Governance
Tarapur villages use saltpan to harvest water
Although land and groundwater around the Tarapur atomic plant had turned saline due to seawater ingress and presence of a saltpan, villagers have successfully redeemed and reclaimed the land
Tur dal farmers left in the lurch due to tardy procurement
Farmers cultivating pigeon pea continue to suffer losses because of inadequate preparation on the ground for government procurement even as India aims for self-sufficiency in lentil production
Poorly designed check dams leave Birbhum farmers high and dry
As against government’s promise to make water available through the seasons, inadequate check dams have not brought any relief to farmers in this semi-arid region who continue to struggle for sustenance
What technology does the poor need?
Although it is true that the poor needs affordable technological solutions that meet their requirements, these solutions frequently fail to account for their aspirations and often do not offer what the user really wants
Permaculture sets new agenda for agriculture in Telangana
Many progressive farmers in Telangana are turning barren land into productive farms by adopting permaculture, which involves developing a sustainable and self-sufficient agricultural ecosystem
Gujarat’s cleanliness success exists only in numbers
Although Gujarat was declared open defecation free in October 2017 based on the number of toilets constructed as part of the Swachh Bharat mission, the ground reality is different in the rural areas of the state
Landless Musahars continue their wait for development
Marginalized and landless, Musahars have become free from bonded labor, yet continue to suffer social discrimination and financial hardships, hoping for government schemes to deliver
Deepsea fishermen need early warning after Cyclone Ockhi
Hundreds of lives could have been saved from the ravages of Cyclone Ockhi if deepsea fishermen were able to carry better communications gear onboard and if there was a better system of early storm warning
New drought manual may aggravate farm distress
Strict parameters set by the central government has made it tougher for the states to declare a drought and seek relief funds from New Delhi
Madhya Pradesh farmers unite to fight lantana infestation
Villages in eastern Madhya Pradesh have come together to rid their land of lantana, an invasive species that have taken over 4% of the India’s land area, and have reclaimed their farms by cultivating millets and oilseeds
Does rural India have a level field for opportunities and aspirations?
Unless children growing up in India’s villages have access to equality of opportunity in its broadest sense, it is unlikely that they will ever be able to soar like a kite but will be condemned to live the life of a grasshopper
Community rebuilds life after Cyclone Phailin wrecked their fishing hamlet
Ravaged by Cyclone Phailin, people of a fishing village buried their differences and emerged with a strong sense of unity to rebuild their lives at a relocation site
Musahars in Bihar struggle to educate their children
Derided as eater of rats, a large number of Mushahars in Bihar villages see education of their children as the only way out of the oppression they face daily but the going is still tough
Digital inclusion still far from rural India
Even as a digital revolution sweeps across India, people in the more impoverished and remote parts of the country have to struggle to bridge the digital divide and a level playing field is still a distant dream
Cooking imposes heavy burden on rural women
The simple act of cooking takes on a difficult dimension due to lack of easy access to fuel and water, forcing women in rural India to walk long distances to get them, increasing drudgery and leading to health hazards that call for immediate action
God’s own country needs migrant workers to celebrate Christmas
In an ironic twist, Kerala today needs a large number of migrants to plug a labor shortage in a state that is well known for its people migrating out to the Gulf and various parts of India
What stops rural enterprises from growth and prosperity?
Any external intervener who seeks to promote rural enterprises must create credible incentives for villagers to make proactive lifestyle adjustments to become reliable and highly productive producers
How development arrived in Kapa Mal village
An underdeveloped village inhabited mostly by the Baiga tribal community has gone through a makeover under the parliamentarians’ model village scheme, emerging close to the envisaged adarsh gram
Better nurture needed for new producers’ organizations
Development professionals managing newly formed farmer producers’ organizations, while high on technical and social skills, have to be more market and management savvy to strengthen these nascent entities
Rural women start bank for economic transformation
Started by women in Chhattisgarh villages from their personal savings, the Sakhi Mahila Bank has not only boosted rural women’s income but also their confidence and economic independence