May 20, 2026

. SRINAGAR: Panzath Nag has been flowing for ages. So have celebrations. Now, bigger ripples of prominence and excitement course through the brook in south Kashmir’s Qazigund after a 400-year-old community cleaning and fishing festival tied to it seeped into an episode of PM Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat.This time, the Panzath fest fervour crested last weekend on May 17 when hundreds fanned out across the stream, dipping wicker baskets and lifting them out with fish, weeds and debris before emptying them along the banks.The dip-and-lift desilting drill wasn’t desultory — the participants sent up lusty cheers, peppering them with local folk songs. Some tuned in with Bollywood chartbusters. Hundreds more, who had come from various parts of the Valley, stood by the banks, egging on the filth fighters.Rao Farman Ali, an environmental activist and author, said Panzath Nag originates in Qazigund’s Panzath village, feeding a wider network of springs and helping irrigate dozens of villages. “The festival is an occasion for celebration but, more importantly, a community service as it helps desilt the spring. We can say it is an agricultural festival ahead of the paddy sowing season in mid-May,” Ali said.The word Panzath is believed to have originated from Paanch Haath, meaning five hundred. Legend has it that 500 springs once flowed through the area. Though most have disappeared over time, the community’s commitment to preserving its water heritage continues through this unique annual fishing-and-cleaning festival.The effort gained national recognition when PM Modi mentioned it in Mann Ki Baat in 2023, praising the villagers for taking collective responsibility for protecting and restoring vital water sources.Since then, enthusiasm has grown, as have participants and spectators. “I have seen this (celebration) every year since childhood and heard from elders that it began nearly 400 years ago,” said local villager Abdul Aziz (70).Gul Wani, former head of political science department at University of Kashmir, travelled 75km from Srinagar to witness the festival. “My sense is that it dates back to the Mughal era. What was once seen largely as a celebration has acquired more importance in modern times amid growing concerns over climate change and shrinking water bodies,” Wani said. He emphasised that the stream is the lifeline of the area and called for govt efforts to help protect the spring from gradual erosion and declining capacity.Amid the swirl of joy, a much-awaited bonus is fishing, more so as it is allowed only once a year — on Panzath festival day. “Hundreds spend an entire day cleaning and if they catch some fish along the way, it needs to be appreciated,” Wani said, urging authorities to allow fishing at least twice a year.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTMC MP Saayoni Ghosh Reacts After BJP Leader’s Alleged Rs 1 Crore Beheading Remark‘The World Needs More Sambandh’: Iceland PM Kristrún Frostadóttir Praises PM Modi At Oslo SummitTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Pulls Out Of Falta Re-Poll 2 Days Before Voting | Headlines@9Out On Bail, Rape Accused Gets Grand Welcome In UP’s GhaziabadKanpur: ITBP Soldier Carries Mother’s Severed Hand to Police HQ After Alleged Hospital NegligenceFrom Islampura Back To Krishan Nagar: Pakistan Moves To Restore Lahore’s Pre-Partition Names’New Sunrise’: Amit Shah Unveils Bastar Development Push, Slams Previous Congress GovtDelhi Court Rejects Umar Khalid’s Interim Bail Plea In 2020 Riots CaseTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Withdraws From Falta Repoll Days After ‘Pushpa’ Face-Off10 Arrests, 3 States: Meet The ‘Masterminds’ Of NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Now In CBI Custody123PhotostoriesJacqueline Fernandez turns Cannes 2026 into a vintage fashion fantasy with her glamorous sequin lookInside the Jolie-Pitt family: All about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s six childrenThink they’re polar bears? These 5 dogs can easily fool youDelhi records 44°C temperature: Ministry of Ayush recommends 12 foods and drinks for protection against heat-related illnessesVaping vs cigarettes: Why cancer doctors say young adults should stop believing the “safer alternative” mythSummer skincare tips: Natural ingredients to treat tanning and breakoutsMovies that were turned into popular web series: ‘LOTR,’ ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ and moreInside Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Rs. 96 crore net worth: Bungalow named after his father, pay packages, cars and everything you need to know10 surprising facts about gharials that make them different from other crocodiliansMeet the eyelash viper: One of nature’s most striking snakes123Hot PicksSBI apprentice recruitment 2026US Iran warCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation 2026Gold price predictionAdani Group stocksNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingTwisha SharmaJEE AdvancedFifa World Cup 2026Subnautica 2 Enameled Glass GuideWWE Raw HighlightsIPL 2026IPL Orange Cap 2026India VS Afghanistan Squad AnnouncementLeviathan in Subnautica 2Fuel Price Hike

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins
. SRINAGAR: Panzath Nag has been flowing for ages. So have celebrations. Now, bigger ripples of prominence and excitement course through the brook in south Kashmir’s Qazigund after a 400-year-old community cleaning and fishing festival tied to it seeped into an episode of PM Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat.This time, the Panzath fest fervour crested last weekend on May 17 when hundreds fanned out across the stream, dipping wicker baskets and lifting them out with fish, weeds and debris before emptying them along the banks.The dip-and-lift desilting drill wasn’t desultory — the participants sent up lusty cheers, peppering them with local folk songs. Some tuned in with Bollywood chartbusters. Hundreds more, who had come from various parts of the Valley, stood by the banks, egging on the filth fighters.Rao Farman Ali, an environmental activist and author, said Panzath Nag originates in Qazigund’s Panzath village, feeding a wider network of springs and helping irrigate dozens of villages. “The festival is an occasion for celebration but, more importantly, a community service as it helps desilt the spring. We can say it is an agricultural festival ahead of the paddy sowing season in mid-May,” Ali said.The word Panzath is believed to have originated from Paanch Haath, meaning five hundred. Legend has it that 500 springs once flowed through the area. Though most have disappeared over time, the community’s commitment to preserving its water heritage continues through this unique annual fishing-and-cleaning festival.The effort gained national recognition when PM Modi mentioned it in Mann Ki Baat in 2023, praising the villagers for taking collective responsibility for protecting and restoring vital water sources.Since then, enthusiasm has grown, as have participants and spectators. “I have seen this (celebration) every year since childhood and heard from elders that it began nearly 400 years ago,” said local villager Abdul Aziz (70).Gul Wani, former head of political science department at University of Kashmir, travelled 75km from Srinagar to witness the festival. “My sense is that it dates back to the Mughal era. What was once seen largely as a celebration has acquired more importance in modern times amid growing concerns over climate change and shrinking water bodies,” Wani said. He emphasised that the stream is the lifeline of the area and called for govt efforts to help protect the spring from gradual erosion and declining capacity.Amid the swirl of joy, a much-awaited bonus is fishing, more so as it is allowed only once a year — on Panzath festival day. “Hundreds spend an entire day cleaning and if they catch some fish along the way, it needs to be appreciated,” Wani said, urging authorities to allow fishing at least twice a year.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTMC MP Saayoni Ghosh Reacts After BJP Leader’s Alleged Rs 1 Crore Beheading Remark‘The World Needs More Sambandh’: Iceland PM Kristrún Frostadóttir Praises PM Modi At Oslo SummitTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Pulls Out Of Falta Re-Poll 2 Days Before Voting | Headlines@9Out On Bail, Rape Accused Gets Grand Welcome In UP’s GhaziabadKanpur: ITBP Soldier Carries Mother’s Severed Hand to Police HQ After Alleged Hospital NegligenceFrom Islampura Back To Krishan Nagar: Pakistan Moves To Restore Lahore’s Pre-Partition Names’New Sunrise’: Amit Shah Unveils Bastar Development Push, Slams Previous Congress GovtDelhi Court Rejects Umar Khalid’s Interim Bail Plea In 2020 Riots CaseTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Withdraws From Falta Repoll Days After ‘Pushpa’ Face-Off10 Arrests, 3 States: Meet The ‘Masterminds’ Of NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Now In CBI Custody123PhotostoriesJacqueline Fernandez turns Cannes 2026 into a vintage fashion fantasy with her glamorous sequin lookInside the Jolie-Pitt family: All about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s six childrenThink they’re polar bears? These 5 dogs can easily fool youDelhi records 44°C temperature: Ministry of Ayush recommends 12 foods and drinks for protection against heat-related illnessesVaping vs cigarettes: Why cancer doctors say young adults should stop believing the “safer alternative” mythSummer skincare tips: Natural ingredients to treat tanning and breakoutsMovies that were turned into popular web series: ‘LOTR,’ ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ and moreInside Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Rs. 96 crore net worth: Bungalow named after his father, pay packages, cars and everything you need to know10 surprising facts about gharials that make them different from other crocodiliansMeet the eyelash viper: One of nature’s most striking snakes123Hot PicksSBI apprentice recruitment 2026US Iran warCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation 2026Gold price predictionAdani Group stocksNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingTwisha SharmaJEE AdvancedFifa World Cup 2026Subnautica 2 Enameled Glass GuideWWE Raw HighlightsIPL 2026IPL Orange Cap 2026India VS Afghanistan Squad AnnouncementLeviathan in Subnautica 2Fuel Price Hike


