Union Budget 2022-23 comes at a time of rising inflation while we continue to grapple with the pandemic. Total government expenditure has increased by only Rs 1.75 lakh crore, from Rs 37.70 lakh crore in 2021-22 (Revised Estimate) to Rs 39.45 lakh crore in 2022-23. The budget has focused on capital expenditure rather than safety nets for the needy. Rs 7.5 lakh crores has been allocated to capital expenditure, with a 35% increase from last year’s allocation of Rs. 5.5 lakh crores. On the other hand, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act programme for example, is pegged at Rs 73,000 crore, lower than Rs 98,000 crore in 2021-22 (Revised Estimate) and Rs 1,11,000 crore in 2020-21. In this episode of The Suno India Show, our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee spoke to Avani Kapur, a fellow at the Centre for Policy Research where she leads the Accountability Initiative. She explains how the budget has accommodated social welfare in terms of health, education, jobs and food security. Show notes: Economic Survey  Union Budget  The Inequality Virus: How The Indian Government Helped Widen Our Wealth Gap – Suno India  See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

The Suno India Show

Budget 2022: Social welfare schemes not Centre’s focus, neither is taxing the rich

Ever since the pandemic started, a lot of employees are realising that their bosses don’t care enough about their health and safety. People are forced to come to work even when cases are peaking, until they catch the virus themselves or the government forces offices to close. But such experiences reveal something deeper about how employee rights in private companies have been eroded. In fact, it was during the pandemic that the government introduced new labour codes. These four codes are set to replace 29 labour laws.  In this episode of The Suno India Show, our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee spoke to Sucheta De, the National Vice President of All India Central Council of Trade Unions, and Anjali and Abhishek who share their experiences from work. The latter two are anonymous and these names are aliases. Anjali’s voice has also been changed to protect her identity.  See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

How the pandemic is opening our eyes to bad work culture

Only about 65% of the eligible Indian population above the age of 18 has completed both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination. With the third wave setting in, many governments announced different kinds of punitive measures for not having completed vaccines. In Kerala, the state will not provide free treatment for those not vaccinated fully. Some states such as Delhi and Maharashtra have made it compulsory for government employees to be vaccinated. In Haryana entry into banks, malls, and other public places is not allowed if you are not fully vaccinated. In the past, we have had local governments announce stopping of ration, or other social security measures.  Do such measures work? The question becomes even more important as the government announced vaccination for teenagers between the age of 15-18 and an additional protective dose for health workers and senior citizens. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Dr Sunita Sheel Bandewar and Dr Prabir Chatterjee. Sunita is one of the working editors of the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics and an independent researcher in the area of bioethics and global health. Dr Chatterjee is a senior public health professional and was director of State Health Resource Centre, a technical support institute for the state’s health ministry. Show notes Press briefing on the actions taken, preparedness and updates on COVID-19, Dated: 05.01.2022 No free Covid treatment to unvaccinated, says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan | Thiruvananthapuram News – Times of India Data | India falls short of December 31 vaccination target – The Hindu AEFI Reports | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare | GOI See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Why forcing people to take vaccines doesn't work

On this episode of The Suno India Show, our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee speaks to Dr Dileep Mavalankar, the Director of the Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar, and Member Secretary of Gujarat State Task Force for COVID.  They discuss how omicron is different from earlier variants of the coronavirus, from symptoms, treatment to precaution. And how this varies depending on comorbidities and vaccination. Tune in to hear how you can take care of yourself in this wave.  Show notes: Early third wave data from Mumbai: Severity low, oxygen needs low, but puzzling hospitalisation rate 'Who will treat patients?': Staff shortages loom as Omicron infects doctors and hospital workers As patients and staff infect each other, hospitals struggle to contain spread of Covid-19 See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

All you need to know about Omicron Symptoms, Treatment, Precaution

Jacklin and Amali, two sisters who battled mental illnesses, are at the heart of an initiative to provide housing to women like them — those who suffer from mental ailments, grief, and homelessness. Their lived experiences breathe love and empathy into this initiative, which recently found a mention in a World Health Organisation report! The host of this episode, Hariprasad Radhakrishnan, travels to Tiruchi to understand the challenges in access to mental health care in rural areas and why the housing model is unique. He also spoke with Dr Pallab Kumar Maulik, Deputy Director and Director of Research, the George Institute of Global Health, Javits J. Rajendran, Associate Director, Partnerships and Communication at The Banyan and Rashi, Director (Communication and Strategy) at The Alternative Story to understand the range of sociological factors that make women more vulnerable to mental health illnesses and how the ‘Home Again’ model developed.  Show notes: Gender and women’s mental health See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Lived experiences shaping mental health care - the story of Jacklin & Amali

