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<ul><li>The #MyStory campaign – made in collaboration with <keyword id="166999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bill-melinda-gates-foundation" source="Orion">Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation</keyword>, <keyword id="514692" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="population-foundation-of-india" source="Orion">Population Foundation of India</keyword> and <keyword id="4343571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="love-matters-india" source="Orion">Love Matters India</keyword> – aims to normalize the need to vaccinate and follow COVID-19 protocols. </li><li>The campaign, conceptualized and created by <keyword id="12053277" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="weber-shandwick-india" source="Orion">Weber Shandwick India</keyword>, includes 10 short films.</li></ul>Facebook, in partnership with Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Population Foundation of India and Love Matters India, has launched #MyStory, a campaign that spotlights the importance of taking continued precautions to curb the spread of the COVID-19. The campaign, conceptualized and created by Weber Shandwick India, includes 10 short films, each focusing on narrating personal and relatable stories about the impact of COVID-19 on our lives. The campaign furthermore asks users to share their stories from the pandemic to build a sense of community from shared experiences. The films were conceptualized as part of a behavioural change campaign with the insight that personal and relatable stories lead to “normalization” and, in turn, greater acceptance of COVID-appropriate behaviours and vaccination. Commenting on the campaign, Manish Chopra, Director and Head of Partnerships, Facebook, said, “Ever since the start of the pandemic, we have been working closely with health experts and governments worldwide to direct users to authentic resources on health and encourage them to follow appropriate behaviours that can help curb the pandemic. Conceptualized in collaboration with other leading health organisations, this campaign builds on how content can be leveraged to communicate the need for following COVID-19 norms and encourages people to opt for vaccines. Each of these videos has an element of human truth, mirroring day-to-day instances in a relatable manner. People have undergone different experiences in the past year-and-a-half, and every experience is a story in itself. The idea behind #MyStory is also to encourage these people to come forward and share their stories. At a larger level, through this campaign we want to ‘normalize’ COVID-19 safety protocols and the need to get vaccinated.” All the films in the campaign are 15-20 seconds long with impactful storytelling and a strong reveal at the end. For example, one of the videos showcases a friend who is keen to visit Goa over an upcoming long weekend but is taken to task by his friend who reminds him of the importance of observing safeguards against a possible third wave. In another video, released on Raksha Bandhan, a brother books a vaccination slot for his sister in order to showcase his love for his sister. "What makes this campaign stand out is its powerful storytelling and that many of these stories feature or are focused on women, which is important since women are critical decision makers for health and wellbeing in their families. COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted women and girls in many different ways," said Poonam Muttreja, Population Foundation of India. The mobile-first approach of the campaign is also something that makes it easily consumable, especially for the youth. Vithika Yadav from Love Matters India - an organisation that provides critical health and development information to a community of 20 million young people said, “It is essential to get the youth involved in the conversation around Covid-appropriate behaviours - they are one of the groups most likely to be stepping out of the house. We need to acknowledge their concerns and frustrations, while simultaneously helping them understand the importance of protecting themselves. This campaign manages to do that effectively, and the format of the films makes them highly engaging for this age group.”

Facebook launches new campaign to encourage people to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour

