-Down to Earth The focus of MGNREGA has, over time, shifted from employment creation to asset creation  The funds allocated in the Union budget 2021-22 for implementing schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) were exhausted within the first half of this financial year. The budgetary provision for 2021-22 was Rs 73,000 crore, of which Rs 79,810 crore has been spent. Many workers didn’t get paid; it may take...

-Down to Earth Breastfeeding is at the core of infant nutrition. But mothers in rural areas are avoiding it due to COVID-19 fears As India celebrated National Nutrition Month under the shadow of COVID-19, it’s time we put the spotlight on breastfeeding, which lies at the core of newborn and infant nutrition. In a remote village of Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, Jamuna (name changed), 28, gave birth to her daughter a few...

-Down to Earth There are prominent shortcomings in implementation, especially registration of workers and and collection and distribution of Cess The Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic had widespread and devastating consequences to communities and enterprises in India and across the globe. However, the situation was particularly grim for the 453.6 million internal migrants in India, evidenced by the unprecedented ‘reverse migration’ witnessed during the pandemic.  Their vulnerabilities were exacerbated by the fact a...

-Down to Earth Amid a derailing COVID-19 pandemic, after Cyclone Tauktae devastation, comes a deep deficit in rainfall Farmers in Gujarat are staring a possible drought after the failure of the southwest monsoon in the state this year. This, even as people in the state have already suffered nearly two years of economic difficulties due to the Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and it has been three months since Cyclone Tauktae.  Please click...

-Down to Earth Lower caste communities are ostracised and denied access to rehabilitation facilities during natural disasters The malpractices of untouchability and caste-based discrimination, although banned in India, continues unabated in several districts of Odisha. During a natural calamity, they turn into a greater menace as the ostracised people are denied access to rehabilitation facilities. Dalit communities Keuta, Kandara and Siara in Puri district, who sell fish to survive, suffered a major financial...