Agriculture badly needs transformation. Innovations that stress on solutions for challenges ranging from irrigation to the supply chain are the answer. Kavita Sharma and Ruchika Singh, who are part of the World Resources Institute’s Land Accelerator programme, which aims to make a difference in agriculture, agri-tech, the circular economy, etc, speak to All Indians Matter.

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The early arrival of hot weather has made electricity demand skyrocket – it’s expected to rise the fastest in 38 years. The power grid is experiencing record loads but, with coal stocks running low, electricity firms are unable to cope. With logistical issues further complicating matters, India could experience frequent and severe power cuts this summer. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

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The government has lowered the interest rate on Employees Provident Fund Organisation deposits for its 6.4 crore subscribers from 8.5% to 8.1%, the lowest since 1977-78. For crores, the Employees Provident Fund, or EPF, served as a social security substitute and was the principal corpus for retirement or life events like children’s weddings or emergencies. The rate cut has a significant impact on those who subscribe to the EPF. It means less money for retirement and in times of need, but also much more. Namita Patel, CA and leading financial advisor, speaks to All Indians Matter.

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The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has trade and geopolitical implications for India, and is a danger to its investments in the island nation. For example, Colombo Port is a critical part of India’s global cargo route but it is crippled due to the cash crunch. Meanwhile, Chinese influence is hindering India’s economic opportunities in Sri Lanka. This is the time to rebuild ties with Colombo by offering real partnerships in medicine production, capacity building and agriculture. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

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The recent overturning of a capital punishment ruling has again put into focus the death penalty provision in law. The three men were on death row for eight years before they were found to be innocent. In those eight years, their young children had to turn to labour to survive and the wife of one of the men suffered a miscarriage. Are our investigative and judicial systems equipped and oriented towards making fair judgments? Should India retain the death penalty? Shreya Rastogi, CP Shruthi and Shivani Misra – all part of the National Law University’s Project 39A and who’ve done extensive research and litigation work around the death penalty – speak to All Indians Matter.

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According to a National Commission for Women report, rural women walk up to 2.5 km every day to fetch potable water and that costs the country the equivalent of 150 million women days each year. In rupee terms, that’s a staggering Rs 1,000 crore. It leads also to social imbalances such as lower literacy levels and less earnings for women. As groundwater levels plummet and our freshwater sources get more polluted, no one has more at stake in India’s water security than women. They are invested in the issue already, so it’s time to hand over leadership of India’s water efforts to them. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

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At a time when the underprivileged are suffering the most because of the economic impact of the pandemic, when credit remains tough to get and when monetary pipelines are squeezed, can crowdfunding fill the vacuum? Dhaval Udani, founder of DanaMojo, India’s first payment solutions platform for NGOs, speaks to All Indians Matter.

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The government wants to sell some public-sector banks, arguing that it makes for greater efficiency and a more competitive banking system. However, these banks are public assets, owned by you and I ultimately, and losing them to the mega rich would mean job losses, branch closures, fewer jobs for marginalised groups and rewarding major defaulters. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

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There are many forces that shape history but few people think of food as a factor. In fact, food and history are closely linked. For instance, it was the quest for spices that drew Vasco da Gama to India. All Indians Matter speaks about the link between food and history in India with Dr Tarana Husain Khan, a writer and food historian.

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 A new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report says India faces great risks from falling farm yields, water scarcity, lower productivity and sea-level rises that could swamp our financial nerve centres. India would be among the worst affected by warming, the report warns. Most worrying of all, these could lead to heightened social turmoil and even armed conflict. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

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