<ul><li>Gujarat Mahila Housing Sewa Trust and <keyword id="5252225" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="villgro-innovation-foundation" source="Orion">Villgro Innovation Foundation</keyword>, are currently leveraging artificial intelligence to address the threats of water scarcity and flooding across the country.</li><li>These non-profit organisations have recently been selected among 13 local sustainability organisations to receive support from the APAC Sustainability Seed Fund.</li></ul>New Delhi, Two Indian organisations, Gujarat Mahila Housing Sewa Trust and Villgro Innovation Foundation, are currently leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), <keyword id="294572" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="machine-learning" source="Orion">Machine Learning</keyword> (ML) and Internet of Things (IoT) to address the threats of water scarcity and flooding across the country, <keyword id="6355629" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="google" source="Orion">Google</keyword> has said. These non-profit organisations have recently been selected among 13 local sustainability organisations to receive support from the APAC Sustainability Seed Fund to explore new use-cases for AI, ML and IoT models that can help manage water supply and inundation risks across the country. "<keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s population could be susceptible to severe water-related challenges across its vast geographic landscape and many climatic zones, if global temperatures cross the threshold temperature rise of 1.5 degree Celsius, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change expects could occur within this decade," said Sanjay Gupta, <keyword id="191922" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="country-head" source="Orion">Country Head</keyword> and Vice President, Google India. The tech giant supported the APAC Sustainability Seed Fund, founded by the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), with a $3 million grant by Google.org, Google's philanthropic arm, in partnership with Asian Development Bank. This fund enables local organisations working hard to develop solutions for sustainable practices and combating the effects of climate change across APAC, be it heat waves, rising sea levels or loss of biodiversity. Gujarat Mahila Housing Sewa Trust is focused on empowering and equipping women across India to build sustainable and gender-inclusive cities, providing training and technical expertise in construction, technology, and urban governance. With the grant, the organisation aims to develop an AI-enabled model for building climate resilience in Amalner, Maharashtra to serve as an archetype for a small urban town in India. "The project will pioneer the mapping of land use and catchment areas to predict their susceptibility to floods and inundation, which will contribute to protecting natural drainage systems," said Gupta. The grant is supporting Villgro Innovation Foundation's partnership with 'CultYvate' to develop a mobile and browser-based application, IoT sensors, satellite data, and AI/ML models that will provide farmers in India with real-time insights and advice for irrigation management. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/what-are-vishing-scams-that-start-with-a-namaste-and-end-with-monetary-losses/articleshow/99762900.cms">What are ‘vishing scams’ that start with a Namaste and end with monetary losses</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/sony-wh-ch720n-headphones-review-featherweight-comfort-and-impressive-sound/articleshow/99911412.cms">Sony WH-CH720N headphones review: Featherweight comfort and impressive sound</a>

