Category Archives: Employment and Livelihoods
The Nuts And Bolts Of Appropriating Agricultural Land
How much land is actually transitioning from farm to non-farm use? The government itself puts the figure at 1.5% of net sown area between 1990 and 2003, or more than 21 lakh hectares. The actual figures could be much higher. … Continue reading
Fighting Persistent Poverty
A global report card on poverty eradication prepared by the U.N. Secretary-General shows glaring disparities in performance both across and within regions. Economic growth is one evident reason for the progress in East Asia, particularly China, in reducing extreme poverty … Continue reading
How Bypasses Boost Agrarian Economy
BY NANDKUMAR KAMAT WE need not consult the World Bank, Planning commission or Nobel laureate Amartya Sen to find a solution to Goa’s rural unemployment. There are success stories right in front of us–in our own familiar countryside.
‘Creative And Cultural Industries Have The Largest Growth Potential’
Culture doyen Rajeev Sethi is working hard to set up a national mission for the crafts and culture industry, which he has titled ‘creative and cultural industries’. The Planning Commission has asked him to lay down the parameters for these … Continue reading
National Food Security Act: Universalisation Vs Targeted Approach
With the government at loggerheads with the National Advisory Council and civil society groups on the question of a universal vs targeted approach to the proposed food security Act, Sachin Kumar Jain presents the case against the targeted approach in … Continue reading
Scrap-Collectors Fight For And Win A New Legitimacy
The scrap-collectors union of Pune in Maharashtra has given waste-collectors who scoured garbage bins and collected old newspapers and bottles a new respectability and access. The municipal corporation now issues identity cards to them and offers a limited health insurance … Continue reading
Land Reform: More Problems Than Solutions
Land is the most contentious problem in India today. Although land policy development is taking place, the issue is being looked at in isolation, rather than in the overall framework of human rights.
The Unfairness Of Doing Good
Conservation is good, but is it always fair? It is indigenous and local fishing communities that are bearing the costs of marine protected areas. They are faced with denial of livelihoods, displacement from fishing grounds, arrest and harassment for asserting … Continue reading
MGNREGA Performs Poorly In Poverty-Stricken Orissa
The MGNREGS is particularly relevant in states such as Orissa, where different estimates put the number of poor at 48% to 84%. But while Rajasthan provided 74% of eligible families with work in 2009-10 and Andhra Pradesh 52.6%, Orissa provided … Continue reading
Give Rural Poor Control Over Ecosystems To Fight Poverty: WRI Report
With proper management and the incentives that come with control and accountability, ecosystems could generate enough income to lift the rural poor out of abject poverty, says a new report by the World Resources Institute