Villagers keep Kashmir spring alive with clean-and-fish fest

SRINAGAR: Panzath Nag has been flowing for ages. So have celebrations. Now, bigger ripples of prominence and excitement course through the brook in south Kashmir’s Qazigund after a 400-year-old community cleaning and fishing festival tied to it seeped into an episode of PM Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat.This time, the Panzath fest fervour crested last weekend on May 17 when hundreds fanned out across the stream, dipping wicker baskets and lifting them out with fish, weeds and debris before emptying them along the banks.The dip-and-lift desilting drill wasn’t desultory — the participants sent up lusty cheers, peppering them with local folk songs. Some tuned in with Bollywood chartbusters. Hundreds more, who had come from various parts of the Valley, stood by the banks, egging on the filth fighters.Rao Farman Ali, an environmental activist and author, said Panzath Nag originates in Qazigund’s Panzath village, feeding a wider network of springs and helping irrigate dozens of villages. “The festival is an occasion for celebration but, more importantly, a community service as it helps desilt the spring. We can say it is an agricultural festival ahead of the paddy sowing season in mid-May,” Ali said.The word Panzath is believed to have originated from Paanch Haath, meaning five hundred. Legend has it that 500 springs once flowed through the area. Though most have disappeared over time, the community’s commitment to preserving its water heritage continues through this unique annual fishing-and-cleaning festival.The effort gained national recognition when PM Modi mentioned it in Mann Ki Baat in 2023, praising the villagers for taking collective responsibility for protecting and restoring vital water sources.Since then, enthusiasm has grown, as have participants and spectators. “I have seen this (celebration) every year since childhood and heard from elders that it began nearly 400 years ago,” said local villager Abdul Aziz (70).Gul Wani, former head of political science department at University of Kashmir, travelled 75km from Srinagar to witness the festival. “My sense is that it dates back to the Mughal era. What was once seen largely as a celebration has acquired more importance in modern times amid growing concerns over climate change and shrinking water bodies,” Wani said. He emphasised that the stream is the lifeline of the area and called for govt efforts to help protect the spring from gradual erosion and declining capacity.Amid the swirl of joy, a much-awaited bonus is fishing, more so as it is allowed only once a year — on Panzath festival day. “Hundreds spend an entire day cleaning and if they catch some fish along the way, it needs to be appreciated,” Wani said, urging authorities to allow fishing at least twice a year.



Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related News

– SANGRUR: An underground electricity wiring project was launched by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on a pilot basis in his native Satoj village here, calling it a first-of-its-kind initiative to transform the state into the country’s first state with pole-free villages.Mann said this project will prevent crop fires, fatal accidents and frequent power disruptions caused by overhead lines, while also freeing villages from the maze of dangerous poles and tangled wires.Under the pilot project, 384 electricity poles will be removed from Satoj and underground cables will be laid without digging roads.Calling the “Satoj Model” a roadmap for the entire country, Mann said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has fulfilled its promise of creating wire-free villages for Punjab’s farmers and asserted that underground power supply would also end the politics surrounding installation of electricity poles in villages.”Today is a historic day for the villages of Punjab as a major project to free villages from the web of electricity wires and unnecessary poles is being launched from here.”Under this pilot project, all overhead electricity lines in Satoj will be shifted underground at a cost of around Rs 8 crore. This is the first-ever project in the country, and with this initiative Punjab will emerge as a model project for the entire nation,” Mann said while addressing a gathering here.Explaining the technical details of the project, Mann stated, “Under this project, seven kilometers of high tension lines, 9.5 kilometers of low tension lines, and 41 kilometers of service cables connecting 800 consumers’ homes will be laid underground.”All high tension lines connected from the 66 KV Grid Satoj to the village through three 11 KV feeders and linked to 28 transformers will go underground. Thereafter, in a historic initiative, all low tension lines from the 28 transformers to the meter boxes will also be laid underground, he said.The cables connecting meter boxes to all households will likewise be undergrounded, due to which 384 unnecessary electricity poles will be removed.A special feature of the project is that roads will not need to be dug up for laying underground cables because trenchless drilling machines will be used to install underground pipes. These pipes will be laid three feet beneath the ground, which will prove to be a major boon for common people, he said.Highlighting risks posed by overhead electricity wires, Mann said electricity poles and overhead wires pose the risk of electrocution to animals and people, especially children.Accidents frequently occur when tractors, combine harvesters, and other vehicles come into contact with overhead wires.Similarly, incidents of crop fires lead to significant losses for farmers.Rain, storms and strong winds damage poles and wires, disrupting electricity supply and causing financial losses to the power corporation, he said.The network of poles and wires also affects the aesthetic appearance of villages. With high tension and low tension lines shifted underground, electricity leakage will be eliminated, reducing transmission and distribution losses, said Mann.”Villages will receive uninterrupted power supply, underground wiring will significantly reduce accidents, incidents of crop fires caused by power lines will be prevented, and rain and strong winds will no longer disrupt electricity supply. Removal of unnecessary poles and tangled wires will further enhance the beauty and appearance of villages.”Recalling tragic incidents from the village, Mann said, “Three young men from this village had lost their lives due to electric shocks involving combine harvesters. They were the only breadwinners for their families. This project is a tribute to those young men because such tragic incidents should never occur in future.”Referring to the anti-sacrilege legislation, Mann said the state government enacted it against sacrilege, with provisions for punishment up to life imprisonment, to ensure that no one dares to disrespect Guru Granth Sahib in future.”Previous rulers neither had the intent nor the will to enact a law to check sacrilege, because of which desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji became a regular feature during their regimes. However, the Act passed by the Punjab government will put an end to this because no one will ever dare to indulge in this unpardonable offence,” he said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘The World Needs More Sambandh’: Iceland PM Kristrún Frostadóttir Praises PM Modi At Oslo SummitTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Pulls Out Of Falta Re-Poll 2 Days Before Voting | Headlines@9Out On Bail, Rape Accused Gets Grand Welcome In UP’s GhaziabadKanpur: ITBP Soldier Carries Mother’s Severed Hand to Police HQ After Alleged Hospital NegligenceFrom Islampura Back To Krishan Nagar: Pakistan Moves To Restore Lahore’s Pre-Partition Names’New Sunrise’: Amit Shah Unveils Bastar Development Push, Slams Previous Congress GovtDelhi Court Rejects Umar Khalid’s Interim Bail Plea In 2020 Riots CaseTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Withdraws From Falta Repoll Days After ‘Pushpa’ Face-Off10 Arrests, 3 States: Meet The ‘Masterminds’ Of NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Now In CBI CustodyNationwide Chemists’ Strike Explained: Why 12.4 Lakh Pharmacies Are Protesting Against E-Pharmacies123PhotostoriesInside the Jolie-Pitt family: All about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s six childrenThink they’re polar bears? These 5 dogs can easily fool youDelhi records 44°C temperature: Ministry of Ayush recommends 12 foods and drinks for protection against heat-related illnessesVaping vs cigarettes: Why cancer doctors say young adults should stop believing the “safer alternative” mythSummer skincare tips: Natural ingredients to treat tanning and breakoutsMovies that were turned into popular web series: ‘LOTR,’ ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ and moreInside Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Rs. 96 crore net worth: Bungalow named after his father, pay packages, cars and everything you need to know10 surprising facts about gharials that make them different from other crocodiliansMeet the eyelash viper: One of nature’s most striking snakesCannes 2026: Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse make a surprise baby bump reveal look like high fashion123Hot PicksSBI apprentice recruitment 2026US Iran warCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation 2026Gold price predictionAdani Group stocksNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingTwisha SharmaJEE AdvancedFifa World Cup 2026Subnautica 2 Enameled Glass GuideWWE Raw HighlightsIPL 2026IPL Orange Cap 2026India VS Afghanistan Squad AnnouncementLeviathan in Subnautica 2Fuel Price Hike

