline in the number of water bodies due to urbanization and encroachments.

Actionable Measures:

1. Understanding the Problem:
   • Conduct studies to assess the catchment areas and flooding risks associated with urban water bodies and land use.
   • Develop lake and river management plans with citizen participation to rejuvenate water bodies.
   • Utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to track water bodies and identify encroachments.

2. Investments in Early Warning Systems:

• Install more early warning systems, including Doppler radar, to provide real-time weather updates.
• Integrate local rainfall data with regional flood control efforts to develop flood risk maps and insurance products.
• Establish city-wide databases for immediate relief during flooding-related disasters.

3. Revamp and Expand Drainage and Stormwater Networks:

• Develop comprehensive drainage master plans for all cities to separate stormwater networks from drainage networks.
• Survey existing pipelines and identify water-logging locations for effective infrastructure development.

4. Improved Urban Planning:

• Enhance coordination between civic agencies managing water bodies and drains.
• Develop a well-defined urban water policy and grant statutory powers to regulatory bodies like the Central Wetland Regulatory Authority.
• Replicate successful examples of wastewater treatment and lake restoration with community-driven approaches.

5. Encouraging Civic Participation:

• Involve local communities in water body restoration projects to ensure effective and sustainable solutions.
• Modify engineering-focused plans to prioritize ecological preservation and indigenous tree planting.

Conclusion:

Indian cities must proactively address flooding and water management challenges caused by unplanned urbanization. Investing in sustainable infrastructure, early warning systems, and citizen engagement can lead to more resilient cities that tackle climate change effectively. Rainwater harvesting and better drainage should be prioritized over pursuing smart cities to address the basics of water management.

Pathways for Digital Inclusion

Introduction

• India’s digital transformation has been made possible through pioneering digital public infrastructure (DPI) experiments.

• DPIs, functionally mimicking physical infrastructures, are digital pathways enabling seamless provision of essential services and benefiting society.

• India Stack, an interconnected set of independent “blocks,” has played a pivotal role in driving economic growth and fostering a more inclusive digital economy.

Success of Indian DPIs:

– Aadhaar has facilitated financial inclusion, with the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile trinity ensuring transparent direct benefit transfers to the underserved.

– The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) empowers real-time digital money transfers between bank accounts.

Potential of DPIs in Transforming Society:

– Indian DPIs have the potential to bridge wealth gaps and support citizens and organizations, including less privileged socio-economic backgrounds and small businesses.

– Sector-specific DPIs, such as account aggregators, Open Network for Digital Commerce, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, and Agristack, are expected to further transform the digital landscape.

Prioritizing Inclusivity in DPIs:

– Placing users at the forefront through user-centric design helps reduce technology-related risks and prevent inequalities among different user groups.

– Enabling compatible protocols for feature phones and assisted-tech models ensures inclusivity for consumers with limited smartphone access or low digital literacy.

Inclusion as a Policy Objective:

– Policymakers must embed inclusion as a key objective within the regulatory framework to ensure that DPIs benefit all individuals, regardless of their digital literacy.

– Lessons from jurisdictions like Nigeria, the UK, and Brazil embracing open banking can inform India’s inclusive DPI approach.

Tailored Use Cases for Underserved Segments:

– Identifying underserved target segments and developing use cases tailored to their needs is crucial for driving inclusivity.

– The account aggregator ecosystem can enable MSMEs’ access to low-cost, collateral-free sources of credit using consented transactional data.

Monitoring Impact and Disaggregated Data Collection:

– Monitoring the impact of DPIs on vulnerable consumers through disaggregated data collection prevents deepening gaps and fosters equitable growth.

Building Engagement and Addressing Challenges:

– Building engagement with DPIs requires addressing challenges of digital connectivity and literacy.

– Utilizing offline channels and leveraging trusted human points of contact, like business correspondents, can mitigate exclusion risks and foster digital comfort.

Conclusion:

India’s DPI journey has been successful in fostering digital inclusion and driving economic growth.

To ensure continued success, prioritizing inclusivity, embedding it within the regulatory framework, tailoring use cases, and building engagement with DPIs are crucial steps.

By sharing knowledge and resources globally, India can lead the conversation on DPIs and digital transformation, contributing to a more inclusive digital economy for all.

Data beyond survey

Context: Statistical System in India needs structure overhauling in the present scenario

1. Recognizing the Problem and Embracing Change:

– Acknowledge the existing challenges within the statistical system.

