In a move that might put the Union government in conflict with the states, the ministry of rural development has recommended merging the census to identify below poverty line (BPL) families with the caste census to accelerate the process of determining the number of poor, according to a person familiar with the matter. The caste census, conducted by the Registrar General of India, or RGI, is due to begin on 1...
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‘At Braj, they are happier than in their homes' by Aarti Dhar
Younger widows seem open to idea of remarriage, says study The widows in Braj, a region around Vrindavan town in Uttar Pradesh that provides shelter to probably the largest number of widows in the country, are happier there than in their homes in villages, and most of them have no intention of returning. They also seem to be veering away from traditional beliefs on how widows should live and what they...
More »Participation of Tribals under MGNREGS
The Minister for Rural Development Shri Pradeep Jain “Aditya” today informed the Lok Sabha that Employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is open to all rural households irrespective of their caste or community. Any adult member of a rural household can register himself/herself with the Gram Panchayat and get a job card issued. Thereafter, a worker needs to apply for work for getting employment subject to a maximum of 100 days...
More »State fails to expedite land titles distribution to tribals by Ashish Tripathi
Considered a potent weapon for combating Naxalism, the distribution of land titles to tribals and forest workers under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, is not moving at a satisfactory pace in UP in comparison to other states. This, despite chief minister Mayawati's repeated orders to expedite the process. The Naxals mislead tribals living in abject poverty. The latter are also exploited by forest officials and police. The FRA recognises...
More »Ashish Bose, Demographer interviewed by Shobhan Saxena
In 1985, Ashish Bose coined the term BIMARU while preparing a report on national population growth rate for Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. At the time, he was a professor at Delhi's Institute of Economic Growth. Ever since, BIMARU has been used to describe the four northern states that are seen as symptomatic of what's wrong with India.Shobhan Saxena asks Bose, 80, if Bihar is proof that BIMARU is history. Bihar...
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