– SANGRUR: An underground electricity wiring project was launched by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on a pilot basis in his native Satoj village here, calling it a first-of-its-kind initiative to transform the state into the country’s first state with pole-free villages.Mann said this project will prevent crop fires, fatal accidents and frequent power disruptions caused by overhead lines, while also freeing villages from the maze of dangerous poles and tangled wires.Under the pilot project, 384 electricity poles will be removed from Satoj and underground cables will be laid without digging roads.Calling the “Satoj Model” a roadmap for the entire country, Mann said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has fulfilled its promise of creating wire-free villages for Punjab’s farmers and asserted that underground power supply would also end the politics surrounding installation of electricity poles in villages.”Today is a historic day for the villages of Punjab as a major project to free villages from the web of electricity wires and unnecessary poles is being launched from here.”Under this pilot project, all overhead electricity lines in Satoj will be shifted underground at a cost of around Rs 8 crore. This is the first-ever project in the country, and with this initiative Punjab will emerge as a model project for the entire nation,” Mann said while addressing a gathering here.Explaining the technical details of the project, Mann stated, “Under this project, seven kilometers of high tension lines, 9.5 kilometers of low tension lines, and 41 kilometers of service cables connecting 800 consumers’ homes will be laid underground.”All high tension lines connected from the 66 KV Grid Satoj to the village through three 11 KV feeders and linked to 28 transformers will go underground. Thereafter, in a historic initiative, all low tension lines from the 28 transformers to the meter boxes will also be laid underground, he said.The cables connecting meter boxes to all households will likewise be undergrounded, due to which 384 unnecessary electricity poles will be removed.A special feature of the project is that roads will not need to be dug up for laying underground cables because trenchless drilling machines will be used to install underground pipes. These pipes will be laid three feet beneath the ground, which will prove to be a major boon for common people, he said.Highlighting risks posed by overhead electricity wires, Mann said electricity poles and overhead wires pose the risk of electrocution to animals and people, especially children.Accidents frequently occur when tractors, combine harvesters, and other vehicles come into contact with overhead wires.Similarly, incidents of crop fires lead to significant losses for farmers.Rain, storms and strong winds damage poles and wires, disrupting electricity supply and causing financial losses to the power corporation, he said.The network of poles and wires also affects the aesthetic appearance of villages. With high tension and low tension lines shifted underground, electricity leakage will be eliminated, reducing transmission and distribution losses, said Mann.”Villages will receive uninterrupted power supply, underground wiring will significantly reduce accidents, incidents of crop fires caused by power lines will be prevented, and rain and strong winds will no longer disrupt electricity supply. Removal of unnecessary poles and tangled wires will further enhance the beauty and appearance of villages.”Recalling tragic incidents from the village, Mann said, “Three young men from this village had lost their lives due to electric shocks involving combine harvesters. They were the only breadwinners for their families. This project is a tribute to those young men because such tragic incidents should never occur in future.”Referring to the anti-sacrilege legislation, Mann said the state government enacted it against sacrilege, with provisions for punishment up to life imprisonment, to ensure that no one dares to disrespect Guru Granth Sahib in future.”Previous rulers neither had the intent nor the will to enact a law to check sacrilege, because of which desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji became a regular feature during their regimes. However, the Act passed by the Punjab government will put an end to this because no one will ever dare to indulge in this unpardonable offence,” he said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘The World Needs More Sambandh’: Iceland PM Kristrún Frostadóttir Praises PM Modi At Oslo SummitTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Pulls Out Of Falta Re-Poll 2 Days Before Voting | Headlines@9Out On Bail, Rape Accused Gets Grand Welcome In UP’s GhaziabadKanpur: ITBP Soldier Carries Mother’s Severed Hand to Police HQ After Alleged Hospital NegligenceFrom Islampura Back To Krishan Nagar: Pakistan Moves To Restore Lahore’s Pre-Partition Names’New Sunrise’: Amit Shah Unveils Bastar Development Push, Slams Previous Congress GovtDelhi Court Rejects Umar Khalid’s Interim Bail Plea In 2020 Riots CaseTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Withdraws From Falta Repoll Days After ‘Pushpa’ Face-Off10 Arrests, 3 States: Meet The ‘Masterminds’ Of NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Now In CBI CustodyNationwide Chemists’ Strike Explained: Why 12.4 Lakh Pharmacies Are Protesting Against E-Pharmacies123PhotostoriesInside the Jolie-Pitt family: All about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s six childrenThink they’re polar bears? These 5 dogs can easily fool youDelhi records 44°C temperature: Ministry of Ayush recommends 12 foods and drinks for protection against heat-related illnessesVaping vs cigarettes: Why cancer doctors say young adults should stop believing the “safer alternative” mythSummer skincare tips: Natural ingredients to treat tanning and breakoutsMovies that were turned into popular web series: ‘LOTR,’ ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ and moreInside Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Rs. 96 crore net worth: Bungalow named after his father, pay packages, cars and everything you need to know10 surprising facts about gharials that make them different from other crocodiliansMeet the eyelash viper: One of nature’s most striking snakesCannes 2026: Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse make a surprise baby bump reveal look like high fashion123Hot PicksSBI apprentice recruitment 2026US Iran warCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation 2026Gold price predictionAdani Group stocksNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingTwisha SharmaJEE AdvancedFifa World Cup 2026Subnautica 2 Enameled Glass GuideWWE Raw HighlightsIPL 2026IPL Orange Cap 2026India VS Afghanistan Squad AnnouncementLeviathan in Subnautica 2Fuel Price Hike

Vamsikrishna 0
Ahead of the first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) summit to be held in Delhi on June 1-2, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, in an interview, admitted that human-wildlife interactions are a challenge in “growing economies and densely populated landscapes”, even as he shared how India’s “coexistence-based management” approach is addressing the issue while protecting tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah. IBCA, headquartered in Delhi, was launched at India’s behest with the aim of conserving seven big cats — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma – in coordination with other countries. Except for Jaguar and Puma, India is home to five big cats. Excerpts:Have India’s rising big cat numbers matched the pace of habitat expansion? Isn’t the country’s existing approach simply crowding predators into shrinking landscapes, leading to wider human-wildlife conflict?India’s conservation approach is not limited to increasing big cat numbers alone; equal emphasis is being placed on habitat expansion, corridor connectivity, and landscape-level conservation. Over the last decade, India has expanded its network of protected areas, tiger reserves, eco-sensitive zones, and wildlife corridors while also strengthening habitat restoration and prey-base management. Importantly, nearly one-third of India’s tigers are now found outside core tiger reserves, which reflects improved landscape connectivity and dispersal across larger ecosystems. India’s focus today is on creating connected and resilient landscapes through corridor protection, wildlife-friendly infrastructure, community participation, and coexistence-based management approaches.Human-wildlife interactions are indeed a challenge in growing economies and densely populated landscapes, but India has adopted proactive measures such as early warning systems, rapid response teams, compensation mechanisms, and habitat management to address them. The broader objective is to ensure that conservation and development progress together in a balanced and sustainable manner.Are India’s conservation successes creating merely a ‘numbers narrative’ while overlooking genetic diversity, ecosystem health and coexistence indicators?India’s conservation approach has always gone far beyond a mere ‘numbers narrative’. Population recovery is important, but our broader focus is on securing healthy ecosystems, maintaining genetic diversity, strengthening habitat connectivity, and promoting long-term coexistence of people and wildlife. Today, India is increasingly adopting landscape-level conservation approaches that emphasize wildlife corridors, gene flow, prey-base management, ecosystem health, and climate resilience. Importantly, India has expanded protected areas, tiger reserves, and corridor conservation initiatives to maintain ecological connectivity and reduce isolation of wildlife populations.Equally important is coexistence. India’s conservation model recognizes that wildlife conservation in a densely populated country can succeed only through community participation, livelihood support, eco-development, and conflict mitigation measures. The success of India’s conservation efforts lies precisely in balancing ecological security with human well-being in shared landscapes.Is India becoming over-dependent on tiger-centric conservation at the cost of other big cats?It is absolutely incorrect to say this. India is home to five out of the world’s seven big cats. India’s wildlife conservation approach is holistic and multi-species in nature. While Project Tiger has been globally recognized for its success, India has simultaneously launched and strengthened several other flagship initiatives for different big cats and vulnerable species.Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Project Lion has been initiated for long-term conservation of Asiatic lions through habitat expansion, wildlife health management, and coexistence strategies. Project Cheetah represents the world’s first intercontinental translocation and reintroduction of a large carnivore, aimed at restoring grassland ecosystems.India has also significantly strengthened snow leopard conservation through the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India, community-based conservation, and high-altitude ecosystem protection. Leopard conservation is being addressed through landscape-level management, conflict mitigation, rescue centres, and monitoring initiatives across several states.Our broader approach is ecosystem-centric, acknowledging that conserving our five big cats as flagship species helps secure biodiversity, ecological connectivity, and climate resilience across landscapes. I want to highlight here that not just big cats, our conservation efforts also carry within its ambit sloth bear, gharial and dolphins. We have also made significant strides in protecting the endangered species of Great Indian Bustard and Amur Falcons.How can the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) ensure actionable cross-border cooperation? Will India push for a South Asian transboundary big cat conservation framework with Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar?The IBCA, initiated by PM Narendra Modi, can play a pivotal role in ensuring actionable cross-border cooperation by creating structured mechanisms for knowledge exchange, dissemination of best practices and institutional partnerships among range countries. Big cats do not recognize geopolitical boundaries, and therefore conservation efforts must increasingly adopt landscape-level and transboundary approaches.India already has several bilateral and regional cooperation mechanisms with neighbouring countries. Recently, India and Nepal signed an MoU on forests, wildlife, biodiversity conservation. India also has long standing cooperation frameworks on tiger conservation with Bhutan and Bangladesh, while technical collaborations and dialogue with Myanmar are continuing in areas of tiger monitoring and habitat management.Going forward, IBCA provides an important umbrella platform through which South Asian countries can further strengthen cooperation on landscape conservation, monitoring, and habitat management in shared ecosystems.What lessons have emerged from Project Cheetah in terms of habitat suitability, prey base, and long-term ecological viability in the presence of other big cats, mainly tigers, in huge numbers?Project Cheetah has generated important management lessons on habitat restoration, prey-base management, and long-term ecological planning. The project has reaffirmed that successful reintroduction requires not only suitable habitat and adequate prey density, but also long-term landscape connectivity and adaptive management. Kuno National Park and Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary were selected after extensive assessment of habitat suitability, prey availability, and low anthropogenic pressure.The project has also highlighted the importance of restoring grassland and open forest ecosystems. India’s broader approach is landscape-based, where different big cats occupy different ecological niches. Tigers, leopards, and cheetahs can coexist across larger landscapes with proper habitat management, prey augmentation, and monitoring. Importantly, Project Cheetah is being implemented through a phased and science-driven approach with continuous monitoring and adaptive management to ensure long-term ecological viability and coexistence within India’s diverse ecosystems.About the AuthorVishwa MohanVishwa Mohan is Senior Editor at The Times of India. He writes on environment, climate change, agriculture, water resources and clean energy, tracking policy issues and climate diplomacy. He has been covering Parliament since 2003 to see how politics shaped up domestic policy and India’s position at global platform. Before switching over to explore sustainable development issues, Vishwa had covered internal security and investigative agencies for more than a decade.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘The World Needs More Sambandh’: Iceland PM Kristrún Frostadóttir Praises PM Modi At Oslo SummitTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Pulls Out Of Falta Re-Poll 2 Days Before Voting | Headlines@9Out On Bail, Rape Accused Gets Grand Welcome In UP’s GhaziabadKanpur: ITBP Soldier Carries Mother’s Severed Hand to Police HQ After Alleged Hospital NegligenceFrom Islampura Back To Krishan Nagar: Pakistan Moves To Restore Lahore’s Pre-Partition Names’New Sunrise’: Amit Shah Unveils Bastar Development Push, Slams Previous Congress GovtDelhi Court Rejects Umar Khalid’s Interim Bail Plea In 2020 Riots CaseTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Withdraws From Falta Repoll Days After ‘Pushpa’ Face-Off10 Arrests, 3 States: Meet The ‘Masterminds’ Of NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Now In CBI CustodyNationwide Chemists’ Strike Explained: Why 12.4 Lakh Pharmacies Are Protesting Against E-Pharmacies123PhotostoriesThink they’re polar bears? These 5 dogs can easily fool youDelhi records 44°C temperature: Ministry of Ayush recommends 12 foods and drinks for protection against heat-related illnessesVaping vs cigarettes: Why cancer doctors say young adults should stop believing the “safer alternative” mythSummer skincare tips: Natural ingredients to treat tanning and breakoutsMovies that were turned into popular web series: ‘LOTR,’ ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ and moreInside Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Rs. 96 crore net worth: Bungalow named after his father, pay packages, cars and everything you need to know10 surprising facts about gharials that make them different from other crocodiliansMeet the eyelash viper: One of nature’s most striking snakesCannes 2026: Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse make a surprise baby bump reveal look like high fashionHigh blood pressure? 5 best foods to lower it naturally123Hot PicksSBI apprentice recruitment 2026US Iran warCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation 2026Gold price predictionAdani Group stocksNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingTwisha SharmaJEE AdvancedFifa World Cup 2026Subnautica 2 Enameled Glass GuideWWE Raw HighlightsIPL 2026IPL Orange Cap 2026India VS Afghanistan Squad AnnouncementLeviathan in Subnautica 2Fuel Price Hike

Ahead of the first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) summit to be held in Delhi on June 1-2, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, in an interview, admitted that human-wildlife interactions are a challenge in “growing economies and densely populated landscapes”, even as he shared how India’s “coexistence-based management” approach is addressing the issue while protecting tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah. IBCA, headquartered in Delhi, was launched at India’s behest with the aim of conserving seven big cats — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma – in coordination with other countries. Except for Jaguar and Puma, India is home to five big cats. Excerpts:Have India’s rising big cat numbers matched the pace of habitat expansion? Isn’t the country’s existing approach simply crowding predators into shrinking landscapes, leading to wider human-wildlife conflict?India’s conservation approach is not limited to increasing big cat numbers alone; equal emphasis is being placed on habitat expansion, corridor connectivity, and landscape-level conservation. Over the last decade, India has expanded its network of protected areas, tiger reserves, eco-sensitive zones, and wildlife corridors while also strengthening habitat restoration and prey-base management. Importantly, nearly one-third of India’s tigers are now found outside core tiger reserves, which reflects improved landscape connectivity and dispersal across larger ecosystems. India’s focus today is on creating connected and resilient landscapes through corridor protection, wildlife-friendly infrastructure, community participation, and coexistence-based management approaches.Human-wildlife interactions are indeed a challenge in growing economies and densely populated landscapes, but India has adopted proactive measures such as early warning systems, rapid