Insights, a blog published by IMPRI.
The SWAMIH (Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing) Investment Fund was initiated by the Government of India in November 2019 to resolve the problem of stalled housing projects that were financially viable but were starved of last-mile funding. The fund is supervised by SBICAP Ventures Ltd, the subsidiary of the State Bank of India, and supported by the Ministry of Finance.
STARS is a program to support reform to improve the quality and governance of school education in six states, namely, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Kerala. It became effective on 23rd February 2021 for a period of five years, ending in the financial year 2024-25. The total project cost is Rs. 5718 crore, with a loan from the World Bank of Rs. 3700 crore. It is a centrally sponsored scheme under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education. The objective of the scheme is to improve education outcomes and school-to-work transition strategies for improved labour market outcomes, which is aligned with the objective of the National Education Policy 2020 of Quality-Based Learning Outcomes. The Program is carved out of Samagra Shiksha.
One significant victory in the struggle for women's rights was the founding of UN Women. Prior to its creation, a number of UN agencies worked separately on various aspects of women's rights, which frequently led to fragmented initiatives. In order to bring these efforts under one roof, the UN combined four agencies into UN Women after realising the need for a united front.
I have often wondered what’s wrong with Türkiye. The symptoms of its principled anti-India stance are difficult to discern, even though there are plenty of examples and statements from its leaders—especially President Erdogan—that have sought to undermine India’s sovereignty, particularly in the context of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), which is an integral part of India. In a rush to prove their bonhomie with Pakistan, they conveniently forget history and the terror-breeding nature of that state. Frequently, Türkiye's own Islamic extremist outfits have been seen operating in India and have been openly called out.
That Pakistan lives in its own delusionary world was evident once again when its Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the ceasefire understanding with India a “historic victory" in his address to the nation. Describing Pakistan as the victim of an “unjustified war" allegedly waged by India and using the Pahalgam incident as a pretext, he portrayed the ceasefire not as a diplomatic understanding initiated by Islamabad, but as the result of Pakistan’s supposed military prowess.
President Donald Trump has a special affection for West Asia, not only for its hydrocarbon riches, strategic location, security of Israel, and competition with China and Russia but also for the style statements coming through the inflow of petroleum dollars.
In recent years, a new force has crept into the heart of international politics—not a rising power or a radical ideology, but the changing climate itself. From the Arctic’s melting ice to devastating floods in South Asia, environmental changes are now shaping diplomatic agendas and geopolitical rivalries across the globe.