India's Undernourishment Crisis + The For Youth Leadership Initiative!
Policy Post #156
Dear Reader, Trust you’re well :) In this week’s newsletter, we focus on India’s alarming undernourishment crisis, with millions affected and widespread malnutrition posing a major challenge. We also highlight the urgent need for increased healthcare spending, a revamped Public Distribution System, and expanded nutrition programs to address these issues. On a related note, Anirudh Burman’s talk on urban expansion sheds light on how changes in land acquisition laws are shaping city growth, calling for new approaches and institutional reforms.
In exciting news, the For Youth Leadership (FYL) initiative is offering an incredible opportunity for young leaders in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh to engage in tackling issues like gender equality and climate change.
P.S. If you're hiring for freelance roles in public policy or social impact, please comment on our weekly Jobs Post. This helps eligible individuals apply and allows you to share opportunities with our community of nearly 10,000 members on WhatsApp! (P.P.S. Including clear details on how, when, and where to apply, along with eligibility criteria, is a huge plus!)
As always, explore our curated resources and career opportunities, and thank you for being part of our community!
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With that, we bring to you: Policy Post #156!
This Week’s Policy Focus 🔎
India is grappling with one of the world's worst undernourishment crises, with 194.6 million people affected. Over half the population cannot afford a healthy diet, leading to widespread malnutrition, stunting, and anaemia. To tackle this, the government must boost healthcare spending to at least 2.5% of GDP, revamp the Public Distribution System (PDS) to include more nutritious foods, and strengthen community-based nutrition programs. Expanding the National Nutrition Mission and ensuring clean water access will be key to fighting malnutrition and improving public health.
Policy Charcha 💬
The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!
📝 Article Highlight:
The Maharashtra government's Ladki Bahin scheme, introduced by the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti coalition in July, offers a monthly direct benefit transfer of Rs 1,500 to women aged 21-65 from families earning below Rs 2.5 lakh annually. However, the scheme has sparked concerns among farmers, as it may impact agricultural households in unforeseen ways.
💻Opportunity Highlight:
Don't miss out on the For Youth Leadership (FYL) initiative, designed to foster youth leadership in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. This program empowers young leaders to tackle key issues like gender equality and climate change, and through the FYL Fund, provides flexible support to non-profit organisations working in these regions.
🔎 Databases and Guides:
Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include over 150 organisations that are always on the lookout for talent, 200+ scholarships for Indian students, and 150+ public policy courses. Dive in and unlock incredible opportunities!
▶️Video Highlight:
👉🏽 In "Land without Acquisition: A New Regime of City Expansion," Anirudh Burman explores how rising land prices and changes to India's land acquisition laws have made compulsory land acquisition for urban growth difficult. He discusses alternative policies governments use to acquire land voluntarily and highlights the need for institutional reforms in urban development.
👥 Community Updates:
👉🏽 We're looking for enthusiastic individuals to step up as City Chapter Leaders/Coordinators for Public Policy India (PPI). This is a completely voluntary role that requires a commitment of just 2-3 hours per week, allowing you to contribute while balancing your other responsibilities.
If you're interested, please reply to this e-mail with a couple of suggestions on how PPI can better engage its community members via WhatsApp, along with a link to your LinkedIn profile. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Careers Corner 💼
A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.
📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!
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