response teams, compensation mechanisms, and habitat management to address them. The broader objective is to ensure that conservation and development progress together in a balanced and sustainable manner.Are India’s conservation successes creating merely a ‘numbers narrative’ while overlooking genetic diversity, ecosystem health and coexistence indicators?India’s conservation approach has always gone far beyond a mere ‘numbers narrative’. Population recovery is important, but our broader focus is on securing healthy ecosystems, maintaining genetic diversity, strengthening habitat connectivity, and promoting long-term coexistence of people and wildlife. Today, India is increasingly adopting landscape-level conservation approaches that emphasize wildlife corridors, gene flow, prey-base management, ecosystem health, and climate resilience. Importantly, India has expanded protected areas, tiger reserves, and corridor conservation initiatives to maintain ecological connectivity and reduce isolation of wildlife populations.Equally important is coexistence. India’s conservation model recognizes that wildlife conservation in a densely populated country can succeed only through community participation, livelihood support, eco-development, and conflict mitigation measures. The success of India’s conservation efforts lies precisely in balancing ecological security with human well-being in shared landscapes.Is India becoming over-dependent on tiger-centric conservation at the cost of other big cats?It is absolutely incorrect to say this. India is home to five out of the world’s seven big cats. India’s wildlife conservation approach is holistic and multi-species in nature. While Project Tiger has been globally recognized for its success, India has simultaneously launched and strengthened several other flagship initiatives for different big cats and vulnerable species.Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Project Lion has been initiated for long-term conservation of Asiatic lions through habitat expansion, wildlife health management, and coexistence strategies. Project Cheetah represents the world’s first intercontinental translocation and reintroduction of a large carnivore, aimed at restoring grassland ecosystems.India has also significantly strengthened snow leopard conservation through the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India, community-based conservation, and high-altitude ecosystem protection. Leopard conservation is being addressed through landscape-level management, conflict mitigation, rescue centres, and monitoring initiatives across several states.Our broader approach is ecosystem-centric, acknowledging that conserving our five big cats as flagship species helps secure biodiversity, ecological connectivity, and climate resilience across landscapes. I want to highlight here that not just big cats, our conservation efforts also carry within its ambit sloth bear, gharial and dolphins. We have also made significant strides in protecting the endangered species of Great Indian Bustard and Amur Falcons.How can the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) ensure actionable cross-border cooperation? Will India push for a South Asian transboundary big cat conservation framework with Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar?The IBCA, initiated by PM Narendra Modi, can play a pivotal role in ensuring actionable cross-border cooperation by creating structured mechanisms for knowledge exchange, dissemination of best practices and institutional partnerships among range countries. Big cats do not recognize geopolitical boundaries, and therefore conservation efforts must increasingly adopt landscape-level and transboundary approaches.India already has several bilateral and regional cooperation mechanisms with neighbouring countries. Recently, India and Nepal signed an MoU on forests, wildlife, biodiversity conservation. India also has long standing cooperation frameworks on tiger conservation with Bhutan and Bangladesh, while technical collaborations and dialogue with Myanmar are continuing in areas of tiger monitoring and habitat management.Going forward, IBCA provides an important umbrella platform through which South Asian countries can further strengthen cooperation on landscape conservation, monitoring, and habitat management in shared ecosystems.What lessons have emerged from Project Cheetah in terms of habitat suitability, prey base, and long-term ecological viability in the presence of other big cats, mainly tigers, in huge numbers?Project Cheetah has generated important management lessons on habitat restoration, prey-base management, and long-term ecological planning. The project has reaffirmed that successful reintroduction requires not only suitable habitat and adequate prey density, but also long-term landscape connectivity and adaptive management. Kuno National Park and Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary were selected after extensive assessment of habitat suitability, prey availability, and low anthropogenic pressure.The project has also highlighted the importance of restoring grassland and open forest ecosystems. India’s broader approach is landscape-based, where different big cats occupy different ecological niches. Tigers, leopards, and cheetahs can coexist across larger landscapes with proper habitat management, prey augmentation, and monitoring. Importantly, Project Cheetah is being implemented through a phased and science-driven approach with continuous monitoring and adaptive management to ensure long-term ecological viability and coexistence within India’s diverse ecosystems.About the AuthorVishwa MohanVishwa Mohan is Senior Editor at The Times of India. He writes on environment, climate change, agriculture, water resources and clean energy, tracking policy issues and climate diplomacy. He has been covering Parliament since 2003 to see how politics shaped up domestic policy and India’s position at global platform. Before switching over to explore sustainable development issues, Vishwa had covered internal security and investigative agencies for more than a decade.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘The World Needs More Sambandh’: Iceland PM Kristrún Frostadóttir Praises PM Modi At Oslo SummitTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Pulls Out Of Falta Re-Poll 2 Days Before Voting | Headlines@9Out On Bail, Rape Accused Gets Grand Welcome In UP’s GhaziabadKanpur: ITBP Soldier Carries Mother’s Severed Hand to Police HQ After Alleged Hospital NegligenceFrom Islampura Back To Krishan Nagar: Pakistan Moves To Restore Lahore’s Pre-Partition Names’New Sunrise’: Amit Shah Unveils Bastar Development Push, Slams Previous Congress GovtDelhi Court Rejects Umar Khalid’s Interim Bail Plea In 2020 Riots CaseTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Withdraws From Falta Repoll Days After ‘Pushpa’ Face-Off10 Arrests, 3 States: Meet The ‘Masterminds’ Of NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Now In CBI CustodyNationwide Chemists’ Strike Explained: Why 12.4 Lakh Pharmacies Are Protesting Against E-Pharmacies123PhotostoriesThink they’re polar bears? These 5 dogs can easily fool youDelhi records 44°C temperature: Ministry of Ayush recommends 12 foods and drinks for protection against heat-related illnessesVaping vs cigarettes: Why cancer doctors say young adults should stop believing the “safer alternative” mythSummer skincare tips: Natural ingredients to treat tanning and breakoutsMovies that were turned into popular web series: ‘LOTR,’ ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ and moreInside Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Rs. 96 crore net worth: Bungalow named after his father, pay packages, cars and everything you need to know10 surprising facts about gharials that make them different from other crocodiliansMeet the eyelash viper: One of nature’s most striking snakesCannes 2026: Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse make a surprise baby bump reveal look like high fashionHigh blood pressure? 5 best foods to lower it naturally123Hot PicksSBI apprentice recruitment 2026US Iran warCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation 2026Gold price predictionAdani Group stocksNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingTwisha SharmaJEE AdvancedFifa World Cup 2026Subnautica 2 Enameled Glass GuideWWE Raw HighlightsIPL 2026IPL Orange Cap 2026India VS Afghanistan Squad AnnouncementLeviathan in Subnautica 2Fuel Price Hike

Vamsikrishna 0