How 2 Indian organisations are using AI to fight climate change in India

India's government <keyword id="21309215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="healthcare-spending" source="keywords">healthcare spending</keyword> appears to be on the rise, but a closer look reveals a concerning trend. While the headline figures might suggest an increase, the reality is a steady decline in health expenditure as a proportion of both the <keyword id="19936553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget" source="keywords">budget</keyword> and GDP over the past five years (2018-19 to 2023-24). This decline is even starker when adjusted for inflation. In real terms, spending has barely kept pace since 2019-20. As a percentage of the total budget, health spending has shrunk from 2.4% in 2018-19 to just 1.9% in 2023-24. Similarly, the share of GDP allocated to health has fallen from 0.30% to 0.28%, as per a report from the Times of India. <h2>Growing expectations ahead of <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword></h2>As the Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> prepares to present the full budget for the current fiscal on July 23, the expectations from the health sector has only been growing. “The Union Budget 2024-25 is a pivotal moment for India's healthcare sector. Building on the ₹64,180 crores allocated in 2023-24 under the Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana, we need enhanced tax incentives and financial support for healthcare startups to catalyze innovation. Significant investments in <keyword id="21226679" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-health-infrastructure" source="keywords">digital health infrastructure</keyword>, particularly AI, will improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency,” says Dr Sravani Reddy G, Founder &amp; CEO, Soprav Healthcare Consulting. “Strengthening public-private partnerships will improve healthcare accessibility and quality, leveraging private sector efficiency. Additionally, focused efforts on affordability and access, such as reducing out-of-pocket expenses and improving insurance coverage, are vital for a more equitable healthcare system.” “The healthcare sector in India is on the brink of excellence. There is an increased focus on treating unique patient cases, robotic surgeries, and increasing prominence of AI for accurate diagnosis. To reach the next phase, emphasis must be laid on innovation, research &amp; development, and infrastructure development. These are the foundations for India’s health sector to achieve an international standard of treatment for all,” hopes Joseph Pasangha, Group COO, SPARSH Hospital, Bengaluru. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111730426" title="Pan-India rollout of U-WIN to track routine immunisations likely by Aug end" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Health tax not helping enough </h2>This situation is further complicated by the introduction of the <keyword id="22446013" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-cess" source="keywords">health cess</keyword> in 2018. This tax levy was intended to boost government spending on healthcare, particularly for the underprivileged. However, the collected funds seem to be merely filling the gap created by cuts to regular budgetary allocations for health. In 2022-23, over Rs 18,300 crore of the central government's health spending came from the health cess. Excluding this amount, the actual budgetary allocation for health stands at a concerning Rs 59,840 crore. This is lower than the pre-pandemic level of Rs 66,042 crore allocated in 2019-20, even without adjusting for inflation. <h2>Where's the money going?</h2>The intended purpose of the health cess seems to be falling short. In 2018, health spending accounted for 2.4% of the government's total expenditure. If this ratio had remained constant in 2023-24, the health budget should have been over Rs 1.07 lakh crore. Instead, the revised expenditure, including the health cess, stands at just Rs 83,400 crore. Even the additional allocations for the COVID-19 pandemic (Rs 10,655 crore and Rs 15,955 crore in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively) cannot mask the overall decline. When combined with the regular health budget (excluding health cess), the total spending in these years still falls short of what it would have been if the 2.4% share of 2018-19 had been maintained. <h2>More for alternative medicine</h2>While the share allocated to Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga &amp; Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) has seen a significant increase, spending on crucial areas like health research has seen only marginal growth. Additionally, a major portion of research funding goes to the Indian Council of Medical Research, with only a temporary increase during the peak of the pandemic response. The most concerning decrease is in the allocation for health and family welfare, encompassing national programs, the National Health Mission, and health system strengthening. This critical area has seen a substantial decline in its share of both GDP and total budget expenditure, falling from a peak of over 2% in 2017-18 to a mere 1.7% in 2023-24. Excluding the health cess, this figure drops even further to 1.5%. <h2>What this means</h2>This decline in government health spending raises serious concerns about India's commitment to public healthcare, particularly for its most vulnerable populations. Increased investment in health is crucial for a growing nation like India, and a reversal of this downward trend is essential to ensure accessible and quality healthcare for all. The 2024 Interim Health Budget saw a boost in total healthcare expenditure from Rs. 79,221 crore to Rs. 90,171 crore. Experts have opined that The healthcare budget should encompass at least 2.5% of the total budget. But it remains to be seen how the exact picture will turn out to be on July 23. “The 2024-25 budget presents an opportunity to build on past successes while addressing shortcomings, ensuring that India's healthcare system remains resilient, innovative, and patient-centric. This budget can pave the way for a healthier, more equitable future for all," concludes Dr Reddy. (With inputs from TOI) <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111689743" title="Union Budget 2024: A handy FAQ guide to decode the upcoming budget" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Despite pandemic and growing health scares, India’s budget share for healthcare continues to decline

<ul><li>Spiritual leader Sadhguru and his non-profit organisation Isha Outreach is India’s largest advertiser on Meta platforms such as Facebook and Instagram for social and political causes. </li><li>Sadhguru and Isha Outreach spent ₹1.35 lakhs per day on Facebook and Instagram in the last quarter, amounting to ad spends of ₹1,20,91,079.</li><li>After Sadhuguru, micro-blogging platform Koo and OTT player Voot Select were the largest spenders of advertising monies on Meta platforms.</li></ul>Spiritual leader Jagadish Vasudev, more popularly known as Sadhguru, and his non-profit organisation Isha Outreach spent ₹1.35 lakhs per day on Facebook and Instagram advertising between April 27 and July 25. According to a recent report released by Hyderabad-based enterprise digital marketing agency Pyrite Technologies, Sadhguru and Isha Outreach's Conscious Planet are India’s largest advertisers on Meta platforms in social and political causes category. They spent a total of 1.20 crores on Facebook and Instagram. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is an Indian yoga guru. He has more than 8.5 million followers on Instagram, 5.2 million fans on Facebook and 3.9 million followers on Twitter. Sadhuguru's Isha Foundation, according to its website, is also associated with a bouquet of business enterprises such as Isha Raiment, Isha Foods and Spices, Isha Crafts, Isha Naturo Organic Solutions, to mention a few. Following Sadhguru on the largest advertisers list is micro-blogging platform Koo. It spent almost ₹87 lakh on Meta in the 90-day period. Launched in 2019, Koo recently raised ₹79 crore from Caspier Venture Partner, Ashneer Grover and Ravi Modi Family Trust. <div type="image" title="Sadhguru gfx" msid="93287319" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pyrite&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> India’s third largest advertiser, as per Pyrite, is OTT platform Voot Select with ad spends of ₹67 lakh. Voot Select is business tycoon Mukesh Ambani-led Viacom18’s subscription-based streaming platform. Political parties Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and BJP Gujarat also appeared on the list of top Indian advertisers on Meta. It is pertinent to note that as per India's advertising rules, not all Indian brands are not obliged to declare their spends as they don’t fall <a href="https://e4mevents.com/pitch-madison-advertising-report-2021/public/PMAR-Report-2021.pdf" data-type="tilCustomLink">under social causes category.</a> Between April 27 and July 25, Meta saw more than 12,863 advertisers from India and collected ₹13.94 crores in advertising revenues. As per analytics platform <a href="https://napoleoncat.com/stats/facebook-users-in-india/2022/07/">Napolean Cat,</a> there were 515,800,000 Facebook users in India in July 2022, which accounted for 36.2% of its entire population. The growing number of advertisers and users in India makes the country a <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/268136/top-15-countries-based-on-number-of-facebook-users/#:~:text=Apart%20from%20India%2C%20there%20are,116%20million%20Facebook%20users%20respectively.">top </a>market for Facebook.

