All Indians Matter

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is a proudly Islamic and proudly Indian institution, a living symbol of the composite culture of India. AMU was once central to the progressive Muslim ethos but over the past few years many believe it has lost its once eminent status. What does AMU mean to the India of today and what lies ahead for it? Mohammed Wajihuddin, senior journalist and author of ‘Aligarh Muslim University: The Making of the Modern Indian Muslim’, speaks to All Indians Matter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The BJP, the clear winner in the latest round of Assembly elections, was helped in equal parts by its divisive agenda and an Opposition that couldn’t unite or get its act together. What impact this will have on India over the long term isn’t pleasant to think about. In the meantime, the winners will have to deliver on a range of promises, from jobs to connectivity and infrastructure to reviving industry and figuring out what to do with AFSPA. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices