by admin | May 25, 2021 | Opinions
By Pawan Agarwal & Amit Kapoor,
Regulation has an unfortunate, negative connotation to it. It brings to mind an authoritarian image with regards to the government. That is definitely not how it should be. It must be accepted that regulation has a great positive impact on society and the economy. The economic crisis of 2008, which was effectively a failure of regulation, forcefully underlines this fact. One needs to see regulation as an enabler, even for businesses, and not as a deterrent.
It is only natural for a citizen to have inhibitions about the regulatory environment. However, such concerns can be allayed if the government ensures that the key elements for an efficient regulatory body are present. An OECD document, “Principles for the Governance of Regulators”, explains that the key elements for “better” regulatory outcomes are: Well-designed rules and regulations that are efficient and effective; appropriate institutional frameworks and related governance arrangements; effective, consistent and fair operational processes and practices; and lastly, high quality and empowered institutional capacity and resources, especially in the leadership.
Given that India has a very peculiar regulatory environment, due to the lack of uniformity and presence of diversity in the structures and functionality of regulatory bodies, it is necessary to not only ensure that the aforementioned necessary conditions are met, but that the regulatory bodies adapt with the dynamic environment and learn from one another. India has multiple regulatory authorities, which have been set up due to three primary reasons. One is for welfare, wherein they have been set up in the public interest; two, to counter anti-competitive forces; and, lastly, to prevent any form of market failure.
India’s regulatory environment took flight only with the advent of the economic reforms of 1991, which implies that the regulatory bodies are at a very nascent stage. For instance, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently completed 20 years; the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) completed 10 years; while the Central Electricity Regulation Commission (CERC) has also been functioning for 20-odd years.
The tricky role of a regulator is to ensure the participation of the citizens, involve them in the process and enable them in the movement towards a better society and economy. The recent mammoth task taken up by FSSAI with its Eat Right Movement, which nudges the citizens and consumers to change their eating habits, is one example of how a regulatory body has been able to impact social and behavioural change that will culminate in a healthier nation and involves citizens.
It is not only about involving the citizens but also ensuring that they are be able to trust the regulatory bodies. As a case in point, TRAI has strengthened its administrative set-up for the purpose of internal audits. Similarly, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) now has an in-house transparency officer to cater to the same concern.
In a similar spirit of improved transparency, the regulatory bodies have adapted themselves to the ongoing increased reliance on technology and shifted to online portals and apps. This has not only made the processes and mechanisms smoother but has also reduced cumbersome paperwork.
For example, TRAI has whole host of online portals and apps, such as TRAI Analytics Portal and the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Portal. FSSAI has also incorporated facets of the online revolution within its system, wherein the licensing and registration of businesses can be done online via the Food Licensing and Registration Systems (FLRS) platform.
Finally, given that the regulatory environment is quite new, it is also crucial to continuously update policies and ensure laws are amended to be in sync with the changing economic and social environment. TRAI recently released a draft of the National Telecom Policy 2018. This is a step that every regulatory body needs to follow.
For India, the regulatory environment is growing, and newer, more innovative techniques are being adopted for the larger social good and to make the economy more competitive. For growth to be sustainable, all the regulatory bodies should learn from one another, adapt to the changing global environment and keep implementing innovative methods to counter issues as they arise. Most importantly, they must function as accountable, transparent and independent authorities.
(Pawan Agarwal is CEO, FSSAI, and can be contacted at ceo@fssai.gov.in. Amit Kapoor is chair, Institute for Competitiveness, and can be contacted at amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
Ankara : Turkey topped the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and ranked second in Europe with its gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in the second quarter of 2018.
The Turkish economy grew by 5.2 percent to 884 billion Turkish liras ($204.3 billion) in April-June period compared to the same period last year, Turkey’s Statistical Institute said on Monday.
With these figures, Turkey ranked first among the OECD countries, who released their data. Turkey was followed by Poland and Chile (5 percent), Hungary (4.6) and Latvia (4.4), according to data compiled by an Anadolu Agency correspondent.
OECD countries’ average growth rate was 2.5 percent in the second quarter, versus the same quarter of 2017.
On the other hand, the lowest growth rates were seen in Denmark, Japan and Italy by 0.6 percent, 1 percent, and 1.2 percent, respectively.
In the first quarter of 2018, Ireland was first among the 36 OECD countries with a growth rate of 10 percent, while Turkey ranked the second with 7.3 percent.