AI-generated image “We the people of India” saved the nation during Covid by “living like soldiers”. Today, citizens are again being asked to help the country by “living responsibly”.The language has changed from pandemic precautions to economic discipline, but the political pattern feels familiar.One way to detect coming trouble is to watch how governments speak. When administrations begin talking less about policy and more about behaviour — conserving fuel, avoiding excess spending, reducing travel, consuming responsibly — it often means the state is psychologically preparing society for harder economic measures.India has now seen this twice within five years: during Covid and now during the ongoing Gulf crisis triggered by the US-Israrel-Iran war.In both moments, governance shifted from direct administration to behavioural management. Citizens were no longer treated merely as taxpayers or voters, but as participants in national survival.The BJP-led NDA government has in the past resorted to direct administration when it believed it was necessary. Demonetisation, the rollout of GST are examples of high-impact executive action that had a huge impact on public life.However, during periods of economic or geopolitical stress, the Centre often changes tone before it changes policy.This is the politics of behavioural governance, and it may be one of the clearest early warning signs of a nation facing stress.The grammar of distressPrime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speech in Hyderabad carried echoes familiar to anyone who remembers the pandemic years. The message was framed as an appeal, not an emergency order. There was no announcement of rationing or restrictions. Instead, the emphasis was on restraint, conservation and collective responsibility.The tone mattered.Governments rarely begin crisis management with force. They begin with persuasion.Economists often describe this as behavioural economics applied to governance — influencing public decision-making through messaging rather than compulsion. Instead of immediately imposing harsh measures, governments attempt to gently reshape behaviour first: consume less fuel, postpone discretionary spending, reduce imports, avoid panic buying, travel differently, work from home where possible.“The basic economics is that behavioural appeals are generally fast and low-cost because major fiscal interventions—subsidies, tax changes, stimulus packages, rationing systems, or price controls — require legislative approval, budget allocation, administrative coordination, and so on. Whereas, behavioural appeals, or a sort of signal, which sometimes also called ‘demand-side adjustment through norms’, shift part of the adjustment burden onto citizens voluntarily, reducing immediate state expenditure,” said Surya Bhushan, an alumnus of CESP, JNU, and now economics professor at DMI, Patna.Adding a political logic to it, he said “behavioural messaging avoids politically painful policies”.Are crises psychological before they get administrative?Economic distress is not only about shortages or numbers on a spreadsheet. They are also about public emotion.Bhushan argues that governments increasingly recognise this psychological dimension.“Crises are often partly psychological … economic crises are not only about material shortages; expectations matter enormously. For instance, if consumers panic: they hoard, rush to banks, speculate, overbuy fuel, or trigger inflationary spirals. In this regard, behavioural appeals aim to stabilize expectations and reduce panic behaviour.”This helps explain why official communication during crises often sounds calm even when underlying risks are serious. The objective is not only economic management, but emotional management.The speech itself becomes an economic tool.That was visible during Covid. It is visible again now amid fears surrounding oil supply disruptions and instability in the Persian Gulf that has impacted countries across the globe.Has India seen this form of governance before?Yes, long before behavioural governance became an academic phrase, governments were already using it during moments of national stress.During the 1962 India-China war, then PM Jawaharlal Nehru appealed directly to citizens not merely for support, but for participation. Asking Indians to contribute to the Prime Minister’s National Defence Fund, he framed the war effort as a collective civic responsibility rather than a task for the state alone.“The hardships which our soldiers are facing are not unknown to you,” Nehru said, urging citizens to become “comrades in this great struggle”.The appeal was not only financial. It psychologically transformed civilians into stakeholders in national defence.A similar pattern emerged during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, when Lal Bahadur Shastri urged citizens to voluntarily fast once a week to conserve food supplies amid shortages. Importantly, Shastri reportedly implemented the practice within his own household before asking the country to follow, giving the appeal moral legitimacy.By the 1971 war and the Bangladesh refugee crisis, behavioural messaging had become even more explicit. With the country’s economy under severe strain, Indira Gandhi appealed for “stern national discipline” and sacrifice.“Our factories and farms must produce more. Our railways and our entire transport and communication system must work uninterruptedly,” she said, warning that “everything must be subordinated” to preserving national stability.What connects these moments across decades is the language of collective duty. During crises, governments begin treating citizens not simply as governed populations, but as instruments of national resilience.The current appeals around fuel conservation, restrained consumption and “duty-first” behaviour follow the same political grammar — only updated for a modern economy shaped by oil shocks, global supply chains and digital life.The recent fuel price increase is a case in point.Petrol and diesel prices are not just economic indicators in India. They are deeply political symbols. Fuel prices shape transport costs, food inflation and household budgets, affecting nearly every layer of daily life. That is perhaps why fuel prices were not raised in the last four years.Finally, when the fuel prices were hiked it was timed to avoid the ongoing assembly election period despite rising global crude prices linked to West Asian tensions. Economically, the increase reflected global pressures. Politically, the timing reflected management.And before citizens fully processed the implications, the language of conservation had already entered public discourse.Why oil shocks hit India so deeply?India’s vulnerability to energy shocks makes behavioural governance especially relevant.Bhushan points out that oil is not just another commodity in the Indian economy: “Of course, India is structurally vulnerable to a prolonged oil-supply disruption because crude oil sits at the center of multiple systems simultaneously: transport, agriculture, logistics, chemicals, inflation management, fiscal stability, and the rupee itself.”That interconnectedness explains why governments become cautious when disruptions emerge around the Strait of Hormuz or the wider Gulf region. A sustained oil shock quickly spills into inflation, transport costs, fertiliser prices, currency pressure and household budgets.“What needs to be kept in mind is that the government had already cushioned the impact by cutting the excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 at the end of March. That has significant fiscal impact on the finances of both the Central and state governments,” said Ananth Krishna Varahe, head of the Nation First Policy Research Centre (NFPRC).“As a country without significant petroleum resources, we are downstream of a huge oil shock that we have more or less not seen the full effect of. The Government of India has taken in my opinion a calibrated approach in managing that shock to the domestic economy, which was the only right approach,” he added.He further argued that rising prices were unavoidable “considering that the OMCs were making losses up to Rs 1,000 crore a day”.How does behavioural governance work?Behavioural governance works by making citizens feel like active participants in managing a national crisis rather than passive subjects of state control. Governments first shape public behaviour through emotion, symbolism and collective responsibility before enforcing stricter measures.The Covid-19 pandemic offered perhaps the clearest example of this strategy.Before the nationwide lockdown was announced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for a voluntary “Janta Curfew” on March 22, 2020. There was no immediate coercive enforcement attached to it. Yet millions across the country stayed indoors, roads emptied, markets shut and public life paused almost entirely.What made the appeal effective was not law, but psychological mobilisation.The language used during the period deliberately transformed ordinary citizens into participants in a national mission. PM Modi repeatedly framed the pandemic as a collective battle and citizens as “soldiers” fighting it together.A similar vocabulary is visible again in the current Gulf-linked economic stress. Speaking at a public event in Secunderabad, PM Modi argued that rising global energy prices and supply-chain disruptions required “collective restraint” and a “duty-first” approach from citizens, once again framing behavioural adjustment as part of a national response.“Crises are often partly psychological … economic crises are not only about material shortages; expectations matter enormously,” said Bhushan.Can everyone equally participate in ‘national sacrifice’?Behavioural governance works best when sacrifice appears collective. But in practice, the ability to participate in it is deeply unequal.The Covid experience exposed this divide sharply. While sections of the middle class shifted to online meetings, home offices and app-based services, millions of migrant workers and informal labourers faced immediate economic collapse once transportation systems shut down and work disappeared almost overnight.The migrant crisis during the lockdown became one of the starkest reminders of how unevenly national sacrifice is experienced. As cities closed and transport networks stopped, thousands of migrant workers were forced to walk hundreds of kilometres back to their villages, often without income, food or shelter. For many of them, “staying home” was never a realistic option because survival itself depended on physical mobility and daily wages.