FTI’s Policy Competition: The Results (and seven prizes)

Date of Announcement: 27 April 2013

Background

The Freedom Team of India’s policy competition, announced on 15 November 2012, attracted over 400 registrants. A total of 20 entries were received. One competitor had applied to join FTI. Although he has since left, he is not an Indian citizen hence ineligible for a cash prize.

General comment on quality of entries received

The rules specified that “FTI may decide not to award prizes on policy topics in which no entry of a minimum acceptable standard is received”. This provision was not expected to be used since FTI was hoping for a very strong field. It turns out that many competitors did not use the mandatory competition template (which provides a systematic framework for analysis). Many of those who used the template didn’t demonstrate basic diligence and evidence-based policy thinking, hence failed to meet a minimum standard.

FTI doesn’t blame this unfortunate state of affairs on the participants, but on the lack of even a single good school of Governance and Public Policy in India. Policy makers in India are therefore left to their own devices, leading to extremely poor public policy. It is our hope that this deplorable state of affairs will be addressed through the ongoing efforts of the Freedom Team of India (which has also recently launched the Sone Ki Chidiya Federation to bring about total reforms). competition participants are encouraged to join the Federation to support good governance in India. They are also encouraged to understand the slides presented at the Governance Reforms Conference at Indian Institute of Public Administration recently.

Seven participants are being acknowledged and/or awarded prizes

Despite the low average standard of policy entries, three did meet a minimum standard (although much was still left to be desired – e.g. proof of assertions made).

One of these policies has been judged to be of sufficiently high standard (despite limitations) to act as a minimum benchmark for future policy design in India. This policy is being awarded the overall best prize of Rs.1 lakh.

The remaining two (out of the three that met the minimum standard) were in the same policy area (school education), so only will get the prize of Rs.20,000 and the second is being acknowledged through a consolation prize. (Although there was no provision for consolation prizes in the Rules, the Board of Directors of FTI has decided to acknowledge/ award five small additional prizes to encourage the participants.)

The Results

The policy entries

FTI has previously published the policy entries without disclosing participant names. The entires are now being published with participant names (without addresses and other private details) here.

Disclaimer: Awarding a prize to a policy does not bind FTI in any way to its recommendations. FTI continues to develop world-best policies for India through its own extensive analysis and wide discussions with the community.

1) First (and overall best) prize: Rs.1 lakh

The first prize goes to Supratim Guha and Amudavalli Kannan (C17: Policy No. 17: Water (including rivers policy and potable water supplies).

Title of competition entry: River-Basin Management

Affiliation: Undergraduate Law Students at Gujarat National Law University

FTI believes that this policy is good enough to act as a minimum benchmark for all policies made in India. Much better policies can be designed with due diligence and effort. However, currently no actual public policy in India even meets this minimum benchmark. The Planning Commission spends HUNDREDS of crores of rupees on consultants, only to make truly bad policies. If India were to follow the diligence and effort put in by Supratim Guha and Amudavalli Kannan in such a short time, it could achieve wonders with the resources currently spent (wasted) on policy making.

Download a PDF version of the Guha-Kannan First Prize winning policy below (Word version here). Please also pass on this link as widely as you can. Well done, Guha and Kannan.

2) Prize for best policy on school education: Rs.20,000

The only other policy area in which a minimum standard was met was school education. The prize in this policy area goes to Poorvaja Prakash and Radhika Maloo. (C13: Policy area no. 12: School education (including early childhood education)). Download this prize winning entry here (Word | PDF).

Title of competition entry: Education For Learning

Affiliation: Poorvaja works in Teach For India, Radhika works in IPE Global Consulting

3) Two consolation prizes of Rs. 3,000 each

The following competitors are being awarded Rs. 3,000 each as a consolation prize for their effort.

Padma Karri (C12/ 11_Padma_karri.doc – download from zip file here)

Avi Aggarwal (C09/ 2_aviaggarwal.doc – download from zip file here)

4) Three encouragement prizes

The following two are being awarded Rs. 1,000 each as encouragement prize.