Sadhguru and Isha Outreach are India’s biggest advertisers on Meta for social causes: They spent ₹1.35 lakhs per day on Facebook and Instagram

<ul><li><keyword id="781" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="agarwal" source="Orion">Agarwal</keyword> donated the award money to a Canadian health charity working for the welfare of native Indians.</li><li>The mining tycoon lauded the achievements of the 1.6 million-strong Indo-Canadian community.</li><li>He said India and Canada have many similarities and they complement each other in many fields.</li></ul> <keyword id="28423" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vedanta" source="Orion">Vedanta</keyword> founder Anil Agarwal was honoured with the Global Indian Award worth $50,000 by the Canada-India Foundation at its 15th annual gala here at the weekend. Agarwal donated the award money to a Canadian health charity working for the welfare of native Indians. Accepting the award at a star-studded gala event that included <keyword id="179419" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ontario" source="Orion">Ontario</keyword> Premier <keyword id="275133" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="doug-ford" source="Orion">Doug Ford</keyword>, ministers and Indian consul general Apoorva Srivastava, the mining tycoon lauded the achievements of the 1.6 million-strong Indo-Canadian community in this country. "I have gone all over the world, but I have not seen the kind of bonding in the Indian diaspora anywhere that I see in Canada. Take your businesses to the skies and make Canada proud. You live in the best country in the world," Agarwal said. He said India and Canada have many similarities and they complement each other in many fields. "Together, the two countries can do phenomenal work." The Vedanta founder said India has been a poor country. "But the time has reversed. The $3-trillion economy is going to be a $30 trillion economy in the coming years. The middle class that is 20 per cent today is going to be 80 per cent in the next six-seven years. We are going to build 150 big cities in India. Indians may be 20 years behind Canada in terms of lifestyle, but their aspirations are so high that with a population of 1.4 billion you can just imagine the (sheer amount of) demand." Ontario Premier Doug Ford praised the Indian tycoon for this charity. "I cannot think of any more deserving person (for the award) than Anil Agarwal whose generosity has improved the lives of so many people. You are a role model and an inspiration, Anil," the Ontario Premier said. Welcoming Agarwal to the gala event, <keyword id="154015" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="canada-india-foundation" source="Orion">Canada India Foundation</keyword> chairman <keyword id="321083" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="satish-thakkar" source="Orion">Satish Thakkar</keyword> said, "Mr Agarwal's life story is one that should inspire every youngster growing up, to dream big and persevere to fulfill the dream. As a person who has pledged to give 75 percent of his wealth to charity, Mr. Agarwal is also a philanthropic role model for all. On behalf of CIF and all present, I extend a very very very warm welcome to Mr Agarwal." <keyword id="6360722" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ratan-tata" source="Orion">Ratan Tata</keyword>, Dr A.P.J. <keyword id="5141" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="abdul-kalam" source="Orion">Abdul Kalam</keyword> and <keyword id="57060" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="deepak-chopra" source="Orion">Deepak Chopra</keyword> among the past recipients of the Global Indian Award started by this premier Indo-Canadian organization in 2007. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/appointment-on-compassionate-ground-concession-not-a-right-sc/articleshow/94615988.cms">Appointment on compassionate ground concession not a right: SC</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/seven-assembly-bypolls-in-six-states-on-nov-3-ec/articleshow/94615301.cms">Seven assembly bypolls in six states on Nov 3: EC</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/jiobook-a-4g-enabled-budget-laptop-is-expected-to-launch-soon-at-15000/articleshow/94613338.cms">JioBook, a 4G-enabled budget laptop is expected to launch soon at ₹15,000</a>

