-The Hindu Wells being dug in mountainous terrain of Vellie, Bhor taluks; water tankers arranged for remote hamlets. Pune: Moved by poignant stories of suffering coming from drought-hit Maharashtra’s hinterland, social outfit volunteers and IT professionals have taken the initiative to look for long-term solutions, besides arranging for water tankers to address immediate needs. A group of volunteers from Jnana Prabodhini have started digging wells in the mountainous Velhe and Bhor taluks of...

-Business Standard Water harvesting needs attention, not just irrigation The charter of demands recently submitted by chief ministers of drought-hit states to the central leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeks liberal assistance for the states' drought relief efforts. These focus on managing the immediate crisis. While that is a valid concern, too few states sought aid for medium and long-term drought mitigation and adaptation measures which are vital to blunt the...

-The Asian Age The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre and state governments not to hide behind the “smokescreen of lack of funds” and ordered wide-ranging relief for drought-affected people in 12 states. These include mid-day meals during the summer vacation, addition of egg or milk to the mid-day meal menu, to universalise foodgrain rations and ensure adequate and timely release of funds for NREGA. It also ordered implementation of...

-The Hindu Business Line Community kitchens forge unity in drought-hit villages It’s nearing 6 pm as we enter Kadesara Khurd, a dry drought-affected village in Lalitpur district of arid Bundelkhand. The main lane of the village wears a deserted look and several houses are padlocked. An emaciated cow is sprawled on the doorstep of one of the abandoned homes. “Over 200 people from this village have migrated to Bhopal, Delhi, Lucknow and...

-TheWire.in According to the central government’s statement to the Supreme Court last week, a third of the India’s districts are currently facing a severe drought. This means that at least 33 crore Indians are affected by ongoing the crisis. Expressing their deep concern on the issue and the impact it is having on rural populations of the country, and asking that the government take appropriate relief measures immediately, more than 150 academics...