Category Archives: Employment and Livelihoods
Rich Countries’ Commitment To Development Slipping, Says New Survey
While the world’s wealthiest nations made lofty promises to better the lives of the world’s poorest nations, at the G8 summit in 2005, an analysis of their policies on trade, aid, the environment and immigration by the Center for Global … Continue reading
Reimagining India
India is on the cusp of reforming its vast social-security programmes, a cornerstone of the present government’s political foundations and an expensive gamble on which the UPA stakes its future. This year (2010-11) the government will spend Rs 1.36 lakh … Continue reading
Tracking Hunger
Emerging India either does not know or ignores the statistics: Half its children are malnourished, a record worse than the world’s symbol for deprivation, sub-Saharan Africa. In 2009, India was ranked 66th of 88 countries in the Global Hunger Index … Continue reading
How Climate Change Will Impact Agriculture
Coping with climate change and its impact on agriculture and rural livelihoods is going to be a long haul. It’s an irony that those who have caused global warming — the high-emission polluters in developed countries — are going to … Continue reading
The Road From Drought
By the time the rabi sowing season for 2009 is over, farming households in the 252 districts declared affected by drought will be further encircled by systems and frameworks over which they have little or no control. This will happen … Continue reading
Between Seed And Straw: When Will We Get Agriculture Right?
The figures for crop production, yield and acreage are looking healthy in this quarter. But behind the triumph a crisis gathers strength, says Rahul Goswami
A grain in an Empty Bowl: Government Services In The Urban Context
Anganwadis, ICDS and PDS are huge government programmes meant to cater to the health and nutritional requirements of the poor. Yet 72.4% of urban poor children in Madhya Pradesh are underweight, 60.4% are undernourished and almost nine out of 10 … Continue reading
Food Insecurity In Incredible India
A concept note on the proposed National Food Security Act circulated to all states continues to push for a targeted public distribution system instead of a universal one, and proposes to reduce the issue of foodgrains to 25 kg per … Continue reading
Budget 2011: Direct Cash Transfer Instead Of Subsidy By 2012
Poverty levels are said to have dropped dramatically in countries that provide direct cash instead of subsidies to the poor. Will such a system work in India? A number of schemes in India like the public distribution system (PDS) that … Continue reading
Cautiously Optimistic
The Economic Survey 2010-11 is positive on the macroeconomy without glossing over the challenges. The economy’s resilience is seen in its ability to withstand two shocks in quick succession. The ripple effects of the global economic crisis (2007-09) that devastated … Continue reading