Government tries to harvest success with farmer-friendly Budget

The 2016 Budget has the right intent for the rural sector, but lacks clarity

Political economy of welfare

The BJP-led government's change of heart for big-ticket rural programmes says a lot about its dwindling political fortune

It is official: The monsoon is the chief finance minister of India

Economic growth in 2016-17 depends critically on a good monsoon, says Economic Survey

The unbearable burden of 2015

This is the second full budget of the NDA, coinciding with the second year of its governance

Civil v political

Arguably, this is the hottest political summer for Delhi. Reason: friction between anti-corruption activists and the Union government over the …

15 lessons for India

As odd-even traffic restrictions in Delhi draw to a close, we highlight the takeaways from this massive community initiative to curb air …

The flame of forest rages on

A bureaucrat-turned-activist who saw governance through the eyes of the tribals

How not to sell a dream

2015 has many lessons for governance

‘Independent India worse for tribals’

Widely respected in the civil society, B D Sharma spent his life fighting for the rights of tribals for about four decades. Excerpts from a …

Power of the local

Panchayat elections almost contested with the Bihar poll. Is this desirable?

Uncultivated wisdom

India witnesses a revival of its uncultivated food culture through a boom in local food festivals

Poverty begets poverty

A 30-year survey of the poor gives a wake-up call

Severe cyclone strikes Odisha

It will continue ravage the coastal districts till early morning; scale of devastation will be known by late Sunday morning

2012 a drought year, accepts government

Met department delayed fresh monsoon forecast for a fortnight. El Nino is active

In deep water

Rivers Krishna and Mahanadi are in crisis. In the race to industrialise, states have drawn plans to exploit their last drop. For four decades, …

Rules of engagement

Thirty years on, what does the Narmada Bachao Andolan teach us?

Inheritance of loss

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

New poverty estimate scrapped

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh orders for new methodology

The great Western aid trick

Countries donate on condition that recipient nations buy goods from them, shows a report

Kind to cash

The government has a plan to reach welfare to the poor without wasting money. It wants to put hard cash in their hands instead of spending on …

Rights without benefits

Over 1.3 million tribals and forest dwellers have got rights over the land they had been using for years under the Forest Rights Act. This can, …

Eye on the storm

Cyclone Phailin has not taken many lives but has left behind a trail of destruction that severely cripples people’s livelihood. What did it …

El Nino fallout: food prices to shoot northward

The weather phenomenon will bring down production, increase food prices worldwide

Veggies delight

The rising demand for vegetables has opened up a money-making opportunity for small farmers. Already reeling from recurring droughts and …

Environment Day: Green agenda for new government

Get the focus on environment and health, Mr Prime Minister