-TheWire.in There are no watertight categorisations that clearly demarcate where a subsidy ends and a so-called freebie begins. Amaravati: A maelstrom has been brewing in the political landscape over the precise markers of a subsidy and a freebie. Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the first blow last month when he pointed out that other political parties were propagating a “revdi culture” which was dangerous to the youth as well as to the...

-India.Mongabay.com * The allocation of lands for new commercial coal mines is likely to renew issues related to the creation of land banks in Jharkhand. * Common lands that people use have been transferred to land banks over the years, and physical surveys to record actual rights aren’t complete yet. * Lack of effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act 2006 on forest land (also part of land banks) has been a major...

-The Telegraph The development, multiple sources said, is vital to initiate the next phase of work to operationalise the coal mine amid protests by a large number of local people Calcutta: The Bengal government on Thursday started exploratory drilling at a stretch of land at a village under the proposed Deocha-Pachami coal mine project in a bid to estimate the layers and quality of coal-reserve with the consent of local people in...

-The Hindu * What are the Forest Conservation Rules and how will it affect forest dwellers and tribals? What is the government’s position on the updated rules? The story so far: The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sparred earlier this week on the latest version of the Forest Conservation Rules. Congress spokesperson, Jairam Ramesh, alleged that the latest version of the rules, updated last month, allowed forest land to be...

-IndiaWaterPortal.org The Chauka system, the traditional water harvesting system of Rajasthan can not only provide a sustainable way to manage water resources in water stressed regions, but also support livelihoods through development of pastures. Over 55 percent of India’s population relies on groundwater for irrigation, water for cattle, domestic consumption, and industrial use making India the world’s greatest groundwater extractor, surpassing the USA and China combined. This paper titled 'Assessment of traditional rainwater...