“Behavioural austerity has hard limits, we all know because of informality of the economy, like, a street vendor, factory worker, truck driver, or migrant labourer cannot easily ‘opt out’ of fuel dependence. So we still need to think and work towards energy security,” Bhushan said.Crisis management or shifting responsibility?Many argue that behavioural governance builds resilience during emergencies. Encouraging lower fuel consumption, restrained imports and moderated spending can genuinely reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves during periods of global instability.Critics, however, ask where responsible citizenship ends and the shifting of state responsibility begins.Varahe rejected the argument that responsibility is being outsourced to citizens. “The state responsibility has not been ‘shifted’. While there has been a ‘call to action’ from the PM himself, the Government has introduced measures to increase duty on imported gold or cap import of duty free gold. Similarly, the petrol/diesel prices have been increased. There are likely going to be many other measures that the Government will take.”He argued that the government is attempting to balance intervention with economic flexibility.“The line of thought is that the citizen should be pointed to ideal action, but not limited from making their own decisions.”Behavioural governance works because it turns citizens from passive recipients of policy into participants in crisis management. But it also raises a difficult question: how much of the burden of crisis should be absorbed by citizens themselves?That is why political language matters during uncertain times. When leaders begin speaking about discipline, restraint, conservation and sacrifice, they are also preparing society psychologically for the turbulence ahead.The speech becomes a policy instrument.And perhaps that is the real warning sign of a crisis – not when governments impose restrictions, but when they begin asking citizens to voluntarily change how they live.About the AuthorAastha JhaAastha Jha is a writer at The Times of India, covering politics. She also writes on business, global affairs, social issues, with a focus on policy, governance and their impact on everyday lives. Her work brings together reportage and analysis, tracking developments in India and abroad while examining the broader social and economic currents shaping public discourse.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘The World Needs More Sambandh’: Iceland PM Kristrún Frostadóttir Praises PM Modi At Oslo SummitTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Pulls Out Of Falta Re-Poll 2 Days Before Voting | Headlines@9Out On Bail, Rape Accused Gets Grand Welcome In UP’s GhaziabadKanpur: ITBP Soldier Carries Mother’s Severed Hand to Police HQ After Alleged Hospital NegligenceFrom Islampura Back To Krishan Nagar: Pakistan Moves To Restore Lahore’s Pre-Partition Names’New Sunrise’: Amit Shah Unveils Bastar Development Push, Slams Previous Congress GovtDelhi Court Rejects Umar Khalid’s Interim Bail Plea In 2020 Riots CaseTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Withdraws From Falta Repoll Days After ‘Pushpa’ Face-Off10 Arrests, 3 States: Meet The ‘Masterminds’ Of NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Now In CBI CustodyNationwide Chemists’ Strike Explained: Why 12.4 Lakh Pharmacies Are Protesting Against E-Pharmacies123PhotostoriesThink they’re polar bears? These 5 dogs can easily fool youDelhi records 44°C temperature: Ministry of Ayush recommends 12 foods and drinks for protection against heat-related illnessesVaping vs cigarettes: Why cancer doctors say young adults should stop believing the “safer alternative” mythSummer skincare tips: Natural ingredients to treat tanning and breakoutsMovies that were turned into popular web series: ‘LOTR,’ ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ and moreInside Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Rs. 96 crore net worth: Bungalow named after his father, pay packages, cars and everything you need to know10 surprising facts about gharials that make them different from other crocodiliansMeet the eyelash viper: One of nature’s most striking snakesCannes 2026: Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse make a surprise baby bump reveal look like high fashionHigh blood pressure? 5 best foods to lower it naturally123Hot PicksSBI apprentice recruitment 2026US Iran warCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation 2026Gold price predictionAdani Group stocksNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingTwisha SharmaJEE AdvancedFifa World Cup 2026Subnautica 2 Enameled Glass GuideWWE Raw HighlightsIPL 2026IPL Orange Cap 2026India VS Afghanistan Squad AnnouncementLeviathan in Subnautica 2Fuel Price Hike

AI-generated image “We the people of India” saved the nation during Covid by “living like soldiers”. Today, citizens are again being asked to help the country by “living responsibly”.The language has changed from pandemic precautions to economic discipline, but the political pattern feels familiar.One way to detect coming trouble is to watch how governments speak. When administrations begin talking less about policy and more about behaviour — conserving fuel, avoiding excess spending, reducing travel, consuming responsibly — it often means the state is psychologically preparing society for harder economic measures.India has now seen this twice within five years: during Covid and now during the ongoing Gulf crisis triggered by the US-Israrel-Iran war.In both moments, governance shifted from direct administration to behavioural management. Citizens were no longer treated merely as taxpayers or voters, but as participants in national survival.The BJP-led NDA government has in the past resorted to direct administration when it believed it was necessary. Demonetisation, the rollout of GST are examples of high-impact executive action that had a huge impact on public life.However, during periods of economic or geopolitical stress, the Centre often changes tone before it changes policy.This is the politics of behavioural governance, and it may be one of the clearest early warning signs of a nation facing stress.The grammar of distressPrime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speech in Hyderabad carried echoes familiar to anyone who remembers the pandemic years. The message was framed as an appeal, not an emergency order. There was no announcement of rationing or restrictions. Instead, the emphasis was on restraint, conservation and collective responsibility.The tone mattered.Governments rarely begin crisis management with force. They begin with persuasion.Economists often describe this as behavioural economics applied to governance — influencing public decision-making through messaging rather than compulsion. Instead of immediately imposing harsh measures, governments attempt to gently reshape behaviour first: consume less fuel, postpone discretionary spending, reduce imports, avoid panic buying, travel differently, work from home where possible.“The basic economics is that behavioural appeals are generally fast and low-cost because major fiscal interventions—subsidies, tax changes, stimulus packages, rationing systems, or price controls — require legislative approval, budget allocation, administrative coordination, and so on. Whereas, behavioural appeals, or a sort of signal, which sometimes also called ‘demand-side adjustment through norms’, shift part of the adjustment burden onto citizens voluntarily, reducing immediate state expenditure,” said Surya Bhushan, an alumnus of CESP, JNU, and now economics professor at DMI, Patna.Adding a political logic to it, he said “behavioural messaging avoids politically painful policies”.Are crises psychological before they get administrative?Economic distress is not only about shortages or numbers on a spreadsheet. They are also about public emotion.Bhushan argues that governments increasingly recognise this psychological dimension.“Crises are often partly psychological … economic crises are not only about material shortages; expectations matter enormously. For instance, if consumers panic: they hoard, rush to banks, speculate, overbuy fuel, or trigger inflationary spirals. In this regard, behavioural appeals aim to stabilize expectations and reduce panic behaviour.”This helps explain why official communication during crises often sounds calm even when underlying risks are serious. The objective is not only economic management, but emotional management.The speech itself becomes an economic tool.That was visible during Covid. It is visible again now amid fears surrounding oil supply disruptions and instability in the Persian Gulf that has impacted countries across the globe.Has India seen this form of governance before?Yes, long before behavioural governance became an academic phrase, governments were already using it during moments of national stress.During the 1962 India-China war, then PM Jawaharlal Nehru appealed directly to citizens not merely for support, but for participation. Asking Indians to contribute to the Prime Minister’s National Defence Fund, he framed the war effort as a collective civic responsibility rather than a task for the state alone.“The hardships which our soldiers are facing are not unknown to you,” Nehru said, urging citizens to become “comrades in this great struggle”.The appeal was not only financial. It psychologically transformed civilians into stakeholders in national defence.A similar pattern emerged during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, when Lal Bahadur Shastri urged citizens to voluntarily fast once a week to conserve food supplies amid shortages. Importantly, Shastri reportedly implemented the practice within his own household before asking the country to follow, giving the appeal moral legitimacy.By the 1971 war and the Bangladesh refugee crisis, behavioural messaging had become even more explicit. With the country’s economy under severe strain, Indira Gandhi appealed for “stern national discipline” and sacrifice.