INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON SOCIAL SECURITY AS A HUMAN RIGHT

SCHOOL OF LEGAL STUDIES, COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Felicitation

PROF. (DR.) P. G. SANKARAN, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Cochin University of Science and Technology

SARVESWARAN, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo Sri Lanka

Dr. Vani Kesari, A., Director School of Legal Studies, CUSAT

Dr.  Aneesh V Pillai, My teacher colleagues, students and delegates,

1. Every return to CUSAT is nostalgic, as CUSAT is my Alma Mater. I studied my Masters in Physics.
2. On receiving this invitation, I thought: What will an engineer tell Lawyers?
   1. Tip from Chief Justice of India, Sharad Arvind Bobde: Engineering solutions are sought to settle large number of pending cases in the courts across India. E.g. AI
   2. Law curriculum of future may contain some lessons in engineering too!!
3. Topic of conference: Social Security as a Human Right
   1. Economists’ Insights 1: Social Security is a solid foundation for prosperity of any nation

                                                   i.      Nobel Laureate 1998_ Amartya Sen: “for his contributions to welfare economics.”: Welfare as necessary condition for economic progress of nations

                                                 ii.      Nobel Peace Prize 2006: Muhammad Yunus "for their efforts to create economic and social development from below."

                                               iii.      Nobel Laureates 2020_Abijith Banergi and Esther Duflo: Universal Basic Income: a model for providing all citizens of a country with a given sum of money, regardless of their income, resources or employment status. The purpose of the UBI is to prevent or reduce poverty and increase equality among citizens.

1. One of the Poll promise of UPA in India in 2019 elections
2. Environmentalist’ Insights 2: Environmental sustainability is key to prosperity of any nation

                                                   i.      Exploitative economies create global warming, which is a climate killer, which in turn will kill those economies

1. Does Legal System lag behind enlightened economic and environmental visions?

                                                   i.      Policy making is cumbersome

                                                 ii.      Legislation has slowed down

                                               iii.      Can technology come to legislators, law-keepers, and lawyers help?

1. India’s Unique Legislation: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA or MANREGA) 2005

                                                   i.      Job Security against some contribution to the nation building

                                                 ii.      Today there is a call to improve the Demand in rural India to save Economy!

1. Executive lacks decisiveness in implementation of MANREGA

                                                   i.      Not sufficient allocation for MGNREGA in Indian Budget 2020

1. f.        Discussion in the West: Does excessive Social Security kill creativity of the people?
2. g.       Lawyers’ Community need to discuss and debate to come out with creative solution

“I wish all the best to the International Seminar on Social Security as a Human Right!!”