This memo examines the current state of laws and policies that affect bamboo in India, with the goal of setting out a broad framework for reforms that would pave the way for sustainable development of the country’s bamboo sector. The first section provides an overview of the opportunities and restrictions on the sector’s growth due to India’s current forestry policy, transportation restrictions and land tenure system. The second section explores policy considerations that uniquely situate the bamboo industry to be an engine of development for the Indian economy.

Onions are a very important crop for both Indian farmers and consumers. Whenever there are price fluctuations in the market, the Government changes the rules on the trade of onions. In 2020 alone, the trading status of onions was changed 7 times, i.e. the government would ban the exports of onions and then relax it. This distorts the market and disincentivises investments in trade infrastructure like warehousing.

Approximately 275 million people involved in the Minor Forest Produce (MFP) economy (World Bank 2005), a significant portion of which is tribal population, struggle with this every day. Collection, processing, and sale of MFP comprise the backbone of the forest sector. The government estimates the collection potential of MFP is INR 1900 crores and the production potential of INR 4000 crores (TRIFED n.d.). But what holds the sector back is a regulatory conflict at the Union and state-level

In India, the output of fish has increased at an exponential rate in the last 30 years. India is the world’s second-largest producer of fisheries and the third-largest producer of aquaculture. However, this rosy image does not reflect the difficult life of fisherfolk in India. A 2021 study showed that around 47% of employees in this sector live well below the poverty line. In 2019-20, the total marine fish production was 37.27 lakh tonnes, with Gujarat contributing the most—7.01 lakh tonnes or 19% of the total production.

Since Independence, the average landholding size of agricultural households across India has steadily declined. In 1970, an average agrarian household owned over 2 hectares of land; this fell to 1.4 hectares by the 1990s. In 2019, this was 0.876 hectares. Simultaneously, agriculture's contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell to 16.6% in 2019 from 41% in 1970. Despite this regression, 42% of India’s workforce is employed in agriculture. What is keeping Indian farmers locked in this perpetual cycle of poverty? The reasons for low income in the sector are multifold.

The Street Vendors Act 2014 was introduced to protect the rights of urban street vendors and regulate vending. While the Act defines the broad framework for regulating vendors, state governments are required to notify rules and schemes to detail the specificities under the Act. This document is intended to serve as a ready reference for street vendors, vendor associations, and other organisations advocating for vendors' rights. The first section elaborates on how various high courts have interpreted the Street Vendors Act.

Street vendors constitute nearly two percent of India’s urban population (Bhowmik 2005). Together vendors play a pivotal role in the urban economy by providing access to essential goods. Until 2014, no national legislation existed to help regularise their informal economy. This often led to rent-seeking actions by local authorities or police officials (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs 2011).

The Indian growth story of rising incomes, increased wealth, more freedoms, and higher aspirations has not been the reality for many citizens of Bharat. Sharad Joshi, an economist and former Rajya Sabha Member from Maharashtra, noted this dichotomy in the way the urban residents of India and the rural residents of Bharat were treated. At its core, while the government treats its urban, nonagricultural population as rational economic actors capable of making decisions about their economic lives, it treats its agricultural population as incapable of doing so.

India has jumped from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2019 on the World Bank’s ease of doing business index. Even though this index is based only on Delhi and Mumbai, the Government of India has encouraged all the states to implement reforms to improve investment confidence. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Government of India, ranks states based on reforms implemented as mentioned in Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP). This ranking incentivises states to compete for becoming favoured destinations for industries.