Vedanta founder Anil Agarwal honoured with Global Indian Award in Canada

<ul><li>The population of the endangered Bengal tigers in India has increased by 33% from 2,226 in 2014 to 2,967 in 2018. </li><li>India counts its tigers every four years through a comprehensive survey. The latest <keyword id="91788" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tiger-census">tiger census</keyword> was carried out on 3,81,400 sq km in 20 tiger-occupied states. </li><li>The government official had to set up camera traps at 26,838 locations to capture pictures of wild tigers.</li></ul> After many years of rapid decline, the <keyword id="7927910" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="number-of-tigers-in-india">number of tigers in India</keyword> has gone up. The population of the endangered Bengal tigers rose by 33% to 2,967 in 2018 from 2014, the <a href="https://projecttiger.nic.in/WriteReadData/PublicationFile/Tiger%20Status%20Report_XPS220719032%20%20new%20layout(1).pdf">government said. </a> Prime Minister Narendra Modi too proudly proclaimed on July 29, that India is now home to almost 75% of the global tiger population. If all goes well, Indian tiger <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/world/asia/india-tiger.html">count can go up to 4,000 like it was in the 1980s</a>, said Valdmik Thapar, a prominent naturalist and conservationist in the country. A good picture A few experts however believe that the ‘good picture’ is because of better counting techniques, using cameras and improved placements. India counts its tigers every four years through a comprehensive survey. The latest tiger census was carried out across 3,81,400 sq km in 20 states. Government officials had set up camera traps at 26,838 locations to capture pictures of wild tigers. "There are a plethora of factors that have resulted in good numbers, including efficient management inputs, the density of camera, and supportive government efforts. Out of the 50 tiger habitats in India, 47 have shown positive numbers, said N Sunil Kumar, CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Foundation <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/world/asia/india-tiger.html">told</a> Business Insider India. He further added, "We should strive to keep improving the habitats because that is the objective." The c<a href="https://www.scmp.com/video/asia/3020592/wild-tigers-clashing-people-animal-population-rises-nearly-3000-india">ameras captured 3.5 crore pictures</a>, and using Capture-Mark-Recapture methodology, 76,651 pictures of tigers were identified. The authorities then used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect the presence of 3,000 tigers in 2018. Still endangered While the numbers have risen, India has also lost many tigers rapidly, due to increased urbanisation which cut into forest cover. In 1900, India <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/narendra-modi-on-international-tiger-day-says-population-doubled/articleshow/70428071.cms">was believed to be a home to 100,000 tigers</a>. By 2006, it went down to a fraction of it, at 1,411. To save their declining population, India along with 12 other countries, signed an agreement to double the number by 2022. According to Modi, India achieved this target four years earlier. "The results of the just declared tiger census would make every Indian, every nature lover happy," <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/1155694808519680000?s=20">he said.</a> But, there is a lot more work to be done to save tigers. "It is about carrying capacity of the reserves. The challenge now is to look beyond protected areas and be ready with measures to address conflicts," said Rajesh Gopal, former head of National Tiger Conservation Authority. (With IANS) See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/narendra-modi-on-international-tiger-day-says-population-doubled/articleshow/70428071.cms">Prime Minister Modi says India has doubled its tiger population four years ahead of target</a>

India's tiger population is rising and it is not just because we can now count better