Akriti Bhatia: C19/ 16_Akriti Bhatia.doc – download from zip file here)

Rahul Gupta (C20/ 2_rahulgupta.doc – download from zip file here)

FTI also wishes to encourage the following competitor. He is not a citizen of India, so will not receive any cash prize. But well done:

Sandeep Datir (C04/ health policy.doc – download from zip file here)

Congratulations to everyone!

The Freedom Team of India congratulates not just the prize winners but all contestants – for putting in the time and effort to think about public policy. This is a highly neglected area of thought and study in India, and the results of such neglect are self-evident to anyone who lives in India. Even “reform” movements are led by people who have not the slightest clue about good public policy.

Through the efforts of Freedom Team of India, its supporters, and competition participants we hope that India will finally arrive at good policies. We hope that all competitors learnt something useful from the competition – regardless of whether they won a prize. We wish them the very best in their future plans in the field of public policy.

We invite you to work together with us to ensure better public policy in India through world-best governance and policy frameworks.

Now it is your turn to support this effort

FTI is a fledgling effort that is trying to reform India’s deplorable governance. We need every Indian’s support. If you think that FTI is on the right track, please support FTI actively through cash contributions and voluntary work. Those who wish to lead India should join the Freedom Team. Those who wish to India to achieve genuine reforms should participate in the Sone Ki Chidiya Total Reform Movement by joining the Sone Ki Chidiya Federation – which has been created by FTI as a platform for all reformers and reform organisations in India to come together.

FTI wishes to thank those who contributed prize money for this competition. We will soon be in touch with them with proposals to best use the remaining contributed prize money for preparing good public policy documents for India.

Note: Cheques to prize winners

Cheques to prize winners will be mailed out to the addresses they have provided, in the next 30 days. Should you not receive your prize by then, please contact Supratim Basu at xsupratim@gmail.com and Ajay Anand at ajayanand7@gmail.com.

Board of Directors, Freedom Team of India

जय भारत!

National Reform Summit, Haridwar, 5-8 April 2013 – registrations now open

Sone Ki Chidiya is pleased to announce a four day Summit in Haridwar on 5-8 April 2013. Download the brochure (PDF) by clicking the image below. (Word document here).

Please click here to register for the Summit.

 

 

National Reform Summit Invitation

 

Dear Friend We all recognise the desperate need to reform India’s governance. We also know that politicians aren’t listening to us: the People. They are not implementing well-known reforms which are guaranteed to increase prosperity and remove corruption. Therefore, a few deeply concerned citizens launched the Sone Ki Chidiya total reform movement on 26 January 2013. As part of this movement, we are organising a National Reform Summit in Haridwar from 5-8 April 2013. Details are at http://sonekichidiya.in/national-reform-summit-5-8-april-2013/. I am writing to invite you to participate in this reform movement and the Summit. We can’t afford to wait for politicians to fix India’s problems, for they themselves are the problem. Let’s reform India ourselves! The task is difficult but not impossible. It will begin by coming together on a common vision. We are beginning to see real hope for the first time in our lives that something good might finally happen. Let’s make this hope come true by participating in a total reform movement that has been created for all Indians. Please forward this email as widely as possible within your network of Indian contacts so that India’s best reform-oriented leaders and citizens are able to attend. Also please disseminate this on social media and through any other means at your disposal. We should aim to reach out to every nook and corner of India. Jai Bharat! Sanjeev Sabhlok, PhD (Economics) Former member of the IAS (1982 batch) Joint Convenor, National Reform Summit Sone Ki Chidiya Movement http://sonekichidiya.in/ PS: Please join this Google Group: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/skc-main to directly discuss next steps with others interested in total reform in India.

 

‘सोने कि चिडिया’ आंदोलन – विकसित आणि स्वयंपूर्ण देश घडविण्यासाठी (FTI initiative)

सर्वांना जाहीर आवाहन,

विकसित आणि स्वयंपूर्ण देश घडविण्यासाठी “सोने कि चिडिया” ह्या आंदोलनात सहभागी व्हावे. 

