Prof. Priyanshu Gupta, Assistant Professor, Business Sustainability, in collaboration with Prof. Rajesh Bhattacharya, Professor, Public Policy and Management Group, IIM Calcutta have published the research paper.

Wealth

India’s mineral wealth lies predominantly beneath its dense, biodiversity-rich forests, home to many tribal communities, say sources from IIM Lucknow.

Policy

Introduced in 2009, the Go-No-Go policy, later renamed the Inviolate Areas policy, sought to address these conflicts. Its objective was to identify and conserve ecologically significant forests while expediting grant of clearances in less critical areas, say sources from IIM Lucknow.

The researchers reviewed the policy’s development and the hurdles it has encountered. The research team utilized data from extensive government documents obtained through India’s Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI).

This was supplemented by interviews with senior bureaucrats, policymakers, and experts, providing a comprehensive view of the policy process, say sources from IIM Lucknow.

Research work

Prof. Priyanshu Gupta, Assistant Professor, Business Sustainability, IIM Lucknow spoke about the research work. The rights over different uses of forest resources are fragmented across stakeholders, he said.

For instance, the government oversees mineral development, the environment ministry handles conservation objectives at national scale, and local communities have rights to forest produce and managing their local forest resources, said Prof Priyanshu of IIM Lucknow.

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This fragmentation often causes conflicts and delays, leading to calls for faster clearances and mechanisms like single window clearances that appear to resolve all resource-related trade-offs at one go, he said.

The Go-No-Go policy was one such attempt. However, the design of such mechanisms is itself challenging: the design of Go-No-Go policy has been shaped by inter-ministerial conflict manifesting through the consultative processes and institutional mechanisms visualized in India’s democratic framework, said Prof Priyanshu.

Till date, the policy still remains un-notified even though it has significant implications, he said.

Suggestion

The analysis suggests that removing politics from policy decisions is not the solution, as public policy is inherently political and requires input from all stakeholders, say sources from IIM Lucknow.

The paper argues that focusing solely on efficiency and coordination may result in temporary solutions.

Notion

The study challenges the notion that “anti-commons” property, where too many parties have rights to resources, is inherently problematic. Instead, Prof. Gupta views it as a necessary process for democratic consultation, ensuring that all stakeholders have a say, leading to more balanced and sustainable outcomes.

It also underscores the complexities of balancing competing interests in forest and mineral governance. It highlights the necessity of integrating political context and thorough stakeholder consultations to achieve sustainable and equitable outcomes.

In 2005, IIM Lucknow expanded its area of influence in the realm of management education by becoming the first IIM to set up a satellite campus exclusively for Executive Education at NOIDA in Delhi NCR region.

IIM Lucknow is accredited by AACSB and AMBA while its EQUIS Accreditation is ongoing. The institute features in the prestigious FT -100 Top Global Business schools for both the 2-year Flagship PGP program and One-year IPMX Program. It is also consistently ranked amongst top business schools in the NIRF Rankings.

IIM Lucknow was the first IIM to start a 2-year full time MBA program in Sustainable Management 8 years back. It also has a long-standing full-time MBA program in Agri Business Management.

Throughout its last 39 years’ journey IIML has touched millions of lives through its academic programs, executive education programs, research and consulting. The centres for excellence at IIM Lucknow including the Centre for Public Policy, Centre for Food and Agribusiness Management, Centre for Business Sustainability, Centre for Marketing in Emerging Economies, to name a few, regularly carry out evidence-based research and interventions in public policy and management practice. Faculty of IIM Lucknow also feature in top 2% of global scientists for research output and impact.

The alumni of IIM Lucknow now occupy top positions in the world of business, public policy and in several other fields.

Situated in a city known for its cultural heritage, the campus is spread over more than 190 acres of beautifully landscaped area. With its foundation in the city of “Tehzeeb”, IIM Lucknow inculcates human values and professional ethics in the students to help them make a positive impact not just on the nation but on a global platform.

IIM Lucknow has an ideal setup conducive to learning, accessibility and excellence.

Designed to monitor the freshness of seafood in real-time by responding to pH changes, the film offers a practical solution for improving food safety and reducing waste.

This film detects the release of volatile amines, compounds typically associated with spoilage, and indicates food quality through visible color changes, say sources from NIT Rourkela.

These natural components make the film biodegradable, safe, and responsive, aligning with sustainability goals and offering a non-invasive way to assess seafood freshness.

Findings

The findings of this research have been published in the journal Food Packaging and Shelf Life in a paper co-authored by Prof. Preetam Sarkar (as the lead corresponding author), along with his research scholars, Mr. Rahul Thakur, Miss Harshi Singhi, Mr. Vedsagar Rajesh Suryavanshi, and Dr. Ravichandran Santhosh.

Other co-authors in this work include Dr. Khalid Gul from NIT Rourkela, Dr. Swarup Roy from Lovely Professional University, Dr. Srinivas Janaswamy from South Dakota State University, Brookings, USA and Dr. Kirtiraj K. Gaikwad from IIT Roorkee.

Fishing

India is the world’s second-largest fish-producing nation, contributing approximately 8% of global fish production, say NIT Rourkela researchers.

It also holds the distinction of being the top five producer of shrimp globally, with frozen shrimp being the top export commodity.

Given the scale and importance of seafood production, innovations that ensure freshness and reduce spoilage are of immense value, say NIT Rourkela researchers.

In this context, intelligent packaging systems, which preserve food while monitoring its quality, are rapidly gaining global interest.

Unlike conventional packaging that serves merely as a protective barrier, the intelligent packaging film developed by NIT Rourkela team offers visual cues about the product’s condition, making it a promising solution for enhancing food safety and reducing waste.

The beetroot peel extract was prepared separately, and then combined with the starch, gum tragacanth, and a small amount of glycerol to cast the films.

These were dried and tested for their pH-sensitivity and effectiveness in monitoring seafood freshness, said Prof Preetam of NIT Rourkela.

Pigments

Beetroot peels contain betalains, a group of pigments known for their bright colours and pH sensitivity, say NIT Rourkela researchers.

These pigments also offer antioxidant and antimicrobial benefits, making them suitable for food-related applications.

Incorporating these natural compounds into the starch-based film creates a biodegradable, safe, and responsive packaging material.

When the seafood begins to spoil and pH levels rise, the film changes colour, providing a clear visual indicator of freshness.

Starch

The choice of Kodo millet starch and gum tragacanth contributes to the film’s biodegradable and eco-friendly profile.

Kodo millet is an underutilised grain with excellent film-forming properties, while gum tragacanth enhances the mechanical strength and flexibility of the material.

The researchers believe that using such agricultural by-products not only supports sustainability but also adds value to food processing waste, such as beetroot peels.

At the laboratory scale, the cost of producing the film was estimated approximately Rs. 900 per kilogram.

When scaled up for industrial production, the cost is projected to range between Rs. 400 and Rs. 600 per kilogram, making it a potentially viable option for commercial use.

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