New Delhi,Dec 19 () Government think tank Niti Aayog on Friday will hold a consultative meeting to discuss a roadmap for population stabilisation and come out with a working paper to address key gaps in India's family planning programmes.
Increasing the basket of contraceptive choices and helping women make informed choices about delaying pregnancy are among the key recommendations expected to emerge from the meeting, the Aayog said in a release.
The meeting, which is being organised in partnership with Population Foundation of India (PFI), will deliberate on ways and means of strengthening India's population policy and family planning programmes. 
The Aayog said that India is at a stage where birth rates are falling but the population continues to grow due to the fact that more than 30 per cent of the population is young and in the reproductive age group. 
 "Nearly 30 million currently married women in the age group of 15-49 years within this critical cohort of young people have unmet needs in family planning, which limit their ability to delay or avoid pregnancy by not having access or the agency to use contraception," it said.
The think tank said that the recommendations from the consultation will contribute to a Niti Aayog working paper to help achieve India's vision of attaining population stabilisation, as voiced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2019.
India, with a current population size of 1.37 billion, has the second largest population in the world, the Aayog said, adding that for the country to realise its sustainable development goals and economic aspirations, it is important to ensure that people have informed access to contraception and quality family planning services. 
Some key recommendations expected to emerge from the meeting are "increasing the basket of contraceptive choices, with greater focus on spacing methods and helping women make informed choices about delaying pregnancy and spacing between children".
The working paper, the Aayog said, is expected to address key gaps in India's family planning programmes and will offer constructive recommendations to address regional disparities in outcomes by focusing on adolescents and youths, inter-departmental convergence, demand generation, access to contraceptive services and quality of care.
Stating that family planning is considered universally as the smartest development investment, the Aayog said that some of the key recommendations expected to emerge from the meeting include addressing social determinants of health such as age at marriage and sex-selective practices.
 The Aayog also expects that other key recommendations expected to emerge from the meeting include treating population stabilisation and family planning as a national priority, fostering inter-departmental convergence and ensuring multi-sectoral participation and integration.
 The meeting will also discuss about existing socio-cultural barriers towards contraception by investing extensively in innovative behaviour-change communication strategies. BKS MKJ

NITI Aayog to draft roadmap for population stabilisation

New Delhi,Dec 19 () Government think tank Niti Aayog on Friday will hold a consultative meeting to discuss a roadmap for population stabilisation and come out with a working paper to address key gaps in India's family planning programmes.
Increasing the basket of contraceptive choices and helping women make informed choices about delaying pregnancy are among the key recommendations expected to emerge from the meeting, the Aayog said in a release.
The meeting, which is being organised in partnership with Population Foundation of India (PFI), will deliberate on ways and means of strengthening India's population policy and family planning programmes. 
Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar told , "This is just a consultation. Niti is preparing a working paper as part of its vision 2035."
The Aayog said that India is at a stage where birth rates are falling but the population continues to grow due to the fact that more than 30 per cent of the population is young and in the reproductive age group. 
 "Nearly 30 million currently married women in the age group of 15-49 years within this critical cohort of young people have unmet needs in family planning, which limit their ability to delay or avoid pregnancy by not having access or the agency to use contraception," it said.
The think tank said that the recommendations from the consultation will contribute to a Niti Aayog working paper to help achieve India's vision of attaining population stabilisation, as voiced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2019.
India, with a current population size of 1.37 billion, has the second largest population in the world, the Aayog said, adding that for the country to realise its sustainable development goals and economic aspirations, it is important to ensure that people have informed access to contraception and quality family planning services. 
Some key recommendations expected to emerge from the meeting are "increasing the basket of contraceptive choices, with greater focus on spacing methods and helping women make informed choices about delaying pregnancy and spacing between children".
The working paper, the Aayog said, is expected to address key gaps in India's family planning programmes and will offer constructive recommendations to address regional disparities in outcomes by focusing on adolescents and youths, inter-departmental convergence, demand generation, access to contraceptive services and quality of care.
Stating that family planning is considered universally as the smartest development investment, the Aayog said that some of the key recommendations expected to emerge from the meeting include addressing social determinants of health such as age at marriage and sex-selective practices.
 The Aayog also expects that other key recommendations expected to emerge from the meeting include treating population stabilisation and family planning as a national priority, fostering inter-departmental convergence and ensuring multi-sectoral participation and integration.
 The meeting will also discuss about existing socio-cultural barriers towards contraception by investing extensively in innovative behaviour-change communication strategies. BKS MKJ