As Mumbai police and now Delhi police catch alleged masterminds of the apps that virtually auctioned Muslim women, what took so long? Is it simply public pressure that led to the breakthroughs this time around? Or is the delay due to the difficulty of catching anonymous perpetrators online?  For an answer to these questions, our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee spoke to Karan Saini, a security researcher and a public interest technologist for this episode of The Suno India Show. Karan takes us through his own research of Sulli Deals and Bulli Bai, and what the police can do in this case involving US-based internet platforms. See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

From Sulli Deals to Bulli Bai, how the police traces anonymous criminals online

On this episode of Suno India, reporter Prashant Rathod profiles a rap band from Amravati. The band, Raptoli, includes Vipin Tatad, Tausif Khan, Mangesh Ingole and Gaurav Ingole. All four have grown up in Amravati's slums living the hard life as daily wage labourers.  The group sings about living in a slum, casteism, communalism, living in poverty, and even touches on national issues such as the farmers’ protest, lockdown woes of labourers and other issues.  See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Amravati's Gully Boys are rapping about caste

Indian films with hero cops often glorify police violence. At times, encounter killings are celebrated by the public at large. According to NHRC data, there are five custodial deaths in India every day. The minister of state for home affairs, Nityanand Rai has said that there have been 151 custodial deaths in 2021.  On this episode of the Suno India Show, reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee speaks to Ameya Bokil, a legal researcher and co-founder of Criminal Justice and Police Accountability Project. They discuss how custodial violence started in India, why it is so common and what some of the legal remedies are. Tune in. Show notes: Death Due To Custodial Torture: State Government To Pay 5 Lakhs To Family Of Minor Victim; Madras High Court Adjourns The Matter | Live Law Problems of Violence, States of Terror: Torture in Colonial India – Anupama Rao Police’s Continued Victimisation of ‘Denotified’ Tribal Communities Can No Longer Go Unchallenged | The Wire Over-policing in India is not the answer to COVID-19 | OpenGlobalRights  See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Custodial Torture: Why we don’t take police violence seriously

In November this year, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the National Health Accounts estimates for 2017-18. These estimates reveal that the total government health expenditure has decreased from 3.8% in 2016-17 to 3.3% in 2017-18 and that the share of government health expenditure in the Gross Domestic Product or GDP of the country has increased to 1.35% in 2017-18 from 1.15% in 2013-14. According to these estimates, the out of pocket expenditure or money spent by households on healthcare decreased from 58.7% in 2016-17 to 48.8% in 2017-18.  To make sense of the national health accounts estimates 2017-18 and to get a health economist’s perspective, host Kunika Balhotra spoke with Dr Indranil Mukhopadhyay.  Dr Mukhopadhyay is an Associate Professor at OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat. He has a PhD in public health and health economics from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi.  He has led several research studies supported by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India; WHO, International Labour Organisation (ILO) and has several international and national publications. Show Notes National Health Accounts Estimates See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Why is India spending less on healthcare?

Over 10% of undertrials in Indian jails were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The Supreme Court has said that the bail provision under UAPA is “comparatively less stringent” than that under the NDPS Act. Majority of people booked under this law are not traffickers.  In this episode of The Suno India Show, we will see how the NDPS Act affects not just the few celebrity names that pop up on news headlines, but thousands of common people who languish in Indian jails. Our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee speaks to Dr Atul Ambekar, a psychiatrist and a Professor at the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi. They discuss how the criminalisation of drug use discourages those who need help from seeking it. Show notes: As Modi govt plans NDPS Act changes, 27,072 drug case undertrials in India rot in jails | The Print From Addict to Convict: The Working of the NDPS Act (1985) in Punjab Calcutta HC Grants Bail To NDPS Accused In Custody For 6.5 Yrs Noting Inordinate Delay In Trial, Violation Of Article 21 | Live Law Portugal’s Drug Laws: Decriminalisation in action | The Feed SBS See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Beyond Bollywood, how India's NDPS Act punishes the vulnerable

The Cabinet has approved a bill to repeal the three farm laws in the upcoming winter session. In this episode of The Suno India Show, we will get an expert view on why the laws are being repealed and what’s in store for the future of farmers.  Our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee speaks to Surinder S Jodhka, an author and a Sociology professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University. They explore how the repeal will help BJP in upcoming state elections, how Sikhs played a crucial role in the protests and what are the reforms needed in agriculture now.   Show Notes: Woman farm leader reacts to laws repealed, fight for MSP guarantee to continue | TSIS Why are the farmers of Punjab protesting? Surinder S Jodhka Farm laws repeal wasn't about UP, Punjab elections. The answer lies in what Savarkar wrote | The Print  Daasi - Nooran Sisters (Full Video) Guru Ravidass Bhajan See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Beyond elections, what’s in store for the future of farmers?

