Governance
How can rural India prepare for a third wave
Experience from Jharkhand proves that synergic effort involving local administration, community collectives and civil society organizations can help villages face COVID-19 third wave.
Decentralization to localization: Collectives and local development
Community collectives working alongside local administration have reversed pandemic situation and ensured livelihood support. With concomitant procedural measures, the synergy can continue beyond the pandemic
Decentralization to localization: the emerging community–PRI–government compact
As communities rose to fill the lacunae in rural public systems, it is time the potential of the social capital was recognized, and grassroots institutions strengthened for rural transformation
When hazards overlap – flood preparedness during pandemic
Planning and preparedness for floods during the pandemic should be tailor-made for regions, as the impact would be different across flood typologies
Mandatory registering on Co-WIN hampers universal vaccination
Erratic mobile connectivity, digital illiteracy and lack of devices to access the portal have made inclusivity in vaccination impossible in remote villages of Odisha
Bihar floods and COVID-19 – Is there a connection?
As available data point to a probable connection between floods and a higher incidence of positive coronavirus cases, the overlap needs to be considered in planning for 2021 monsoon
Community restores grasslands, makes village drought-resilient
Grasslands conservation, initiated to ensure water availability has increased the water table, resulting in reverse migration and cultivation of crops, and prevention of soil erosion
Community ensures forest protection and sustainable management
Van panchayats, which are local forest management institutions with elected representatives, ensure protection of forests by reviving and conserving water sources and by adopting fire prevention measures
Where are the women in water governance?
Women contribute equally to livelihood activities involving water. Yet they are absent in the decision-making processes, since only domestic water management is seen as their responsibility
Self-help groups effect social change in villages
Freeing themselves from the restraints of veils, rural women have become empowered to make financial contributions to the household and raise their voice for village needs
Community prevents pollution, keeps lake clean
By taking all possible preventive measures, community ensures Tsogmo Lake, a popular tourist destination in Sikkim with rich biodiversity, remains tidy and pollution free
Administrators hope to appease relocated tribes of Simlipal
With International Forest Day, observed on 21 March, and news of forest fires in Simlipal, the biosphere's administrators hope to change mindset of relocated forest dwellers with education and employment
Community involvement improves waste management
With awareness lacking in rural areas, waste management is an issue, especially in tourist attractions. A multi-stakeholder model, with the community at the helm shows the way
Visitor toll helps tribes develop their villages
District administration permits tribes to collect toll from tourists visiting Kataki waterfall. With the revenue, the toll committee upgrades the village and waterfalls, besides helping the needy
Empowered rural women demonstrate leadership skills
Providing an enabling environment transforms and empowers rural women. Building on their abilities, the women realize their potential to lead and become change makers
How rural India showed resilience, synergy during lockdown
Republic Day is an ideal occasion to celebrate rural India’s positive progress. VillageSquare recollects how communities used the lockdown productively, despite difficulties and loss of livelihoods.
Cash crop cotton loses lustre for Ganjam farmers
Lack of transportation and marketing facilities and exploitation by private money lenders have forced cotton growers to cultivate other crops despite cotton’s potential for good returns
Dairy cooperative leads to empowerment of women
Women who were confined to their homes became dairy farmers as SHG members, subsequently forming a self-reliant cooperative. It has resulted in empowering them socially and financially
Odisha fares poorly in women’s safety, despite government efforts
Statistics reveal rampant gender-based violence and inequality in Odisha. A concerted multi-stakeholder effort is needed to bring about change, as government initiatives are slow in bearing results
Tribes hope to revive degenerated agriculture through development plan
Development eluded two remote Irula tribal villages in Western Ghats. Through Tribal Sub-Plan being implemented, they hope to revive agriculture that once kept them self-sufficient