Niti Aayog to draft roadmap for population stabilisation

<ul><li>India is sitting on a demographic time bomb. People over the age of 60 are expected to account for 25% of India’s <keyword id="48933" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="population">population</keyword> by 2050.</li><li>The concept of <keyword id="2995734" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="senior-living">senior living</keyword> has been gaining traction in recent years owing to the migration of Indians and the breakdown of the joint family model. </li><li>However, most senior care options are mostly geared towards the upper-middle class. The low-cost options leave a lot to be desired. </li></ul> My father was 64 when he had his first heart attack in September 2015. He downplayed the pain and told my brother and I, who were 23 years old at the time, that it was just acidity. We didn’t know better. Four days later, on his 65th birthday, the heart attack led to a stroke, which affected a small part of his brain that dealt with his speech and comprehension. Following his discharge from the hospital, my brother and I worked out an arrangement with our respective employers wherein we worked from home on alternative days so we could take care of him. My father slowly regained his verve and became somewhat self-sufficient by the end of 2015. However, he suffered another stroke and an epileptic seizure in April 2016. After my father suffered a third stroke in February 2017, the idea of putting him in an assisted living facility was floated by my uncle. My brother was living in Bombay by this point and I was spending more time at work so it seemed like the sensible thing to do. The concept of senior living, while relatively new to India, has been gaining traction in recent years and with good reason. There were 103.8 million citizens above the age of 60 in India in 2011, according to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the number is expected to reach 143 million by 2021 and 173 million by 2026. Concurrently, as nuclear families are in vogue, the safety net afforded to old people by the joint family model is disintegrating. India has also seen a wave of migration in the last few decades as young people have gone to big metros as well as foreign countries in search of better opportunities, leaving their parents behind. More and more old people are living alone- which makes them vulnerable to <a href="https://www.firstpost.com/india/increase-in-crimes-against-senior-citizens-in-chennai-forces-them-to-shift-to-retirement-homes-3109622.html">crime</a> and depression. And the problem will only get worse. People over the age of 60 are expected to account for 25% of India’s population by 2050. India’s emerging market counterparts like Brazil and China are also sitting on a similar demographic time-bomb resulting from decades of exponential economic growth, improved health outcomes and stretched budgets. While Western countries like the US and UK started laying the foundational groundwork for their senior care industries in the latter half of the 20th century, BRIC countries only began developing an industrial framework to address the problem in the recent past - that too, by encouraging foreign participation and co-opting the western model of senior living which marries real estate development with at-home care. The Senior Care Act The Indian government has made some noticeable interventions but they haven’t produced the desired results. For example, in 2007, there government of India passed the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and <keyword id="20566" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="senior-citizens">Senior Citizens</keyword> Act. The act requires children to take care of their parents in <keyword id="6378960" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="old-age">old age</keyword>. It also mandates the establishment of old age homes by state governments. The act has failed on both fronts. Senior citizens neither have the knowledge of their rights or the will to take their children to court. As of mid-2017, only 360 homes had been built by state governments with central funding under the Integrated Programme for Older Persons (IPOP), according to data from the social justice ministry. India’s private sector takes the lead However, India’s private sector has spotted the gap in the market, taking inspiration from the US’s $300 billion senior living industry. By 2013, India had 30 assisted living projects in India, with another 30 in the pipeline, according to Jones Lang Lasalle, a commercial real estate firm. There are a number of developers building “retirement resorts” in North India to cater to the high-end segment. Max India, a <keyword id="6354525" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="healthcare">healthcare</keyword> giant, has a 200-block senior living facility called Antara on the outskirts of the city of Dehradun. Pitched as the confluence of lifestyle and life care, the community boasts state-of-the-art medical facilities with in-house doctors as well as a a fitness centre, which includes a gym, spa and a swimming pool. Prices for a property here start at a cool $300,000. However, the senior living trend actually took flight in south Indian states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, where a large number of non-resident Indians (NRI) hail from, before spreading to the North. In recognition of their high purchasing power, Covai Care, a Coimbatore-based developer, launched S3 Retirement Homes, one of India’s first retirement projects, according to its