“Our factories and farms must produce more. Our railways and our entire transport and communication system must work uninterruptedly,” she said, warning that “everything must be subordinated” to preserving national stability.What connects these moments across decades is the language of collective duty. During crises, governments begin treating citizens not simply as governed populations, but as instruments of national resilience.The current appeals around fuel conservation, restrained consumption and “duty-first” behaviour follow the same political grammar — only updated for a modern economy shaped by oil shocks, global supply chains and digital life.The recent fuel price increase is a case in point.Petrol and diesel prices are not just economic indicators in India. They are deeply political symbols. Fuel prices shape transport costs, food inflation and household budgets, affecting nearly every layer of daily life. That is perhaps why fuel prices were not raised in the last four years.Finally, when the fuel prices were hiked it was timed to avoid the ongoing assembly election period despite rising global crude prices linked to West Asian tensions. Economically, the increase reflected global pressures. Politically, the timing reflected management.And before citizens fully processed the implications, the language of conservation had already entered public discourse.Why oil shocks hit India so deeply?India’s vulnerability to energy shocks makes behavioural governance especially relevant.Bhushan points out that oil is not just another commodity in the Indian economy: “Of course, India is structurally vulnerable to a prolonged oil-supply disruption because crude oil sits at the center of multiple systems simultaneously: transport, agriculture, logistics, chemicals, inflation management, fiscal stability, and the rupee itself.”That interconnectedness explains why governments become cautious when disruptions emerge around the Strait of Hormuz or the wider Gulf region. A sustained oil shock quickly spills into inflation, transport costs, fertiliser prices, currency pressure and household budgets.“What needs to be kept in mind is that the government had already cushioned the impact by cutting the excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 at the end of March. That has significant fiscal impact on the finances of both the Central and state governments,” said Ananth Krishna Varahe, head of the Nation First Policy Research Centre (NFPRC).“As a country without significant petroleum resources, we are downstream of a huge oil shock that we have more or less not seen the full effect of. The Government of India has taken in my opinion a calibrated approach in managing that shock to the domestic economy, which was the only right approach,” he added.He further argued that rising prices were unavoidable “considering that the OMCs were making losses up to Rs 1,000 crore a day”.How does behavioural governance work?Behavioural governance works by making citizens feel like active participants in managing a national crisis rather than passive subjects of state control. Governments first shape public behaviour through emotion, symbolism and collective responsibility before enforcing stricter measures.The Covid-19 pandemic offered perhaps the clearest example of this strategy.Before the nationwide lockdown was announced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for a voluntary “Janta Curfew” on March 22, 2020. There was no immediate coercive enforcement attached to it. Yet millions across the country stayed indoors, roads emptied, markets shut and public life paused almost entirely.What made the appeal effective was not law, but psychological mobilisation.The language used during the period deliberately transformed ordinary citizens into participants in a national mission. PM Modi repeatedly framed the pandemic as a collective battle and citizens as “soldiers” fighting it together.A similar vocabulary is visible again in the current Gulf-linked economic stress. Speaking at a public event in Secunderabad, PM Modi argued that rising global energy prices and supply-chain disruptions required “collective restraint” and a “duty-first” approach from citizens, once again framing behavioural adjustment as part of a national response.“Crises are often partly psychological … economic crises are not only about material shortages; expectations matter enormously,” said Bhushan.Can everyone equally participate in ‘national sacrifice’?Behavioural governance works best when sacrifice appears collective. But in practice, the ability to participate in it is deeply unequal.The Covid experience exposed this divide sharply. While sections of the middle class shifted to online meetings, home offices and app-based services, millions of migrant workers and informal labourers faced immediate economic collapse once transportation systems shut down and work disappeared almost overnight.The migrant crisis during the lockdown became one of the starkest reminders of how unevenly national sacrifice is experienced. As cities closed and transport networks stopped, thousands of migrant workers were forced to walk hundreds of kilometres back to their villages, often without income, food or shelter. For many of them, “staying home” was never a realistic option because survival itself depended on physical mobility and daily wages.“Behavioural austerity has hard limits, we all know because of informality of the economy, like, a street vendor, factory worker, truck driver, or migrant labourer cannot easily ‘opt out’ of fuel dependence. So we still need to think and work towards energy security,” Bhushan said.Crisis management or shifting responsibility?Many argue that behavioural governance builds resilience during emergencies. Encouraging lower fuel consumption, restrained imports and moderated spending can genuinely reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves during periods of global instability.Critics, however, ask where responsible citizenship ends and the shifting of state responsibility begins.Varahe rejected the argument that responsibility is being outsourced to citizens. “The state responsibility has not been ‘shifted’. While there has been a ‘call to action’ from the PM himself, the Government has introduced measures to increase duty on imported gold or cap import of duty free gold. Similarly, the petrol/diesel prices have been increased. There are likely going to be many other measures that the Government will take.”He argued that the government is attempting to balance intervention with economic flexibility.“The line of thought is that the citizen should be pointed to ideal action, but not limited from making their own decisions.”Behavioural governance works because it turns citizens from passive recipients of policy into participants in crisis management. But it also raises a difficult question: how much of the burden of crisis should be absorbed by citizens themselves?That is why political language matters during uncertain times. When leaders begin speaking about discipline, restraint, conservation and sacrifice, they are also preparing society psychologically for the turbulence ahead.The speech becomes a policy instrument.And perhaps that is the real warning sign of a crisis – not when governments impose restrictions, but when they begin asking citizens to voluntarily change how they live.About the AuthorAastha JhaAastha Jha is a writer at The Times of India, covering politics. She also writes on business, global affairs, social issues, with a focus on policy, governance and their impact on everyday lives. Her work brings together reportage and analysis, tracking developments in India and abroad while examining the broader social and economic currents shaping public discourse.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘The World Needs More Sambandh’: Iceland PM Kristrún Frostadóttir Praises PM Modi At Oslo SummitTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Pulls Out Of Falta Re-Poll 2 Days Before Voting | Headlines@9Out On Bail, Rape Accused Gets Grand Welcome In UP’s GhaziabadKanpur: ITBP Soldier Carries Mother’s Severed Hand to Police HQ After Alleged Hospital NegligenceFrom Islampura Back To Krishan Nagar: Pakistan Moves To Restore Lahore’s Pre-Partition Names’New Sunrise’: Amit Shah Unveils Bastar Development Push, Slams Previous Congress GovtDelhi Court Rejects Umar Khalid’s Interim Bail Plea In 2020 Riots CaseTMC Candidate Jahangir Khan Withdraws From Falta Repoll Days After ‘Pushpa’ Face-Off10 Arrests, 3 States: Meet The ‘Masterminds’ Of NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Now In CBI CustodyNationwide Chemists’ Strike Explained: Why 12.4 Lakh Pharmacies Are Protesting Against E-Pharmacies123PhotostoriesThink they’re polar bears? These 5 dogs can easily fool youDelhi records 44°C temperature: Ministry of Ayush recommends 12 foods and drinks for protection against heat-related illnessesVaping vs cigarettes: Why cancer doctors say young adults should stop believing the “safer alternative” mythSummer skincare tips: Natural ingredients to treat tanning and breakoutsMovies that were turned into popular web series: ‘LOTR,’ ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Dune: Prophecy,’ and moreInside Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Rs. 96 crore net worth: Bungalow named after his father, pay packages, cars and everything you need to know10 surprising facts about gharials that make them different from other crocodiliansMeet the eyelash viper: One of nature’s most striking snakesCannes 2026: Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse make a surprise baby bump reveal look like high fashionHigh blood pressure? 5 best foods to lower it naturally123Hot PicksSBI apprentice recruitment 2026US Iran warCBSE Class 12 re-evaluation 2026Gold price predictionAdani Group stocksNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingTwisha SharmaJEE AdvancedFifa World Cup 2026Subnautica 2 Enameled Glass GuideWWE Raw HighlightsIPL 2026IPL Orange Cap 2026India VS Afghanistan Squad AnnouncementLeviathan in Subnautica 2Fuel Price Hike

Vamsikrishna 0