New Urban Agenda of the UN and the RWAs
Dr Rao.VBJ Chelikani By 2050, nearly 70% of the global population is expected to live in urban areas. While India remains less urbanised than many Latin American and several African countries, Telangana has urbanised rapidly, with its urban population estimated at slightly above 50% by 2026. This urbanisation process is likely to be much faster than expected in the past. But urbanisation is not simply a matter of demography but also an indicator of the growth of human aspirations and the means to fulfil them, reflecting a higher standard of li…
More of the Same Is Not More Democratic
Dr. Rao VBJ Chelikani On 16 April 2026, the ruling party introduced three Bills in a special session of Parliament proposing to increase the number of members in the Lok Sabha from the present 536 to 850. The proposed delimitation sought to reallocate and increase the number of Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly seats among the states by 50%. However, this proposal was strongly opposed by several opposition parties, and the Bills were defeated, though not primarily on the principle of representation. 1. Yet, it is an occasion to refle…
Participatory Universal Social Security System for all: When and How?
Rao V.B.J. Chelikani For much of history, many Indians, like populations elsewhere, lived under conditions of material precariousness, fear, uncertainty, and insecurity about life and wellbeing, though these preoccupations varied across regions and periods and included phases of prosperity and social stability. This has led them to believe in a philosophy of life, which we can call a Povertarian philosophy, adopting a twisted version of the Karma theory to justify fatalism that accepts whatever happens to them or to others in society as a pred…
Social Media for Better Governance
Dr Rao VBJ Chelikani Freedom to express oneself is innate to a human being and hence, it is the 'sine qua non' to the Right to Life. To express is to assert one’s existence as a human being and more so in social relations. Among all human expressions, the freedom of speech is an essential attribute of a citizen, though historically authoritarian regimes have always detested free speech by the citizens. Dealing with citizens who express their freedom of speech without showing partisan loyalty has b…
Towards Good Governance - II
Dr.Rao VBJ Chelikani I. The Original Sin in Governance Good governance or rather better governance is difficult to achieve in its totality in the near future, particularly in most developing countries, including present-day India, as Power or Force, political power imposes itself as the source for all governance. The political power and, in short, all power is now a monopoly of the political entity called the State, and it is operated by the bureaucracy and the Representatives of the political parties. This has not bee…
What to do for Better Governance?
By Subhash Chandra Agrawal* The other day, Mr. Om Birla, the Speaker of Lok Sabha underlined the need for active participation of the people in democratic and legislative processes to make our democracy better. This, he thinks is the other-side of Parliament’s outreach. The speaker’s words are all the more significant as he presides over the house of the peoples’ Representatives. While we are celebrating the political Independence and forming governments by the elected Representatives, we do not mean it to be a mere transfer of Power from th…
Inviting Active Participation of Citizens in Governance
The ultimate objective of our democracy is not to be content with the rule by the representatives; it is the participation of the empowered citizens more actively in the governance of all spheres of life. Mr. Subhash Chandra Agarwal is one such prolific thinker who proposes many appropriate changes in policies and procedures. The readers who agree with any of his proposals may pick them up to pursue them further on their own and campaign for their adoption by the competent decision-makers. 1. Ban service-charges by restau…
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