Electricity is a key requirement for the overall development of the country. It is the backbone of the growth. The lack of availability or access to affordable power is one of the factors contributing to the relatively poor quality of life, particularly in the rural areas. Moreover, lack of electricity adversely impacts every sphere of life ad hampers the entire economy from competitiveness of industries to depriving farmers of having an important input for production.
This Issue Note discusses the deficiency of electricity and urges upon the need for steps to be taken for power resource planning and accountability for maintenance and modernisation of the sector.
Water is a basic necessity of life and adequate provision of drinking water and sanitation is fundamental to human health. According to the Constitution of India, it is the duty of the State to provide water to the people.
This Issue Note suggests ways to address the issue of water shortage. It suggests that the need of the hour is to mobilise wisdom in solving water scarcity problems by implementing pro-active measures.
Governance is a concept that has been around for years and is commonly used by many people. There is almost no consensus on the official definition of governance because its use often depends on the intended purpose, the people involved, and the socio-political environment of the term.
According to the United Nations (UN), governance refers to the activities of all political and administrative authorities to govern their country. Meanwhile, as stated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), governance is a concept in which a country is managed, including economic, policy, and legal aspects.
Thus, in general, governance has the meaning: the decision-making process and the process of determining which policies will be implemented and not implemented.