– Avoid defending the system and focus on identifying and fixing the issues.

2. Diversification of Data Sources:

– Expand data collection methods to include both administrative and sample surveys.

– Digitize the Census frame for dynamic updation and better-quality surveys.

– Incorporate geospatial technologies and crowd-sourced data platforms.

3. Leveraging Big Data and Emerging Technologies:

– Integrate new data sources like Big Data through machine learning and artificial intelligence.

– Develop standards and methodologies for data validation.

– Collaborate with multilateral and regional agencies to enhance capacity for using alternative data sources.

4. Strengthening State Statistical Systems:

– Adopt a bottom-up approach through state governments to strengthen data collection capacities.

– Encourage building institutional frameworks at state and district levels.

– Implement projects like the India Statistical Strengthening Project for state statistical systems.

5. Enhancing Inter-Agency Coordination:

– Institutionalize cooperation between national and sub-national statistical systems.

– Address rural-urban divide-related definitional issues.

– Establish state statistical commissions for better data integration and flow.

6. Learning from Success Stories:

– Draw lessons from success stories in various sectors where technological advancements improved service delivery.

– Emphasize the importance of upgrading observation systems and investing in IT infrastructure.

7. Investing in Resources:

– Recognize that the efficiency and quality of the statistical product depend on available resources.

– Sustainably increase resources (physical, human, financial, and technological) to improve the statistical system.

– Treat investment in the statistical system as crucial for achieving India’s economic goals.

8. Finalizing the National Policy on Official Statistics:

– Urgently finalize the National Policy on Official Statistics announced in the Budget 2020.

– Provide appropriate institutional support and resources to implement the policy.

– Use the policy to track India’s progress on Sustainable Development Goals and strengthen its role in the international statistical fraternity.

Conclusion

Overall, the focus should be on embracing change, diversifying data sources, leveraging emerging technologies, strengthening state statistical systems, improving inter-agency coordination, learning from successful implementations, and investing in resources to catalyze and synergize efforts for a robust and efficient national statistical system.

Finalizing the National Policy on Official Statistics with appropriate support and resources will play a crucial role in achieving these objectives and ensuring India’s progress towards becoming a $5 trillion economy while leaving no one behind.

A crisis of academic ethics in India

Introduction:

• India has a strong legacy of intellectual pursuits and scientific research.
• Recent developments, such as the National Education Policy and India’s presidency of the G20, call for the country to assert its position on the global stage.
• Unethical academic practices pose a significant obstacle to India’s progress.

Lack of Ethical Codes and Investigation Procedures:

• Many academic institutions in India lack an ethical code and a robust investigation procedure to deal with misconduct allegations.
• While some bioethics codes and guidelines exist, they are not widespread.
• Suggestions for ethical training modules are often met with no response.

Data Manipulation and Plagiarism:

• Data manipulation and plagiarism are major ethical issues in India’s academic environment.
• Advances in software make these unethical actions increasingly easy to carry out.
• Perpetrators tend to deny responsibility, blaming others, including their students.

Authoritarian Behavior of Those in Power:

• Incidents of bullying and abuse of power by academic guides are documented.
• Reporting misconduct is often met with counter-complaints, discouraging impartial investigation.
• Conflict of interest guidelines are violated when academics defend accused members from their institutions.

Cheating and Academic Culture Among Students:

• Cheating in exams is common among students, even in privileged institutions.
• Students may hesitate to report cheating, fearing social consequences.
• The academic culture in India is perceived as dishonest, affecting the reputation of Indian students globally.

Quality of Leadership:

• Academic leaders in India are often seen as sources of power and control rather than facilitators of academic growth.
• Fear of losing control and accountability may lead to reluctance in addressing ethical issues.
• Ethical misconduct is tolerated, while perceived challenges to leadership result in quick action.

Need for Change in Academic Leadership:

• India requires a different type of behavior from academic leaders, focusing on ethical standards and transparency.
• Institutions must prioritize ethics and provide clear communication and training in ethical standards.
• Suppression of independent thinking and violation of constitutional rights hinder academic research.

Conclusion:

• Without a significant change in the attitude of academic leadership, India’s future as a research powerhouse may be compromised.
• Addressing unethical academic practices is crucial for India’s global standing and potential as an emerging power.