Think Tanks in India: Public Policy and Challenges

 

India Policy Foundation and Birla Institute of Management and Technology jointly organized a brainstorming session on the role of different Think Tanks working in India. The principal objective of Think Tanks is to keep the policy makers updated and to recommend reform measures in order to make policies functional and goal-oriented. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. D N Padhi said, in India, policy making starts after elections and the clue of different policies follow the election manifesto. According to him, the most important Think Tank is Planning Commission although more often its suggestions are not taken seriously.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Kapil Kapoor questioned the very basis on which Think Tanks work or are expected to work. He said, Think Tanks generally assume that research or opinion has to be generated within the given framework no matter how much the framework is outmoded or unsuitable. Innovation should be the primary focus of Think Tanks. Most of our social problems need creative thinking which is presently missing in the temperament of our Think Tanks, Prof. Kapoor added.

 

Mr. Beuaria said that Think Tanks should interact with public opinion makers like media, social leaders, legislators and researchers before forming policies.

 

Prof. Rakesh Sinha said that Think Tanks in India are yet to take a decisive role in policy making. Think Tanks need to play the key role of mediator between public aspirations and policy making.

 

Prof. Mohapatra underlined the significance of Think Tanks in developing countries. Think Tanks play the crucial role of identification, initiation, creation, dissemination and supervision of public policies. According to him, lack of human resources is the reason for sub-optimal functioning of Think Tanks in India. Mr. Raj Kishore Panda pressed for the need of region-specific and domain-based research and policy making. Dr. Omkar Mohanty, Mr. Jagadananda, Mr. Ambika Nanda, Sh. Dhirendra Kumar Ray, Sh. D. N. Padhi also took part into the discussion.

 The Panel Members of the programme were: Prof. Kapil Kapoor, Chairman IPF and former Pro VC, JNU, Sh. D. N. Padhi, Former Chairman, State Finance Commission, Odisha, Dr. B.K. Das Professor and Advisor BITMECH, Sh. Ambika P. Nanda, State Programme Officer, UNDP, Dr. O.N Mohanty, Former VC, Biju Pattanaik Technical University, Dr. Radhamohan, Former Commissioner, Information Commission, Odisha, Sh. Jagadananda, Head, CYSD and Former Information Commissioner, Dr. P. Yadav, Director BIMTECH-BBSR, Dr. R. K. Panda, Director, Nabakrushna Choudhury Centre for Development Studies, Sh. Abasar Beuria, Former IFS and Ambassador, Prof. Rakesh Sinha, Director, India Policy Foundation, Sh. Dhirendra Kumar Ray, Former Chairman, Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission, Prof. Aswini K Mohapatra Associate Professor, JNU, Dr Jyoti Mohapatra, Dean, SOA University, Sh. D. D. Pattanaik, Former Professor and Social Worker, Sh. J. B. Sarangi, Former Director, Cottage Industries & Social Tech., Sh. Sarbeswar Behera, Law Expert, Sh. Shiva Narayan Singh, Sub-Editor, Rastradeep, Sh. Chitta Ranjan Pani, Social Worker.

 

Project lead: Prof. N.N. Sharma, Chairperson, ICPP, BIMTECHDr. Rahul Singh, Associate Professor, BIMTECH