The Bikaner Development Authority Bill, 2025, passed by the Rajasthan Assembly, aims to establish a Bikaner Development Authority to regulate development activities in the Bikaner district. The bill was passed by voice vote, with the opposition Congress walking out of the House due to insufficient discussion. The bill was introduced …
The book is a compilation of articles written in 2005 and 2006 as part of a series about water and development. Most of the stories in the Asia Water Wire are the product of reporting on the ground by local journalists, many of whom attended a series of water workshops …
This booklet attempts to present: key issues in privatisation and commercialisation of water; global experiences of the promises and practices of privatisation, an overview of privatisation projects in the country, a broad picture of the commercialisation of the water sector under the reforms program, impacts of privatisation and commercialisation and …
Public discourse on the Singur imbroglio by and large revolves around how many landholders have handed over, or not handed over, their land to the government for the proposed Tata motorcar factory. It is as if the number of landowners is the sole indicator of the extent of
Since the 1990s, India has had an economic regime that has placed a premium on privatising enterprise. Liberalisation and globalisation are keywords of this regime. The frenetic rush to globalise is in large measure motivated by the desire to earn foreign exchange at any cost. In recent times, special economic …
With the upsurge of Naxal activity, there has been a rethink on development and land reform programmes. Some efforts are being made, especially by the centre, to push the programmes in tribal belts. The perception that Maoist violence is not just a law and order issue is gaining ground. In …
At a media-studded book release function, a leading editor was recounting a recent incident. He was travelling with a top Uttar Pradesh politician (who we will not name but call Mr A) in his brand new plane. The politician told him that the plane was a gift from a leading …
www.devcomm.org/worldbank/public.asp DEVELOPMENTTALK The first World Congress on Communication for Development (WCCD) will take place from October 25-27, 2006, in Rome, Italy. Organised by the World Bank, the Food and Agricultural Organization and the Communication Initiative Network, the congress will bring together communication professionals engaged in development initiatives, policy- and decision-makers, …
Newly formed states such as Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand are leaving no stones unturned to get the tag of "developed states'. And to get this tag, they are industrialising rapidly, putting at stake the basic livelihoods of people. The regulatory structure is, however, weak. Gautam Bandopadhyaya of the Nadi Ghati Morcha …
This study quantifies the tangible, economic benefits of a nongovernmental organization's social forestry project to local people and analyzes the potential return from this investment in natural capital. The analysis was conducted in the Kumaun hill region of Uttaranchal, India, using participatory rapid appraisal, household survey, avoided cost method, and …
A voluminous document promises "the translation of visions into missions, missions into actions and actions into outcomes'. It is Pune's new city development plan (CDP), drafted by Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL) with technical assistance from the Financial Institutions Reform and Expansion-Debt (FIRE-D) Project of the United …
Four decades of misery and scores of suicides later, Vidarbha had a high-profile visitor who wanted to provide the healing touch. Yet, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Rs.3,750-crore package failed to soothe farmers from eastern Maharashtra, who are bitter about being discriminated against. Public anger has come to a boil against …
What is the value of our forests? Right now, as per the net present value (npv), a hectare (ha) of forestland costs anything between Rs 5.8 and 9.2 lakh. The amount represents more than just timber. It is actually a one-time payment that a user has to make for diverting …
Can a town be overweight? Shimla, capital of Himachal Pradesh, has managed to become just that. The load, as always, has been piling on over the years. In this case, storey by storey. The erstwhile summer capital of the British empire, once hailed as the Queen of Hill Stations, has …
a plan to upgrade the Sanganer airport in Jaipur to the status of international airport is facing stiff oppositions. It is feared that the plan's flawed design could affect at least 72 colonies in the vicinity of the airport. The residents staged a road blockade along the Jaipur-Kota highway, in …
THE textile industry plays an important role in the economy of the country. It accounts for about 14 per cent of the industrial production, 4 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and 16 per cent of the country's export earnings. The industry is extremely varied, with the hand-spun …
After a delay of nine months, finally the Vaughn Report, which was commissioned by the World Bank as a guide to modernise the bank's whistleblower protection policies was publicised by the Government Accountability Project (gap), us. Since the report's release, the World Bank has pointedly refused to consult staff on …
