Interventions to stop child marriages raise hopes in Odisha

The pensive look of Devati Durua asks many questions. (Photo by Basudev Mahapatra)

The practice of underage marriage is acute in the tribal-dominated southern and southwestern parts of Odisha, but interventions on the ground are planting the seeds of change among adolescent girls and their parents

Breaking the norm of child marriage an uphill task in Uttar Pradesh

Child marriages are prevalent in many parts of India. (Photo by Naga Rick)

A detailed baseline study conducted in seven districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh shows that underage marriages are still widely prevalent, particularly in disadvantaged communities, and this practice holds back girls from realizing their full potential

Palghar tribal village says no to child marriages

Young girls of Shivali village in Mokhada are saying no to an early marriage. (Photo by Nidhi Jamwal)

Despite a long-held tradition of marrying off girls once they reach 15 years of age, a tribal village in the underdeveloped area of Maharashtra has stopped the ill-advised practice of child marriage for the past two years

Anaj Bank frees Dalits from fear of hunger in Bihar

Women in Patna district say the grain bank has released them from exploitation by landed farmers. (Photo by Mohd Imran Khan)

Community managed rice banks in several areas of Patna district in Bihar have released hundreds of Dalit families from the exploitative practices of powerful landlords by ensuring food during the lean season

Rural children in Tamil Nadu remain at risk from snakebites

Shanti Shanmugam of Vadugapatty village says her daughter Nandana is yet to recover fully from the snakebite she received as a child. (Photo by Sharada Balasubramanian)

An underreported tragedy, not enough is being done to contain and treat injuries and death of children in rural Tamil Nadu due to snakebites, although it affects around 15% to 19% of kids in the countryside

Are farmers collateral damage of modern economic growth?

Farmers in many parts of the country are unable to make a living from agriculture alone. (Photo by B.S. Ananth)

People living in villages, who are migrating in large numbers to urban spaces in search of livelihoods, could be victims of our economic development or perhaps the dismal income growth of farm households is semi-deliberate to keep labor costs low

Organic farming for better yields takes wing in Gujarat

A moringa crop is ready for harvest at a farm near Rajkot town. (Photo by Hiren Kumar Bose)

Inspired by examples of farmers earning ample returns through various techniques of chemicals-free farming, a farmers’ produce company in Rajkot is writing a new chapter on sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid zones

Community resource persons are torchbearers of a resurgent countryside

Community resource persons are reaching far corners of India to deliver the promise of development. (Photo by Asian Development Bank)

The silent revolution of community resource persons fanning out across the country in the past few years to deliver last-mile services needs to be strengthened to bridge the divide between shining and deprived India

Development a distant dream on Elephanta Island

A village woman in Elephanta cleans household utensils at a well that barely contains any water. (Photo by Gajanan Khergamker)

Finally set to get electricity 70 years into Independence, the development and availability of basic necessities of life such as clean drinking water or a health facility remains illusive at the three villages on Elephanta Island

Droughts, floods, and suicides: What Bihar can teach Maharashtra and other states

Despairing farmers driven to suicide has become a common phenomenon in India. (Photo by Prabhu B Doss)

A deeper dive is needed to draw insights from the low prevalence of farmer suicides in Bihar than in more developed regions of India such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh

Murshidabad children set example in local governance

The confident children of Bamuha village in Murshidabad district welcome visitors to their school. (Photo by Chhandosree)

Children in remote parts of Murshidabad district in West Bengal are taking an active role in community governance that not only let them tackle social ills at a tender age but also nurtures them as future community leaders

Wild animals spoil farmers’ hard work in Darjeeling

Phincho Tsering Dukpa has decided to sell more than half of his land because of frequent losses. (Photo by Athar Parvaiz)

Crop depredation by wildlife is one of the biggest problems facing the livelihood security of many farmers in Darjeeling, with most of them losing up to 40% of their crop every year

Vadu women emerge as agents of change as health recorders

Regular collection of health data helps in designing health and nutrition interventions. (Photo by Gouri Agtey Athale)

The regular recording to health-related data through computer tablets is helping in designing and implementing food, nutrition and healthcare interventions on the ground in several areas of Pune district

After defeating Posco, farmers turn to reclaim betel leaf economy

A betel leaf vineyard in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha. (Photo by Basudev Mahapatra)

The formal closure of Posco’s steel plant project in Odisha is seen as a victory of agrarian economy over unwanted industrialization and the betel leaf farmers of Jagatsinghpur are rejoicing, although those who lost their land face new challenges

Living with the clockwork floods of Barak River

The Barak River routinely floods its banks in the rainy season every year. (Photo by Monica Roy)

The state seems to be indifferent to the plight of the large number of people settled in the Barak Valley in southern Assam, and they are left to fend for themselves when the river routinely floods its banks every monsoon