general manager, S Prabhakar, in 2007 to cater to this market. While the senior living market has doubled since then, says Prabhakar, it is still in a nascent stage. Covai Care primarily offers three forms of care facilities for its residents- assisted care for senior residents, palliative care for terminally ill patients and memory care for patients with dementia or Alzheimer's with properties in Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore and Pondicherry. The properties don’t come cheap either. With prices ranging from $60,000 to $150,000 depending on size, residents also have to pay around $270-$300 a month for medical and maintenance fees. Prabhakar maintains that these costs are in line with the average cost of living for these patients anyway. He also expects the demand for these properties to be robust, citing the increase in life expectancy and growing trend of senior citizens who crave independence. The middle ground India is striving to create cheaper offerings for the middle class too. Arun Gupta, the chief executive of Age Ventures India (AVI), a non-profit organisation that petitions builders to develop properties, echoes Mr Prabhakar’s beliefs about the industry’s prospects. “The senior citizen population is growing at a rate of 3.8% per annum, while the overall population of India is growing at 1.8%” he says. For a small consulting fee, AVI works with developers to build elder care homes and communities by sharing best practices and identifying project locations. These homes are modestly priced, with a 1BHK unit starting at $22,500 at the organisation’s first project in Bangalore. Ashiana Housing, a Delhi-based real estate developer, pitches its retirement communities to the middle class in tier-1 and tier-2 cities . The price ranges between $45,000 million and $100,000 for the units, and that demand for them follows the same pattern as the housing market. Amit Dogra, the sales manager for Ashiana's senior living segment, doesn’t think much of India’s cultural aversion to old age homes. “98% of our residents chose senior living independently. They were not forced by their children.” Abhishek Mohanty, a facility design and marketing consultant at Epoch Elder Care, feels otherwise. “Social stigma, especially from relatives, is more of a problem than affordability”, he says. “This is why we target higher-net-worth individuals and NRIs as they are more open to the idea of senior living and are willing to spend the money”. Founded in 2011, Epoch Elder Care originally started as a provider of home care services and personnel before transitioning into the assisted living space. It follows a rental model, entailing a one-time deposit and monthly rental fee, which is better suited to middle class customers. Epoch has three retirement homes with monthly fees of $1,800 for short-term single occupancy guests and $1,350 for long-term guests, which excludes the rather-high 18% GST rate on senior living. Around 60% of Epoch’s residents are dementia patients, which limits the amount of residents per facility. Mohanty is optimistic about his company’s prospects given the country’s increasing awareness about dementia and the growing number of senior citizens. By 2022, Epoch plans to have as many as 12 facilities, with an average of around 50 guests each, operating all over India. The sense of stigma attached to senior living, while declining, is still a consideration for the relatively well-off. Rachna (name changed), a corporate lawyer in her 40s, says that the decision to send her father to a retirement home outside Gurgaon last year was not an easy one. “My friends felt that I was relinquishing my sense of duty,” she said, “and my father likened the experience to being sent to jail”. However, she feels that it was the best option since she and her husband had full-time jobs and two teenage children to take care off. Now, her father, a former stroke victim and arthritis patient, benefits from round-the-clock care and companionship in the facility. No respite at the bottom Senior living seems to be an effective solution for people who can afford it, but for the hundreds of millions that can’t, their options are few and far between. At the lower end of the spectrum, the government-operated old age homes, which feature dormitories instead of rooms, are understaffed and in a deplorable condition, according to Matthew Cherian, the chief executive of HelpAge India. There are a number of cheaper nursing homes that are run by private owners, however quality is still an issue given the lack of government-imposed industry standards. And some of these also operate without licenses and accreditation. In 2012, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/68-nursing-homes-dont-have-licences/articleshow/13238672.cms">68 nursing homes </a>were found to be operating illegally in Pune. A variety of non-profit organisations like HelpAge India also run and support old age homes, but the supply of beds in such homes is drastically outweighed by the number of people that need them. As I write this, it’s been more than 13 months since my father’s last stroke. He’s in good spirits. He’s been eating well and going for walks every evening with other senior citizens in our gated community in Gurgaon. He has moved past his initial resistance and softened his stance towards senior living facilities, in anticipation of my eventual departure from home. “If I have to go one day, I’ll go”, he says. “Maybe I can get my friends to come with me too”. If only other Indians like him had the same option.

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