Articles
May 17 2020
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic violence rising during pandemic

Victims of domestic violence find themselves trapped at home with their abusers, and the government is pre-occupied with its response to the pandemic. Social workers continue to assist victims, but their jobs are harder too in the present circumstances.

May 04 2020
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
A new draft of old failures
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS : A new draft of old failures

The framework for assessing the environmental impact of new projects has in the past served to merely facilitate projects getting started. It was hoped that revisions proposed recently would change that, but there is little evidence of a new course, writes Shripad Dharmadhikary.

Mar 21 2020
LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS
Vulnerable to more than the virus
LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS : Vulnerable to more than the virus
The Working Peoples' Charter on Coronavirus Crisis in India lists a number of steps necessary to ensure that the likely disruption to the lives and livelihoods of millions of vulnerable people is thoughtfully addressed.
Jan 01 2020
RAILWAY FARES
IR faces more than money troubles
In a squeeze between dwindling freight revenues and large subsidies to its passengers, Indian Railways has very little room for wriggle. But the fare hike on 1 January 2020 is only a small step, and will not by itself set things right.
Sep 09 2019
SOCIAL SECURITY
Will the SS Code ensure universal social security?
The government proposes to replace a number of laws protecting the social security of workers with a single Code. But could its vast scope itself make it vulnerable to the fine print, and will workers really see the benefits? Kathyayini Chamaraj reviews the code.
Aug 24 2019
CLEAN POWER
The road to a green economy
Is India likely to hit the ambitious targets set for the growth of renewable power generation? A compilation of data from different sources by the Prayas Energy Group shows what's working well and where greater efforts are needed.
Aug 20 2019
PUBLIC COMPANIES
Will splitting Coal India help?
PUBLIC COMPANIES : Will splitting Coal India help?
Given the changing landscape of energy production and consumption in the country, splitting Coal India into smaller entities can only be successful if a number of other steps are also taken, according to a recent Brookings Institution report.
Aug 12 2019
JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION
How do Bengaluru's rural courts function?

Observations from a recent study of the Bengaluru Rural Courts point to a sad reality - that many of the most basic and foundational things needed for efficient delivery of justice are missing. The authors of the research report identify specific and urgent measures to address this.

Jul 26 2019
BAL SANSADS
Children lead the change
BAL SANSADS : Children lead the change

Success in one initiative to strengthen public schooling can help reach some goals of other initiatives too. The Bal Sansad program in Uttar Pradesh shows how focusing on hygiene is improving attendance too. Puja Awasthi reports.

May 29 2019
THEATRE
The city in question
Girish Karnad's clear-eyed, unsentimental and even self-deprecatory view of the city seems rare in the Indian narrative imagination, which continues to nurse the notion of ‘the village innocent’ vs ‘the city corrupt’.
Apr 23 2019
WOMEN HEALTH CARE
Our Health, Our Initiative
WOMEN HEALTH CARE : Our Health, Our Initiative

A vocal community demanding its health rights through greater participation local governance is the key to long term change, and this may be finally starting to happen in a few places, writes Puja Awasthi.

Mar 08 2019
WOMEN'S DAY
The curse of Kala-azar
WOMEN'S DAY : The curse of Kala-azar

Left to fend for themselves while their men are away looking for work elsewhere, poor women find themselves trapped between the quackery of the limited medical attention they can access and the social binds of their families. Puja Awasthi reports.

Jan 19 2019
WOMEN ON WHEELS
The gender gap in pedalling
WOMEN ON WHEELS : The gender gap in pedalling

More and more people are considering cycling as an option for their daily commutes to work. Women's participation in this change, however, is still low, and a lot of barriers need to be overcome, writes Sathya Sankaran.

Dec 18 2018
ENERGY DISTRIBUTION
DISCOMs face a stark future
ENERGY DISTRIBUTION : DISCOMs face a stark future

The energy sector is undergoing a massive transformation, with large customers opting for direct access from producers, and those in the middle looking for decentralised storage and consumption. Between these forces, the old distribution business faces serious risk, says a report from the Prayas Energy Group.

Oct 01 2018
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
Regulations delayed are regulations denied

Efforts to rein in massive emissions of pollutants, and to reduce volumes of water consumed by coal-based thermal power plants have been thwarted by endless delays in implementing the regulations that were to take effect last year. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports.

Sep 29 2018
AGRARIAN DISTRESS - II
From mandis to markets : Will this round be any better?

The second attempt of the NDA government to create a market for farmers' produce may not fare much better than the first one, for the same reason - it fails to address the asymmetry of power between the farmers and buyers, writes Kannan Kasturi.

Sep 05 2018
CITIES FOR ALL
Ahmedabad's TP schemes: Lessons for equity

Land pooling has helped steer development in Ahmedabad more equitably than in many other Indian cities, but with some limitations and challenges still to be overcome. A World Resources Institute report provides insight.

Sep 04 2018
TAX REVENUES
Month-wise GST collections

On this page, we will compile the monthly log of Goods and Services Tax collections by the government since the introduction of the tax in mid-2017; the page will be updated each month as the data becomes public.

Aug 23 2018
IRRIGATION PROJECTS
Why doesn't the CAG look at its own past work?

It is only by looking back at its own history of audit findings that the constitutional auditor can draw attention to policy decisions that were flawed at the very beginning, says Himanshu Upadhyaya.

Aug 09 2018
SURPLUS POWER
Is RE becoming too much of a good thing?
As the share of renewable energy rises, it brings with it new challenges. Unlike in the past, going forward, the management of surplus power will be critical. A new report from the Brookings Institute suggests some steps.