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Papers by Vani Swarupa Murali

WORLD SCIENTIFIC eBooks, Aug 1, 2020

The Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and the Konrad Adena... more The Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung organised a joint roundtable on 'Regulating Artificial Intelligence in South Asia: Projections for the Future' on 5 August 2019. The event brought together researchers, legal and industry experts as well as policymakers to discuss key themes in the AI regulatory space. This report largely draws upon the discussions at the roundtable. It focuses on two key areas: first, the challenges posed by AI in the fields of human rights, surveillance and data strategies; and second, the imperatives of regulation and how it relates to context and literacy, as well as possible policy recommendations.

The 2019 Indian general elections returned the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governm... more The 2019 Indian general elections returned the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government to power with a larger majority. In this election, the BJP managed to expand its voter base into rural areas, in spite of severe agrarian distress and farmers' protests. The paper looks into this paradox to understand how the BJP was able to exceed its previous win.

The Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore organised a roundtab... more The Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore organised a roundtable titled ‘Digital Politics: Emerging Trends in South and Southeast Asia’ on 5 December 2018. The event brought together researchers, policymakers and representatives of digital media companies.

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme on 24 February ... more The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme on 24 February 2019. Involving an expenditure of ₹750 billion (S$15 billion), the scheme would provide a minimum income of ₹6,000 (S$117) per year to around 120 million small and marginal farmers. The scheme has been criticized by many as a populist effort by the Modi government for securing the votes of farmers.

Political parties running various state governments have been trying desperately to appease farmers. This is evident from several Indian states announcing farm loan waivers during the last couple of years. The Congress announced waivers in the states it won elections last year and has promised to write off all agricultural loans if it is voted back into power. BJP state governments and those that belong to regional parties have also announced waivers at various points in time in the recent past. The announcements have overlooked the fiscal damages they inflict on state government finances. Waivers have been persisted with notwithstanding the fact that they benefit only a select group of indebted farmers and do not influence economic prospects of vast numbers of agricultural labourers.

Minimum income support schemes, like the PM-Kisan announced by the central government, or Rythu Bandhu and Kalia by Telangana and Odisha, are also not panaceas for increasing farmer incomes. The schemes are encountering difficulties in implementation due to improper land records and problems in identifying beneficiaries. As this paper argues, Indian political parties are shying away from implementing policies that could have helped in increasing farmer incomes. Efforts like amending state Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Acts and encouraging large investments in food supply chains can help farmers in reaching wider markers and getting higher prices. Unfortunately, these are being avoided in favour of politically appealing, but economically suboptimal options, like loan waivers and minimum income.

From 29-30 November 2018, at the peak of the Rabi cropping season, tens of thousands of farmers f... more From 29-30 November 2018, at the peak of the Rabi cropping season, tens of thousands of farmers from across India forewent their daily wages to take part in the Dilli Challo (On to Delhi) or Kisan Mukti (Farmer’s Liberation) march. This march, organised by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (umbrella body of farmers and agricultural workers) saw farmers pushing for two main bills to be passed – the Farmers’ Freedom from Indebtedness Bill 2018 and The Farmers’ Right to Guaranteed Remunerative Minimum Support Prices for Agricultural Commodities Bill 2018.1 Within the march, largely unnoticed by the media, was a sizeable contingent of women farmers demanding the passing of a separate bill: the Women Farmers’ Entitlement Bill. Whilst they did not receive as much coverage as the men, this paper argues that the women’s fight warrants just as much attention as the men’s.

The increasing visibility of farmer distress towards the end of 2018 and the results from the rec... more The increasing visibility of farmer distress towards the end of 2018 and the results from the recent state elections reveal the significance of the farmer vote. Looking at both the farmer protests and the caste protests, in relation to Prime Minister Modi's promises, reveal the causes behind the recent farmer protests. A growing attempt to win over the farmers is predicted in the run up to the 2019 general election.

The Indian National Congress launched its minimum income support scheme, the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (... more The Indian National Congress launched its minimum income support scheme, the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), on 25 March 2019. This came almost two months after the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-Kisan) by the Bharatiya Janata Party during the interim budget on 1 February 2019. Both the schemes involve direct cash transfers with different criteria to farmers and the similar nature of both of these schemes has brought them into direct comparison with each other.

Financial technology (FinTech) offers enormous potential in providing better and more accessible ... more Financial technology (FinTech) offers enormous potential in providing better and more accessible financial services to society, thereby enhancing social welfare and prospects for inclusive growth.
Singapore and India lead developments in the use of FinTech – disruptive innovation that is changing the way traditional financial institutions do business. India offers the highest global returns on investment in FinTech, and the world’s largest biometric identity base, a solid digital infrastructure that provides the foundation for the growth of FinTech. Singapore has developed cutting-edge sandbox for testing new FinTech products, it has a world-class digital and physical infrastructure and a highly skilled manpower base, and risk capital
seeking profitable avenues for FinTech. The potential for mutually beneficial collaboration is vast.

The recent launch of the world's tallest statue in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been... more The recent launch of the world's tallest statue in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been touted as a waste of resources and an election strategy by the Bharatiya Janata Party. This paper argues that there is a longer-term strategy at play of appropriating the legacy of India's founding leaders.

