In this issue

ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE FOCUS ON NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

Our Companies Are Very Interested in Sharing Their Knowhow and E-governance Solutions

A small country located in Baltics, with a population of just over 1.3 million, Estonia has been a major global case study on how to implement effective and efficient digital governance. Estonia was among the first countries globally to apply emergent information and communication technologies in governance and delivery of public goods. Today, there are hardly any services that are not fully available online in the country. Anand Mishra, Editor, and Rajesh Mehta, Consulting Editor, Governance Today, spoke to Mr. Riho Kruuv, the Ambassador of Estonia to India, to find out more about the bilateral relations between the two countries and how they can cooperate on various matters. Mr. Kruuv is also the Ambassador Designate to Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Singapore. Prior to this assignment, Ambassador Kruuv held several high ranking positions in the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Security Policy and Arms Control Division, Political Department and as Chair of the Estonian Export Control Authority. Prior to that, he served as the Chargè d’ Affairs in the Embassy of Estonia in Canada and as 1st Secretary at the Estonian Embassy in the United States of America.

6 mins

The Hidden Truth

We don’t speak about medical education and its role in nation-building.

3 mins

E-way Delight for Realty

The high-speed Agra – Lucknow roadway opens a new avenue of growth for real estate sector, besides allowing the commuters to save a lot of time while travelling and helping in decongesting the traffic on the alternate route.

4 mins

Two years of environmental governance

Although the Narendra Modi government has done well on pollution standards and monitoring, it needs to do much more on green clearances, forestry and its flagship schemes on sanitation, and the Ganga

6 mins

Finnish Companies Have a Lot to Offer in Renewable Energy

The first impression of Finland in the minds of most Indians is of the country with best educational system in the world. While that is true, Finland is equally known globally for its expertise in clean tech, IT, start up environment and Northern Lights. Ms. Nina Vaskunlahti has recently been posted as Finland’s Ambassador to India. After graduating from the University of Turku in 1983 with a Masters Degree in Political Sciences, Ms. Vaskunlahti joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland in 1984 and has held many important positions in various countries and in the European Union in Brussels. Prior to her posting in New Delhi, she served as Finnish Ambassador to Turkey for four years. In an interaction with Anand Mishra, Editor and Rajesh Mehta, Consulting Editor, Governance Today, Ms. Vaskunlahti shares her opinions about how to strengthen the relations between Finland and India.

5 mins

Not so clean (India)

The biggest challenge to Swachh Bharat Mission’s success is lack of data-led behavioural change.

4 mins

The Gargantuan Garbage Mess

Jairam, and his wife routinely pick garbage from households from many housing societies in Sector 62 of Noida, billed as the most happening part of the satellite city of national capital, because of numerous educational institutions, thriving tech companies and more than three dozen housing societies. Its past noon, his cart full of garbage collected, he moves to a slightly isolated part of road a couple of hundred meters away from local shopping plaza, and empties his cart. Ask him if he realizes the implication of what he does, he nods in affirmation, knowing fully well that garbage littered just meters away from where people live, spews foul smell and breeds mosquitoes. But he says he just does not have any other place where he can throw garbage. The municipality has virtually non-existent system of waste collection and management, the result of which is that the largest vacant area of the sector, supposed to be developed as a park, has become the de facto garbage dump. There are half a dozen other spots where Jairam and his likes dump garbage.

10+ mins

All Lives Have Equal Value

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in India focuses on key areas that will affect the future of India’s most vulnerable communities: reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition; sanitation; agricultural development; and financial inclusion. Headed by Dr. Nachiket Mor in India, the foundation, in its decade long journey here, has been building momentum in developing scalable, measurable programmes across all priority areas. Dr. Nachiket, flitting between the financial and philanthropic worlds, has been closely associated with the core interest areas of the foundation, including healthcare alongside sanitation, agricultural development and financial services for the poor. In conversation with Rajesh Mehta, Consulting Editor, Governance Today, Dr Nachiket Mor, India Country Office Director talks about the foundation’s values, services and plans in India...

5 mins

More cities make the cut

The new induction in the list of Smart Cities will provide a boost to the realty sector.

4 mins

Many Next-Gen Indian Americans Are Now Inspired to Do Public Service

Indians constitute one percent of American population, are the highest earning expat community in the country and most Indian Americans are in high end professions. Indiaspora, a non profit entity set up by M.R. Rangaswami, works to leverage this strength to further the interest and influence of Indian community in the US. Rangaswami, a software engineer by training, is an investor, entrepreneur, corporate eco-strategy expert, community builder and philanthropist. In 1997, he co-founded Sand Hill Group, one of the earliest Angel investment firms and was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. He was also listed on the Forbes “Midas” list of investors. In 2012, Rangaswami founded Indiaspora to unite Indian Americans and to transform their success into meaningful impact in India and on the global stage. Rajesh Mehta, Consulting Editor, Governance Today, spoke to Rangaswami, to find out more about what made him set up Indiaspora and the work that this entity is doing to fulfill its mission.

7 mins

An Aspirational Destination For Skilling Domestic Workforce

WHEN DOMESTIC CARE WORK GOES ENTREPRENEURIAL… discusses Amod K Kanth, Chairman, Domestic Worker Sector Skill Council (DWSSC), Ministry of Skills & Entrepreneurship

9 mins

Skills For Green Jobs

A green job is one that helps bring about and maintain a transition to environmentally sustainable forms of production and consumption. The green jobs help to protect ecosystems by reducing energy, materials, and water consumption through high efficiency strategies. Dr Praveen Saxena, the Chief Executive Officer of the Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGB), further presents a brief on skills needs for new occupations, new skills for greening existing occupations and retraining needs in sectors undergoing structural changes as a result of policy implementation, and introduction of greening technologies and practices.

4 mins

One-Stop-Shop For Assessment Solutions

In the path of making social acceptance for job skills.

5 mins

An Aspirational Destination For Skilling Domestic Workforce

WHEN DOMESTIC CARE WORK GOES ENTREPRENEURIAL… discusses Amod K Kanth, Chairman, Domestic Worker Sector Skill Council (DWSSC), Ministry of Skills & Entrepreneurship.

8 mins

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Governance Today Magazine Description:

The spectrum of good governance ranges from least governance to citizen-centric governance and finally to participative governance. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable,transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. To ensure sustainable human development, actions need to be taken to work towards this ideal with the aim of making it a reality.