Governance
Protesting farmers won’t back down
Despite a victory, protesting farmers show no sign of ending their demonstration on the roads outside Delhi, with thousands heading into the capital to mark the first-year anniversary of their protest.
Home insurance ignored by market and government
Natural disasters cost India dearly. Home insurance could be the answer, yet uptake is abysmally low. Who is missing a trick – home owners, the insurance industry or the government?
Mahatma’s dream in a digital world
Can Gandhi’s idea of self-reliant villages work today? Using technology, villagers can discover markets for natural homemade products they can produce.
Community ensures sustenance of vital ancient ponds
By ensuring regular maintenance and by preventing encroachment, villagers who consider their water bodies as sacred, protect centuries-old life-sustaining ponds.
Lockdown initiative links villagers to social welfare benefits
Mission Gaurav, an initiative to support rural households during the lockdown, makes villagers aware of various government welfare schemes and helps them access the entitlements.
Rural job guarantee program sequesters tons of carbon
MGNREGS, the anti-poverty scheme has ensured food security to millions, especially during the pandemic. The natural asset created through the scheme helps in carbon capture
Women volunteers allay vaccine fears in Jharkhand
Acting as a bridge between communities and public health services, setu didis addressed the concerns of villagers and convinced them to get vaccinated.
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