“समृद्ध, स्वतंत्र भारत” हा संदेश सर्वदूर पोहोचविण्यासाठी अथक परिश्रम घ्यावे लागणार आहेत. आणि ह्या आंदोलनाचे नेतृत्त्व करण्यासाठी पुढे यावे लागणार आहे.

खूप झाले आता भ्रष्टाचारी लोकांना शिव्या देणे, मेणबत्त्या घेऊन गल्लोगल्ली फिरणे. आता सूत्रे स्वतःच्या हाती घेणे गरजेचे आहे.

राजकीय बदल अनिवार्य आहे.

चला सगळे मिळून “सोने कि चिडिया” या व्यासपीठावर एकत्रित येऊ आणि देशाविषयीचे आपले स्वप्न पूर्ण करण्यासाठी काम करू. जर २०१४ हातून सुटले तर २०१९ पर्यंत ह्याच नालायाकांची अरेरावी, चोरी, गुंडगिरी, सहन करावी लागेल. आणि आपल्याला वाया घालवण्यासाठी खरच वेळ नाहीये. त्या ५ वर्षात आपण १० पटीने अधिक समृद्ध आणि वैभवसंपन्न होऊ शकतो.

जागृत भारती! सशक्त भारत!

जय भारती!! जय भारत!!

या स्वतंत्र भारत संघामध्ये सामील व्हा.
Join Freedom Team

Uddhav Thakare, please work for empowerment, freedom, opportunity.

This is really sickness. They start demanding freebies whenever there is any disaster. But no contingency plan. No plan in place to empower farmers, to make them self dependent.

Lets stop this non sense once. Uddhav Thakare, I don’t support such naive demands. Every time demanding waivers, subsidies sound like beggar than self-respecting human. Where are the real demands for freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of movement, equal opportunity etc..

Jay Bharat!

‘कौटिलीय अर्थशास्त्र’ म्हणजे अंतर्गत राज्यकारभार आणि परराष्ट्रसंबंध यांचे विस्तृत विवेचन

स्रोत: प्रा. र. पं. कंगले ह्यांच्या भाषांतरित ‘कौटिलीयम् अर्थशास्त्रम्’ ग्रंथामधून.

राजनितीवर पंथ-निरपेक्षपणे विचार करणारे प्राचीन भारतातील एकमेव शास्त्रीय लेखन. ह्या शास्त्रामध्ये सर्वस्वी इहलोकीच्या गोष्टींचाच विचार केला आहे.

सध्याच्या काळात अर्थशास्त्र हा शब्द ‘इकॉनॉमिक्स’ या अर्थी उपयोगात आणला जातो. परंतु ह्या ग्रंथाचा विषय तो नाही. १५व्या अधिकरणातील अर्थ ह्या शब्दाची व्याख्या:

“अर्थ म्हणजे उपजीविका, म्हणजेच मनुष्याची वस्ती असलेली भूमी. त्या भूमीचा म्हणजे पृथ्वीचा लाभ आणि तिचे पालन यांचे उपाय सांगणारे शास्त्र ते अर्थशास्त्र”(१५.१.१-२)

‘अर्थ’ म्हणजे इहलोकीच्या जीवनाची समृद्धता हा त्या शब्दाचा मूळ अर्थ. आणि हि समृद्धता संपत्तीमुळे प्राप्त होते. म्हणून संपत्ती असा ह्या शब्दाचा अर्थ होतो. सर्व प्रकारच्या संपत्तीच्या उत्पादनाला मनुष्याचे श्रम कारणीभूत होतात आणि हे उत्पादन अंततः भूमीतून – शेतांतून, खाणींतून - वैगेरे प्राप्त होते. तेव्हा संपत्तीनिर्मितीच्या मनुष्य व भूमी ह्या दोन्ही घटकांचा एकत्र निर्देश असलेला ‘मनुष्यांची वस्ती असलेला भूप्रदेश’ असा ह्या शब्दाचा अर्थ सहज निष्पन्न होतो.