The school closures in India due to the COVID-19 Pandemic have been among the longest in the world. For close to 18 months, 265 million students have not been to school.  The report, “A FUTURE AT STAKE -Organizing the Education Recovery for the Most Vulnerable”  states that India is facing an education emergency like none other since independence. The report was released by The National Coalition on the Education Emergency (NCEE), a network of  like-minded organisations that have come together to address the problems created by school closure for the past nearly two years. And as the schools are gradually re-opening, a new concern has crept up in the minds of educators and parents alike, how will children cope up with the vast gap that has developed in their academics?  This is the second episode in the two-part series on schools reopening all over the country. In this episode of The Suno India Show, host Kunika Balhotra speaks with Dr Sajitha Bashir, the author of the report, to understand what steps schools and governments should take to address this education emergency. Dr Bashir is a former Adviser in the Office of the Global Director of the Education Practice in the World Bank, where she led the work on Digital Skills. She co-authored the regional publication The Converging Technology Revolution and Human Capital: Potential and Implications for South Asia. Prior to joining the World Bank, she was head of the national research and evaluation unit within the Government of India’s national District Primary Education Program. She is a core member of the National Coalition on the Education Emergency in India.  Show Notes A FUTURE AT STAKE -Organizing the Education Recovery for the Most Vulnerable Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2021 Locked Out: Emergency Report on School Education See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Back to school - How the gap in schooling has caused an education emergency in India

For about 18 months, children in India have not gone to school. The school closures have been among the longest in the world. This month, many state and local governments opened physical schools for children. Yet, private schools have not fully reopened as parents are reluctant to send their children to school and want to continue online education. We at Suno India want to address the various questions that parents, school staff and administrators have in mind when it comes to school reopening. How do we ensure that children, school staff and people at home are safe. What should be a cause of worry and what should not be To answer these questions, Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, a medical doctor who works in the field of public health policy and health systems. He has co-authored the book Till We Win: India's Fight Against The COVID-19 pandemic, with Dr Randeep Guleria, the director of AIIMS, New Delhi and Dr Gagandeep Kang, professor of Microbiology at the Christian Medical College, Vellore. He has recently been writing and tweeting extensively advocating for schools to reopen. Show Notes: Delhi’s private schools take cautious steps towards reopening Online Education: कोरोना काल में कैसे पिछड़े स्कूल जाने वाले बच्चे Delhi’s private schools take cautious steps towards reopening https://www.theindiaforum.in/article/reopening-schools?utm_source=website&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=category&utm_content=Covid-19 Kids and COVID: why young immune systems are still on top Science Brief: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs - Updated Over 70% patients above 40 yrs in both waves: ICMR SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence in India, August–September, 2020: findings from the second nationwide household serosurvey 6th Delhi sero survey shows 97% prevalence of antibodies covid-19 update https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/q-a-children-and-masks-related-to-covid-19   See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Back to school - What you should need to consider before sending your children to school

November 19, 2021, on Guru Nanak Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the three controversial farm laws will be repealed in the upcoming winter session of the Parliament. In this episode of The Suno India Show, our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee speaks to Jasbir Kaur Nat, a state committee member of Punjab Kissan Union. Jasbir was on a bus to Chandigarh to organise more women protestors when she heard the announcement. She says that it is a partial victory as farmers have also been demanding Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee. Tune in.  Show notes: Samyukt Kisan Morcha welcomes repealing of farm laws Centre brings in new law to tackle Delhi air pollution, Rs 1 crore fine, 5 years jail for non-compliance See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Woman farm leader reacts to laws repealed, fight for MSP guarantee to continue

In December 2020, three academic publishing giants—Elsevier, American Chemical Society and Wiley—moved the Delhi High Court against Sci-Hub and LibGen. These pirate websites make academic papers free for all. Academic publishers do not pay authors and make more profits than tech giants. Developing countries like India cannot afford the bulk of this research and the prices keep rising. India has the second-largest number of Sci-Hub users in the world. On this episode of The Suno India Show, reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee speaks to SciHub founder Alexandra Elbakyan, her lawyer Nilesh Jain, science activist and Newsclick editor Prabir Purkayastha who is an intervenor in the case, and also Suno India editor Menaka Rao who is an avid user of SciHub and LibGen. Tune in as we explore what this case means for the future of Indian research. Show notes: Is the staggeringly profitable business of scientific publishing bad for science? The Guardian Should Knowledge Be Free? Medlife Crisis Lawrence Liang: “The Delhi University Photocopy Case” See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Delhi case against SciHub and LibGen will decide the price of knowledge

The Suno India Show’ is a news show by Suno India combining slow journalism with under-represented and under-reported stories. Covering the diverse range of topics like politics, technology, education and society, the host brings in informative interviews and engaging discussions with experts. The show not only shines a spotlight on stories that matter but keeps the listeners up to date with the latest national news.

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