Among 28 countries of the EU, Turkey ranked the second after Malta, whose GDP rose by 5.7 percent year-on-year in the second quarter. Poland, Hungary, and Latvia followed Malta and Turkey. In the same period, EU28’s slowest-growing countries were Denmark (0.6 percent), Italy (1.2) and the UK (1.3).
Both EA19 and EU28’s economies grew by 2.1 percent in the April-June period, versus the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) countries’ average growth rate for the second quarter was 2.7 percent.
Turkey’s annual GDP growth rate was also 7.4 percent in 2017.
—AB/UNA-OIC
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Opinions
By Moulshri Kanodia,
According to the “OECD Health Statistics 2014: How Does India Compare” report, the overall health spending accounted for only four per cent of the GDP in India in 2012, out of which only 33 per cent of health spending was funded by public sources. Further, health accounted for only 4.8 per cent of total government spending in 2012. India ranks extremely high even among other developing countries in out-of-pocket costs on healthcare.
The “Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2016-17” says that tobacco smoking is a major preventable risk factor for a number of causes of death. In India, 10.7 per cent adults smoked daily in 2010 and it remains so even in 2016. When measuring the exposure of second-hand smoke in households, women are at a higher risk (39.3 per cent) in comparison to men (38.1 per cent) but unfortunately our policies remain passive on this issue.
With the dismal condition of healthcare in India, the provisions for healthcare are even worse when it comes to women-specific diseases. Generally, women’s health receives attention only during pregnancy; this comes from our patriarchal understanding of women’s role in society.
Cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease, respiratory diseases and trauma are major causes of death for women worldwide. The health profile of India by WHO reveals that women have a higher life expectancy in comparison to men, but this is marred by disorders like musculoskeletal diseases, depression, etc. Social structures and prejudices also create an environment in which women’s health and well-being are further compromised.
Due to a lack of disease-specific data on gender differences, there is a complete absence of evidence about preventive care for women, along with issues like increased consumption of tobacco, alcohol and drugs. Gender disparities have also crept into healthcare delivery and women’s access to treatment.
Traditionally, much of the work done by women is performed within the context of the family. As women move beyond their traditional occupations in today’s era, they meet new health hazards which add to the existing occupational hazards.
Globally, psychological violence at work, especially bullying, violence, mobbing and harassment (including sexual harassment) are reported to be major concerns for women. Many studies show that women are at particular risk of physical and psychological violence both in and outside the workplace. But this is rarely considered under the banner of occupational safety and health. Appropriate indicators must be established when examining compensation for work accidents and injuries in such cases.
As a result of the neglect of women’s occupational injuries, women are reported to be at much lower risk of occupational injuries and accidents. For instance, till recently, deteriorating respiratory health due to pollution from household cooking was not considered an occupational health issue. Whatever little data is available on women’s occupational health and safety issues is mostly aggregated and this ignores many important aspects of women’s health profiles.
A UN study of 31 countries shows women are working 10 to 30 per cent more hours than men and that two-thirds of women’s work is unpaid, unvalued and invisible. Yet our national health programmes fail to address health issues pertinent to women.
Low participation rate of women in the labour market is also attributed to uncertain occupational health and safety. Thus, there is a high urgency for a comprehensive plan for women’s health whether in the workplace, household, or other spheres.
(Moulshri Kanodia, German Chancellor Fellow at Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung (Foundation), & Researcher at Harriet Taylor Mill Institute, Berlin School of Economics and Law. The views expressed are personal)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
By Tuba Sahin,
Ankara: International merchandise trade in G20 countries soared year-on-year in 2017, according to OECD data released Wednesday.
G20 country exports and imports rose 10.0 percent and 11.5 percent respectively last year compared to 2016.
The data showed that the highest annual export growth in 2017 was seen in Australia — 20.5 percent — and Russia — 25.4 percent.
India and Russia posted the highest import growth over the same period with 23.2 percent and 24.5 percent, respectively.
In the last quarter of 2017, G20 counties’ international merchandise trade also soared for the seventh consecutive quarter.
G20 exports in the fourth quarter climbed 2.7 percent to over $3.56 trillion, while imports rose 3 percent to top $3.6 trillion.
According to the data, Turkish exports and imports were also on the rise in the last quarter of 2017 with 3 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively.
—AA