पृथ्वीचा लाभ व पालन हि जी अर्थशास्त्राची दोन उद्दिष्टे त्यापैकी लाभाचा विचार म्हणजे मुख्यत्त्वेकरून एका राष्ट्राच्या दुसऱ्या राष्ट्रावरील आक्रमणाचा विचार. त्या संदर्भात साहजिकच परराष्ट्रसंबंधाचे विवेचन करणे क्रमप्राप्त होते. पालन करायचे ते पृथ्वीचे आणि तिच्यावरील माणसांचे. पृथ्वीचे पालन म्हणजे राष्ट्राचे रक्षण. ते रक्षण मुख्यतः शत्रूपासून करावयाचे असते. हा विषयही परराष्ट्रसंबधात अंतर्भूत आहे. राज्यातील मनुष्यांचे पालन म्हणजे त्यांचे दैवी आणि मानुषी आपत्तीपासून रक्षण करणे एवढाच अर्थ नसून त्यांच्या योगक्षेमाची काळजी वाहने हा अर्थ सुद्धा अभिप्रेत आहे. लोकांचे रक्षण करण्यासाठी आणि त्यांच्या योगक्षेमाची काळजी घेण्यासाठी कारभाराची मोठी यंत्रणा उभारणे आवश्यक असते. म्हणून अंतर्गत राज्यकारभाराचा विचार हे  शास्त्राचे दुसरे अंग. ह्या दोन्ही अंगांचे – अंतर्गत राज्यकारभार आणि परराष्ट्रसंबंध यांचे – अत्यंत विस्तृत विवेचन कौटिलीय अर्थशास्त्रात केले आहे.

जय भारत!

Related: Quotes by Chanakya

I support ‘VISHWAROOPAM’ movie’s uncut release. PERIOD.

I’ve not seen the movie ‘Vishwaroopam. But, I support the freedom of expression, peaceful, for all; that doesn’t mean I agree with what one says/does. Everybody is solely responsible for their acts.

Even if anybody creating art in bad taste, the viewer has the choice of ignoring it. That’s what is the meaning tolerance, which this land has protected for hundreds of years. Now we need to increase the liberty to atain the lost prosperity and freedom.

Say no to state terrorism.

Disgusting to see that an artist, like Kamal Hasan, being forced to leave the country. Are we really progressing? Do we really understand freedom of expression? Who are these thugs, goons to oppress any creative work/thought?

This is the land which gave birth an art like ‘Kamasutra’. This is the land which saw birth over a half a dozen religions.

Dr. Ambedkar rendered a constitution which ensures freedom of speech, expression and profession to every citizen irrespective of gender, creed, religion. And the intolerant fascist forces, which are really very few but united, are attempting to topple the very constitution itself. That is a challenge to sovereignty of this nation and to me it’s no lesser than an emergency. If some thugs are challenging the creative art by violent protests then police should arrest them, and courts should deliver the justice. But they all right to protest, peacefully, at designated public places while making sure not creating nuisance, disturbance to others.

I thought courts are here to upheld the constitution but they seem to have forgotten their job. What role does any court has in liaising? They have to deliver justice and that’s it. No moral policing at all.

But certainly leaving the nation isn’t a solution. Since, he is also part of this nation and should fight back.

SabhlokCity “While an analytic critique of a religion is fine, vilification and abuse of a religion is not.”

Join ‘Sone Ki Chidiya’ movement. Lets build the nation of our dreams. Lets restore the lost glory.

Jay Bharat!

Related: Free speech is ABSOLUTE except for … (well, almost nothing)

 

Dr Ambedkar’s speech – I

I love the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s speech delivered at time of presenting the constitution to constituent assembly for voting on 25 November 1949.

I’ll present it bit by bit as time permits. Here is how he concluded his speech to adjourn the assembly and that defines who was the Dr Ambedkar, beloved Babasaheb.

…Independence is no doubt a matter of joy. But let us not forget that this independence has thrown on us great responsibilities. By independence, we have lost the excuse of blaming the British for anything going wrong. If hereafter things go wrong, we will have nobody to blame except ourselves. There is great danger of things going wrong.

Times are fast changing. People including our own are being moved by new ideologies. They are getting tired of Government by the people. They are prepared to have Governments for the people and are indifferent whether it is Government of the people and by the people. If we wish to preserve the Constitution in which we have sought to enshrine the principle of Government of the people, for the people and by the people, let us resolve not to be tardy in the recognition of the evils that lie across our path and which induce people to prefer Government for the people to Government by the people, nor to be weak in our initiative to remove them.

That is the only way to serve the country. I know of no better.

Jay Bharat!

Source: Parliament of Bharat

 

Few are angry about birds, making more angry birds

Birds: In college student’s world ‘bird watching’ is favourite pass time. So all those who attended college know what are ‘birds’ and where to go them watching.

Jokes apart, but those very women are threatened in this modern world by certain maniacs, and cowards; and we have to fight it out by strengthening women’s hands to counter the physical and mental assault on them. We have assure them our support and all the help needed and it has to start from our own family.

So here are some male counterparts who are angry about these ‘birds‘ and want to clip off their wings, which is rendering more angry birds:

• Some asking them to forbid certain dressing sense
• Some demanding restriction to their movement
• Some even want to them to give up mobile phones
• some go to extent of threatening them if they are seen with male friend/colleague
• Some want them to make brothers from offenders while chanting mantras to save their dignity
• Some feel they are given unnecessary freedom
• Some believe their existence is for remaining within the four walls

Why these people are angry about their own people, without whom this society wouldn’t even exist?

I think of following are the reasons for the anger and opposition to them from male counterparts:

1. Their growing strength
2. Their increasing influence in all matters
3. Their demand for equality
4. Their changing attitude towards counterparts
5. Their increased self-respect and self-esteem

All power to them, girls/women. I support their freedom of expression, movement, and profession. Its their rights, human rights, to live the way they want, with accountability for their actions.

Constitution of Bharat has enshrined these are rights and no one can take it away or be allowed to.

Here, I pledge to help make girls in my family capable of self defence and finance.

Jay Bharat!

P.S. Birds should not be seen in derogatory means. What I mean by a ‘bird’ is free, self-esteemed, capable soul.

Read: Open letter to PM(Protectors Became Predators)Rape, a social issue? No!, its government failure.

 

Sone Ki Chidiya (सोने की चिड़िया) movement

Reproducing from Sanjeev Sabhlok’s Revolutionaty Blog

Everything must start with an idea.

Some time ago it became evident that we needed a new wholistic (not just anti-corruption) movement for reform in India. It had to capture the aspirations of India, and not just be “anti-” this or “anti-” that.

There had to be a positive goal attached to the movement.

Therefore, after much thinking and discussion, FTI’s new logo (Sone Ki Chidiya) was developed as the title for a possible new movement.

Today that movement has been launched, like a “diya” launched on the Ganga. Attached to that is a draft vision, which will be significantly refined in the coming weeks.

The idea has evolved into a small website, and we are hoping to hold a summit in April to discuss the precise reform pathway with anyone who is interested.

Those interested in taking this forward may wish to follow the guidance given at the website.

One of the key factors in favour of this title for the movement was Swami Ramdev’s personal request to me, a month ago in Haridwar, to use FTI’s Sone Ki Chidiya logo on his own vision document released (printed 100,000 copies) last month.

Here is the website. Please visit it. http://sonekidichiya.in/.

The image below shows the use of Sone Ki Chidiya logo in Swamiji’s vision for India.

(You can also, if you wish, download the Bharat Swabhiman vision document – in Hindi – about 7MB. Some of the points in this vision have been included into the SKC draft vision, which will be improved considerably in the coming weeks through extensive review/ discussion/ consultation).

Find original post here.

जय भारत!