The politics of empty words

How India remains poor: Has poverty become ‘hereditary’

Millions of Indian households transfer poverty to the next generation, making poverty eradication nearly impossible

Nepal's poor carry it off

As the Himalayan country's forestry scheme for the poor reaps rich dividends, its government entrusts more degraded areas to the underprivileged. …

Prices rise, not hunger

People prefer to eat less nutritious food than go hungry, says FAO

'Social protection: a safety net for agricultural households'

In the run up to World Food Day on October 16, a Food and Agriculture Organization report focuses on the role of social protection in …

Tackling poverty

INDIA: REDUCING POVERTY, ACCELERATING DEVELOPMENT, A WORLD BANK COUNTRY STUDY·Oxford University Press·New Delhi·260 pages

Grains of doubt

Rural affairs ministry rejects wage payment in kind under rural job scheme

Scheme against jobs

Government is bent upon shrinking jobs for the poor by fundamentally changing the rural employment guarantee scheme against the advice of its …

Paying farmers for ecological services

Dying for ration: No health aid for those without PDS cards

Ground report from Jharkhand villages shows many pending applications; Rejected applicants told quota for beneficiaries full

Job half done

25 per cent funds allocated to national rural employment scheme remain unspent

Mandla Brimful of thirst

Average rainfall: 1,300 mm Irrigation: 2% of gross cropped area

A natural secret

Policymakers don't need to go too far to eradicate poverty. The solution is as close as is a village well to a villager

Sarguja Losing battle

First district for tribal development Rampant deforestation Malnutrition and starvation deaths

Dungarpur A 'common' death

Once rich in forest and grazing land Now known as 20th century desert 68% population 'marginal and unemployed'

Phulbani Access to poverty

Sal forest worth: Rs 30,000 crore 85% population dependent on forest 65% people below poverty line

Heading towards a cliff

As India elects new government, the 12th Five Year Plan may no longer be pro-poor

Is India ready?

Effective social schemes need more than cash transfer

Bill will push PDS reform

Development economist JEAN DREZE, known for his work on issues such as hunger, famine, social and human development in India, child health and …

COVID-19 exposes fault lines in peri-urban areas

Lack of sanitation awareness prevails at a greater extent here; it is unclear how COVID-19-centric awareness campaigns will influence behavioral …

Letter

COVID-19 relief didn’t reach Jan Dhan a/cs of many women: Survey

At least 12,500 women Jan Dhan account holders across 13 states were surveyed; 16% reported their Jan Dhan accounts were either not operational, …

Last ditch attempt

UPA gives sops under MGNREGS to attract rural voters ahead of elections

GDP ignores cost to the environment

Can this flawed measure of growth be reversed?

Inheritance of loss

Whatever the poverty line, 50 per cent people in India will remain poor