Conference Agenda

Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is a critical issue in India, particularly for underprivileged adolescent girls. Over 71% of girls are unaware of menstruation before its onset, and 20% struggle to access proper facilities, leading to health problems, social stigma, and educational barriers(van Eijk et al., 2016). The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21) reveals that only 62% of girls aged 15-24 use hygienic menstrual protection methods, highlighting the urgent need for intervention(Global Report Reveals Major Gaps in Menstrual Health and Hygiene in Schools, n.d.).

This study evaluates Yuva Bengaluru NGO’s menstrual hygiene education program for underprivileged adolescent girls in grades 7–10, focusing on its impact on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding menstrual hygiene. Using qualitative methods (in-depth interviews, observations) and quantitative analysis (Independent T-test), the research compares an intervention school with a control school. Findings indicate significant improvements in physical health outcomes, including better hygiene practices and reduced menstrual-related infections, and mental health indicators, such as increased self-esteem and improved class participation. The program demonstrates a positive influence on menstrual health management, fostering better health and educational outcomes.

Participatory governance is essential for menstrual hygiene management (MHM) reform in India, fostering collaboration among communities, schools, and government to create culturally sensitive, region-specific programs. Aligning with SDGs 3 (Health) and 5 (Gender Equality)(Goal 5 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs, n.d.), this approach ensures inclusive decision-making, participatory budgeting, and stakeholder engagement. By evaluating Yuva Bengaluru's MHM program, this study highlights the transformative potential of participatory governance in addressing gender disparities in health and education. Key policy recommendations include inclusive program design, resource allocation, capacity building, multi-sector collaboration, and accountability mechanisms. This ensures sustainable, impactful MHM interventions, improving access, cultural sensitivity, and school attendance for adolescent girls.

Empowerment means enabling the weak who lagged behind in the race of development due to so many factors. Empowerment is equipping the weak through legal, socio-cultural, educational and political measures. Steps have always been initiated for such social groups by constitutional, legal, political and other positive manners to enable them to participate in the race of development with equal footing. In India since independence, successive governments have initiated a number of measure for such groups. In 21st century changes are undergoing with the help of technology, especially digital technology. Digital technology is another measure to empower the citizens while dealing with governments and machinery of governance. Empowerment of citizens through digital technology is to make governance machinery efficient, effective, accessible, responsive, responsible, smart and accountable. Merely creating a machinery with the help of technology is not sufficient. Empowering the citizens in real terms, the citizens interface with the governance should be faceless and transparent. In the second and present decade of 21st century, it has seen that all govt departments have gone digital like railways, communication, education, finance including general administration (district and tehsil administration) and health are especially some examples. India is a leading country that delivers most of its services through e-mode and has jumped 22 ranks from the year 2010 to the year 2022 worldwide (eGDI). Though it is not possible to evaluate the functioning of all the departments which used digital technology as a case study, therefore, health services are taken to evaluate the impact of digital technology in India to empower the citizens.

India sets an example for other countries that are in the queue to digitise services. During and after COVID-19 health services have been taken on priority through digital mode. Indian government initiated Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) in 2021 to ensure the availability of healthcare services through electronic means, particularly benefiting remote and rural areas where specialist care is often limited. ADBM is improving health services making them accessible, efficient, affordable and convenient for all. Ayushman - Apke Dwar 3.0: is bringing healthcare services directly to the doorstep of beneficiaries and empowering them.

Data Sources: Data will be collected from international and national organisations like reports of the World Health Organisation, World Bank, Indian government reports, websites of digital India, NHA, PMJAY, books, journals and articles on different platforms. Collected data will help in theoretical framework building and knowing how citizens are empowered through these methods and what the challenges faced by all the stakeholders.

Structure of the Paper: The present research paper will deal with the concept of empowerment, initiatives taken by the Indian government in the health sector to empower citizens and how empowered citizens may have access to the benefits which are being implemented by the government in the health and other sectors.

Competitiveness (CPT) is a multifaceted concept that encompasses factors such as quality of life, economic prosperity, social inclusivity, fairness, transparency, and sustainability. It is closely linked to globalization, which is defined as the transaction of knowledge, goods, services, manpower, and technology across political and economic limits. Globalization leads to competitiveness and pressures multinational companies and national governments and public sector organizations to modernize. The New Public Management (NPM) paradigm addresses this need by pushing towards liberalization, globalization, and privatization (LPG), which pushes through market forces and pressurizes public and private sector organizations to be competitive.

Post-NPM reforms have been found to align countries with global standards while maintaining local traditions. Case studies have shown that post-NPM reforms in China, Poland, and Australia have improved public service delivery and industry readiness towards Industry 4.0.

Various theories have been proposed to analyze countries' competitiveness, including Porters' diamond model, Rugman and D’Cruz's Double Diamond model, Moon et al.'s Gliderized Double Diamond approach, Cho's nine factor model, and Kim et al.'s Digital Double Diamond model. However, these theories focus on short-term drivers of CPT and lack a vision on long-term factors for sustaining CPT and bringing social relevance to nations.

The paper questions whether competitiveness drives nations and firms towards indigenous innovation, improving their bargaining power in the global market and bringing economic resilience. The article commences by reviewing the above stands of the theorical development over the years specially post-NPM. It then examines the concepts of ‘CPT’ and ‘creativity’ in PS and proposed a comprehensive competitiveness framework (CCF). Subsequently, it draws insights from theoretical models of System Theory from public administration, Dependency Theory from Political Science, and Political Economic Theory (PET) from economics to unravel new dimensions offering integrative framework of CPT in PS. It concludes by exploring the implication of this framework for theory and practice.

The article is structured as first we discuss about the meaning and rise of CPT and how it is aligned with the concept of globalization post -NPM era. The second part of article will provide a detail discussion on the theories of the CPT from post-NPM till now and challenges associated while assessing the CPT of the nation. The third part we will induce the two theories from public administration and economics namely systems theory, dependency theory and PET respectively. In the last part of the article we will introduce the debate between CPT, creativity and innovation in PS. Finally, we will introduce the concept of CCF addressing the more systemic analysis of CPT in the PS organization and particular sector across the globe. Thus, framing a strategy for nation’s CPT from sectorial lenses.

This paper on Tourism in India starts by defining the industry, outlining its importance globally, presenting the Indian tourism scene, shedding light on the industry's development through five-year plans, talking about India's tourism policy, shedding light on the industry's governance structure, and analyzing the industry's contribution to economic development. The government's efforts to encourage tourism are then discussed in the paper concerning sustainability. The difficulties and impediments that the Indian tourist sector faces are then highlighted. The paper concludes with a summary of the major conclusions on tourism in India.