We are betting on health, and specifically the health of our next generation as a game changer in India’s growth story.

While efforts to tackle malnutrition have borne fruit over the years, unfortunately there are still several diseases – visible and invisible – that can cripple our children. One of these invisible adversaries is lead poisoning.

Used extensively and found almost everywhere in the environment, lead is extremely toxic and can cause cognitive impairments which are irreversible in children. And children are especially vulnerable since they absorb 4-5 times more lead from the same source as do adults.

We have started shedding light on this issue through a High Level Roundtable held in April, 2023 and by convening India’s senior-most doctors, scientists and public health experts in the India Working Group on Lead Poisoning, to discuss and come up with strategies to mitigate this threat. In the coming years, we intend to focus on this issue and work with all stakeholders from the district level up, to ensure no child has to suffer the debilitating effects of lead poisoning as they grow up.

We are working to make ‘Districts as Fulcrum of Economic Development’. For better planning at National level, an accurate estimation of Gross District Domestic Product (GDDP) is a necessary condition. At present economic activity at the national level is measured by estimating the gross development product gross (GDP). This is supplemented by the estimation of state gross development product (GSDP) for each of the states and union territories in the country. These estimates are further apportioned to the districts.

The District Economic Evaluation and Development (DEED) Unit of Pahle India Foundation is working towards reversing the top-down approach to a bottom-up approach for estimating the district income. Through the DEED unit, we are helping States to develop new methodology for accurately estimating the GDDP which would aid the process of preparation of vision documents and blueprints of the districts.

Pahle India Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Assam on June 28, 2023 to help Assam Government prepare accurate estimates of GDDP and district vision documents.

The agricultural landscape demands a fundamental shift—a paradigm change that necessitates well-crafted strategies to promote regenerative and sustainable farming practices. These strategies must not only safeguard food security for our rapidly expanding population but also uplift the livelihoods of farming communities. Enter natural farming—a promising solution and a true trailblazer in this transformative journey.

Natural Farming (NF) has received public endorsement from our Prime Minister on various occasions, including the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2019. The finance minister has consistently supported NF in budget speeches over the past three years. Furthermore, the Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on a nationwide mission to implement NF. Despite these initiatives, doubts persist regarding NF’s effectiveness in ensuring food security and improving farmers’ incomes.

Pahle India Foundation (PIF) aims to dispel this scepticism through rigorous, evidence- based, multidimensional, and empirical research. Our objective is to evaluate the economic, health, environmental, and social impacts of Natural Farming with a specific focus on small and marginal farmers. By conducting a comparative analysis against industrial agriculture, we seek to establish the feasibility, viability, and superiority of natural farming. Through these comprehensive studies, we intend to demonstrate that natural farming offers a sustainable and prosperous future for agriculture.

Revitalizing its manufacturing sector and prioritizing manufacturing-led exports will accelerate India’s employment-intensive economic growth. This focus will diversify India’s export basket and incorporate high-tech products in its export basket that meet global standards. Unlike the conventional transition from primary sectors to manufacturing and then to services, India leapfrogged to services, hampering its manufacturing competitiveness and limiting its presence in global value chains. Even in the present relatively more fragmented global markets, India must strive to increase its share in global trade.

Stagnant labour productivity in manufacturing and reliance on imported finished goods weakens India’s resilience in emergencies. Revamping manufacturing-led exports is crucial for India to enhance competitiveness, open new markets, reduce trade deficits, create high-value jobs, and drive economic growth. By fostering innovation, improving infrastructure, and adopting advanced technologies, India can elevate the quality of its exports and compete internationally, establishing itself as a key global manufacturing hub and ensuring long-term economic resilience.

Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) is a niche policy vertical that assesses how favourable a country’s regulatory environment is for starting and operating a business. The World Bank used to publish the EoDB index by considering eclectic indicators of the business environment and offering a comparative snapshot that helped countries pinpoint areas needing improvement.

Streamlined procedures, minimal administrative hurdles, transparent regulations, and supportive infrastructure for industry best describe the ease of doing business. A high EoDB ranking indicates that a country provides a favourable environment for entrepreneurs and investors, promoting economic growth and competitiveness.

The EoDB vertical at Pahle India Foundation is currently engaged in projects with the National Stock Exchange (assessing the compliance burden) and Walmart (assessing the net impact of e-commerce on employment and consumer welfare). In the project with the National Stock Exchange, we assess the compliance burden on three sectors: telecom, power, and the capital market. Meanwhile, the project with Walmart includes primary research involving more than 8,000 relevant stakeholders, such as delivery personnel, MSMEs, and traders catering to both the online and offline consumer bases.

While we continuously conduct research related to EoDB, our efforts extend beyond that. We also engage in advocacy with relevant stakeholders to promote regulatory improvements and support for a conducive business environment.