Category Policy Update

Affordable Rental Housing Scheme (ARHC): State of Play

The Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) scheme was introduced in July 2020 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, as a part of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana—Urban (PMAY-U). The reverse migration brought on by the COVID pandemic-induced lockdown is what brought attention to ARHC’s mission to provide rental homes for the urban poor and migrants. The PMAY-U mission phase and the ARHC plan both end in March 2022. This article evaluates the present condition of the plan’s implementation—its evolving modalities, stakeholder participation, and current status—given its significance as India’s first national rental housing scheme with only a few months left to call for bids and award projects.

GDP:  Not  a Significant Indicator for Inclusive Growth

The article highlights how the Indian economy has restructured itself from the 1950s from a poor economy to the current emerging world's fifth-largest economy supported by GDP growth as the focus has been on multidimensional and inclusive growth. It has been reported by NITI Aayog’s multi-dimensional poverty report that there has been a steep decline in poverty over a period of time but rural and urban disparity still exists. So, to overcome the challenges of inequality several multisectoral approaches are being undertaken along with an emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 1 of reducing poverty and SDG 10 of reducing income inequalities. Steps are being taken by the government for poverty alleviation, inclusive healthcare, sustainable development, financial inclusion, intragenerational equity, and inclusive education for the equitable growth of all sections of the economy. Moreover, to attain balanced growth in terms of both economic and non-economic aspects, various remedial measures have been discussed to achieve multi-faceted and compounded growth.  

In Between Involution & Laying Flat

The second part of the article seeks to understand the side of the Chinese youth specifically students- who "call attention to issues" that require states to change their behaviour by "carving in external pressure" to conform. There are "critical junctures" in every norm cycle- comprising of norm emergence, diffusion and internalisation- where an entrenched norm can be uprooted and replaced and China is clearly heading towards one (Bloomfield, 2016) - The question remains whether the youth will seize it or continue living in the permanent liminality of living on the limit despite being at the gate of social reaggregation because crises have the ability to break down roles and overturn culturally sanctioned functions and relations. (Mälksoo, 2012). Involution and Laying Flat is examined by looking at it in the field of education, as the critical juncture.

The History of Involution in China

With the actions of the Chinese state, one can understand how misplacement is so deeply internalised as a matter of routine and daily life but can be sought to be navigated through the counternorm of Laying Flat. The article seeks to understand involution in China as an international norm and its unique trends and external influences impacting her historically and presently misplaced identity.

Competition (Amendment) Act 2023: A Step Towards Promoting Competition in India

The Competition (Amendment) Bill 2023 was passed by the Indian Parliament on March 29, 2023. The bill amends the Competition Act, 2002, which was the primary law governing competition in India. The amendments aim to strengthen the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and make it more effective in preventing and punishing anti-competitive practices. It is too early to assess the impacts it has brought, as the act has been in development partially.

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