Chapters by Vani Swarupa Murali

Voices on South Asia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Women's Status, Challenges and Futures, 2020

Introduction chapter of the edited volume "Voices on South Asia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives o... more Introduction chapter of the edited volume "Voices on South Asia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Women's Status, Challenges and Futures"

WORLD SCIENTIFIC eBooks, Aug 1, 2020

The Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and the Konrad Adena... more The Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung organised a joint roundtable on 'Regulating Artificial Intelligence in South Asia: Projections for the Future' on 5 August 2019. The event brought together researchers, legal and industry experts as well as policymakers to discuss key themes in the AI regulatory space. This report largely draws upon the discussions at the roundtable. It focuses on two key areas: first, the challenges posed by AI in the fields of human rights, surveillance and data strategies; and second, the imperatives of regulation and how it relates to context and literacy, as well as possible policy recommendations.

The 2019 Indian general elections returned the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governm... more The 2019 Indian general elections returned the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government to power with a larger majority. In this election, the BJP managed to expand its voter base into rural areas, in spite of severe agrarian distress and farmers' protests. The paper looks into this paradox to understand how the BJP was able to exceed its previous win.

The Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore organised a roundtab... more The Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore organised a roundtable titled ‘Digital Politics: Emerging Trends in South and Southeast Asia’ on 5 December 2018. The event brought together researchers, policymakers and representatives of digital media companies.

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme on 24 February ... more The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme on 24 February 2019. Involving an expenditure of ₹750 billion (S$15 billion), the scheme would provide a minimum income of ₹6,000 (S$117) per year to around 120 million small and marginal farmers. The scheme has been criticized by many as a populist effort by the Modi government for securing the votes of farmers.

Political parties running various state governments have been trying desperately to appease farmers. This is evident from several Indian states announcing farm loan waivers during the last couple of years. The Congress announced waivers in the states it won elections last year and has promised to write off all agricultural loans if it is voted back into power. BJP state governments and those that belong to regional parties have also announced waivers at various points in time in the recent past. The announcements have overlooked the fiscal damages they inflict on state government finances. Waivers have been persisted with notwithstanding the fact that they benefit only a select group of indebted farmers and do not influence economic prospects of vast numbers of agricultural labourers.

Minimum income support schemes, like the PM-Kisan announced by the central government, or Rythu Bandhu and Kalia by Telangana and Odisha, are also not panaceas for increasing farmer incomes. The schemes are encountering difficulties in implementation due to improper land records and problems in identifying beneficiaries. As this paper argues, Indian political parties are shying away from implementing policies that could have helped in increasing farmer incomes. Efforts like amending state Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Acts and encouraging large investments in food supply chains can help farmers in reaching wider markers and getting higher prices. Unfortunately, these are being avoided in favour of politically appealing, but economically suboptimal options, like loan waivers and minimum income.

From 29-30 November 2018, at the peak of the Rabi cropping season, tens of thousands of farmers f... more From 29-30 November 2018, at the peak of the Rabi cropping season, tens of thousands of farmers from across India forewent their daily wages to take part in the Dilli Challo (On to Delhi) or Kisan Mukti (Farmer’s Liberation) march. This march, organised by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (umbrella body of farmers and agricultural workers) saw farmers pushing for two main bills to be passed – the Farmers’ Freedom from Indebtedness Bill 2018 and The Farmers’ Right to Guaranteed Remunerative Minimum Support Prices for Agricultural Commodities Bill 2018.1 Within the march, largely unnoticed by the media, was a sizeable contingent of women farmers demanding the passing of a separate bill: the Women Farmers’ Entitlement Bill. Whilst they did not receive as much coverage as the men, this paper argues that the women’s fight warrants just as much attention as the men’s.

The increasing visibility of farmer distress towards the end of 2018 and the results from the rec... more The increasing visibility of farmer distress towards the end of 2018 and the results from the recent state elections reveal the significance of the farmer vote. Looking at both the farmer protests and the caste protests, in relation to Prime Minister Modi's promises, reveal the causes behind the recent farmer protests. A growing attempt to win over the farmers is predicted in the run up to the 2019 general election.

The Indian National Congress launched its minimum income support scheme, the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (... more The Indian National Congress launched its minimum income support scheme, the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), on 25 March 2019. This came almost two months after the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-Kisan) by the Bharatiya Janata Party during the interim budget on 1 February 2019. Both the schemes involve direct cash transfers with different criteria to farmers and the similar nature of both of these schemes has brought them into direct comparison with each other.

Financial technology (FinTech) offers enormous potential in providing better and more accessible ... more Financial technology (FinTech) offers enormous potential in providing better and more accessible financial services to society, thereby enhancing social welfare and prospects for inclusive growth.
Singapore and India lead developments in the use of FinTech – disruptive innovation that is changing the way traditional financial institutions do business. India offers the highest global returns on investment in FinTech, and the world’s largest biometric identity base, a solid digital infrastructure that provides the foundation for the growth of FinTech. Singapore has developed cutting-edge sandbox for testing new FinTech products, it has a world-class digital and physical infrastructure and a highly skilled manpower base, and risk capital
seeking profitable avenues for FinTech. The potential for mutually beneficial collaboration is vast.

The recent launch of the world's tallest statue in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been... more The recent launch of the world's tallest statue in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been touted as a waste of resources and an election strategy by the Bharatiya Janata Party. This paper argues that there is a longer-term strategy at play of appropriating the legacy of India's founding leaders.

Voices on South Asia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Women's Status, Challenges and Futures, 2020

Introduction chapter of the edited volume "Voices on South Asia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives o... more Introduction chapter of the edited volume "Voices on South Asia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Women's Status, Challenges and Futures"