As told to Parliament (March 19, 2021): No special plan for children under 15 impacted by pandemic
All that was discussed in the House through the day
COVID-19: Bihar profiles returned migrant workers for skills
The industry department has profiled skills of more than 80,000 migrant workers so far
Rural development
Several flagship schemes have faced huge cuts in annual allocation
Graft claims in MGNREGA squeezing poor workers, millions unpaid for months
Zero funds to Bengal, Lakshadweep this year, Centre admits in Parliament; activists ask to use pre-existing mechanisms to handle graft
Making migrants count: The role of Indian judiciary amid COVID-19 pandemic
The Supreme Court’s recent order has shifted the focus from protecting workers’ legal rights to government largesse
How MGNREGA is promoting climate-smart villages
The works include constructing percolation tanks, households living in the catchment area for construction of check dams, afforestation, contour&…
Parched no more: MGNREGA enables multi-cropping in Bundelkhand’s Himmatpura
A check dam has allowed a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Jalaun district to grow crops in two cycles
Secure from drought: How MGNREGA changed lives in Bandlapalli
The village from where the scheme was launched in India, has remained untouched by drought in a water-scarce region
What did the UPA in?
The Congress alliance risked running a welfare programme-oriented government while at the same time giving a consumerist direction to the economy
Bihar lowers wage under MGNREGA
State blames poor financial condition for the move
Critiquing globalisation
In Churning the Earth, The Making of Global India, environmentalist Ashish Kothari and economist Aseem Shrivastava put India's much-hyped growth …
In rural West Bengal, debts mount and socioeconomic fabric collapses in absence of MGNREGS
Local economy hangs by a thread as residents desperately demand revival of the rural employment scheme
As told to Parliament (February 10, 2021): Some 37,439 villages in India without 3G/4G coverage
As told to Parliament (September 18, 2020): 10,281 Indian farmers died by suicide in 2019
Government tries to harvest success with farmer-friendly Budget
The 2016 Budget has the right intent for the rural sector, but lacks clarity
A quick fix: How ponds built under MGNREGA turned lives around
The realisation that ponds can rapidly recharge groundwater has increased demand for MGNREGA
Drought forever
Severe drought strikes India every eight to nine years and is a major reason for perpetuating poverty
MGNREGS: How the employment guarantee scheme holds up after 14 years
The scheme helped villagers beat poverty, created assets; Despite criticisms, it's time to ready MGREGS 2.0
Monsoon deficit spikes rural job demand under MGNREGS
Job demands in some states higher than recorded in COVID-19 pandemic
Critical to look beyond Bihar’s MGNREGA employment numbers
Agro-ecological suitability of MGNREGA works and created assets driving these employment figures are key lenses
How historical methods helped landless farmers earn a living
Farmers revive traditional retention ponds that drain water during floods and retain moisture in droughts
Water-stressed in India: Curious case of 2 neighbouring Telangana districts
The contrast in the districts’ JSA rankings was due to proper implementation of schemes
A million opportunities lost
The ruling alliance’s flagship rural employment programme took unprecedented strides in creating water conservation structures across the …
Big hikes in rural spending
Funds for MGNREGA maintained at Rs.33,000 crore, same as in 2012-13
What led to UPA’s downfall in Maharashtra
Besides high profile scams that dented the image of the Congress-NCP alliance, their government failed to reach welfare benefits to the poor and …