The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report warns that the region is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, driving more extreme weather and posing serious threats to lives, ecosystems, and economies. In 2024, Asia experienced its warmest or second warmest year on …
The idea seemed right for district Dungarpur. nfwp began with the preparation of a five-year district perspective plan (dpp) detailing work that could be taken up at every block level and gram panchayat. The aim was to create a need-based development programme for community assets and provide food security by …
finance Minister P Chidambaram's budget gave eight flagship programmes 43 per cent more allocation (at Rs 50,015 crore) in the 2006-07 Union budget. Chidambaram took note of the National Commission for Farmers report and reduced the interest rate on short-term credit to farmers to seven per cent for an upper-limit …
After thirty years, rural development was back as the main theme of the Indian Science Congress, this year. Held in Hyderabad between January 3-7, 2006, the meet had "Integrated Rural Development: Science and Technology' as its theme. With both the President and the prime minister making an appearance, the Congress …
the Jharkhand government's revival of the Subarnarekha Multi-purpose Project (smp) has triggered tribal protests in the state. The tribals are opposing the project for the submergence and displacement it will cause in large areas in East and West Singhbhum districts. "The project would submerge nearly 145 villages in East and …
after much dilly-dallying, the Maharashtra state cabinet recently decided to amend the Bombay Village Panchayat Act, 1958, which governs over 28,000 village panchayats in Maharashtra. This is the result of a long-standing demand by activists to confer gram sabhas a right to recall their elected representatives in case the latter …
Maharashtra's push comes from a March 2005 press note issued by the Union ministry of commerce and industry, allowing 100 per cent fdi in "township, housing, built
An Act to provide for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of India by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work and for matters connected therewith …
Orissa's minerals will now cost more for industries wanting to mine them. Growing discontent in mineral-rich regions due to loss of livelihoods caused by mining operations recently pushed the Orissa government to notify the Orissa Rural Infrastructure and Socio-Economic Development Bill, 2004. A cess of five to 20 per cent …
harnessing Space for rural enlightenment was an avowed goal of the Indian space programme. It was crystal clear to Vikram Sarabhai, the chief architect of the Space programme: conquering Space was not fancy science, but one aligned with the national goal of improving the lot of millions. In the ensuing …
prime minister Manmohan Singh approved a whopping Rs 174,000 crore for the Bharat Nirman scheme on May 16, 2005. The scheme, which will be operational from 2005 to 2009, acuses on improving physical infrastructure in rural areas. Its thrust areas are irrigation, roads, water supply, housing, electrification and telecom connectivity. …
The Parliament will soon enact a National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (nrega). Efforts of the national advisory committee on nrega, the left parties and other well-meaning people have borne fruit. The precise shape of the act is still unclear. But the current state of the debate on the scheme foretells …
when P Chidambaram stood up to present the first full-fledged United Progressive Alliance (upa) budget on February 28, 2005, it was his second opportunity to show words were backed with resources. Interestingly, the finance minister has not only increased expenditure on various development and social sector programmes, and reduced taxes, …
"Independence must begin at the bottom. Thus every village has to be self-sustained and capable of managing its affairs'. The whole troubled question of rural employment and migration, discussed substantially by Mahatma Gandhi, is yet to be resolved or addressed meaningfully by successive governments. The National Democratic Alliance (nda) government's …
the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill tabled in Parliament last month has drawn scathing criticism from the National Advisory Council (nac) that had put together its draft. nac says the rural development ministry has dropped many of the former's recommendations (see box: Serious rift). "Politicians are responsible for the liquidation …
Watching the iridescent roller bird flash in the sun and take off, one might wonder where it is going. What would it encounter on its leisurely journey as it sweeps across ridges of rugged mountains, dips down into fields of paddy, past village ponds and thatched huts, resuming through inaccessible …
This paper is based on the empirical findings from the Supervision Mission of a project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The mission visited the two project districts from 3 May to 17 May 2004 and conducted assessment on the on-going programmes in Karbi Anglong District of …
