Centre For Policy Research

This program aims to advance interdisciplinary research in the political ecology of major infrastructure projects. It encompasses a group of projects that investigate the relationship between infrastructure development, natural resource management, and legal governance frameworks at various levels. The programme analyzes the social, spatial, and ecological impacts of large infrastructure projects in India. It emphasizes the importance of sustainable environmental regulations for infrastructure and explores social processes that can contribute to better socio-environmental outcomes. The programme strives to address challenges in urban and rural ecologies and infrastructure regulation, monitor political and institutional responses, and encourage public participation in policy reforms and implementation.

The Governance and Public Policy Initiative (GPPI) aims to create a collaborative community comprising Indian lawmakers, scholars, bureaucrats, and civil society leaders. It facilitates discussions on critical public policy matters by partnering with domestic and international think tanks and institutions. GPPI organises roundtables, seminars, and conferences on diverse topics such as democratic processes, national security, urban governance, jurisprudence, health, education, gender, and cyber security.

The Centre for Policy Research's Initiative on Climate, Energy, and Environment (CPR-ICEE) fosters informed discussions on the legal, policy, and institutional dimensions of climate, energy, and environmental governance in India. Its research focuses on understanding climate, development, and environmental challenges, and identifying pathways for improved outcomes in climate policy, energy transition, and air quality governance.

Established in November 2014, the CPR Land Rights Initiative serves as an institutional platform dedicated to generating comprehensive knowledge about land rights. It conducts research projects exploring topics such as the constitutional right to property, land acquisition, land rights in Scheduled Areas, and the mapping of land legislation across India.

The Politics Initiative, established in 2019, aims to conduct high-quality research to comprehend the fast-evolving political economy landscape of India, which is reflected in significant electoral outcomes. It focuses on analyzing the changing dynamics of political parties, legislative institutions, ideological perspectives of political actors, voting patterns, and the factors influencing policy choices. By providing empirically rigorous and theoretically informed political research, the initiative aspires to be a leading hub shaping discussions on crucial policy matters in the country.

The Scaling City Institutions for India (SCI-FI) programme, established in 2013 and hosted by the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), aims to explore the concept of "governance scale" in Indian cities alongside sector-specific socio-economic scales. Through research, the programme seeks to provide insights to stakeholders, including Government bodies at various levels, for the development of well-informed policies and programmes to enhance governance and service delivery. The programme has two key focus areas: Land, Housing, and Planning (LHP), which aims to address governance and sector-specific challenges in urban land, housing, and planning, and Water and Sanitation, which seeks to understand the factors contributing to poor water and sanitation services and support authorities in developing policies for improved access to safe and sustainable sanitation in both urban and rural areas.