What is good governance? How well can a person or a community access help or push for a needed change? How often are they heard? Village Square shines a light on the people and schemes making the biggest impact or providing the most unique solutions.
Governance
Water availability and quality in rural water supply
The aim of delivering clean water to rural homes has to address the twin challenges of sufficient local availability of this depleting resource and ensuring basic quality standards
Maize loses sheen for Bihar’s farmers
Seemanchal farmers, who switched from wheat and jute to water-friendly maize, are earning less despite high demand and good yield, and look to the government to intervene
It’s raining sand in Rayalaseema
Changes in crop patterns, waning forest cover, an explosion of borewells and the death of a river have produced dramatic effects on land, air, water and forests in Rayalaseema
Tribal and Dalit youth need new role models
There is need to promote talent among tribal and Dalit girls and boys and build them up as heroes in order to boost self-perception and identity of these depressed communities
Vineyards of hope amid Marathwada drought
Despite the drought gripping the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, one village in the region has flourished by growing grapes using innovative water saving methods
Uttar Pradesh youth help elderly access benefits
Lack of literacy and complicated documentation were hurdles that hampered financially dependent rural elderly from accessing the government’s welfare schemes. Educated youth are helping them get the benefits
Local communities restore Ansupa Lake in Odisha
In a remarkable turnaround, local communities have rejuvenated the weed-infested Ansupa Lake in Odisha in the span of just six months, boosting fishing and income opportunities from tourism
Peri-urban villages shrivel in expanding rings of dryness
The rapidly expanding cities in western and peninsular India are soaking up water from the surrounding countryside for their own needs, leaving peri-urban villages drier in an already water-scarce region
Is unsafe behavior linked to social order?
Awareness about safety measures appears to be divided along caste lines in rural Rajasthan. Educating children and frequent awareness programs would ensure villagers’ safety in everyday life