50% rural Indians trust coronavirus vaccine made by an Indian company over a foreign company; nearly half will vote for any party that offers the vaccine free: Gaon Connection Survey
The first survey of its kind on ‘COVID-19 Vaccine and Rural India’ by Gaon Connection Insights surveyed 6,040 rural citizens across 16 states and one union territory. Read the exclusive findings here.
Nidhi Jamwal
Safety, shortage and scaling-up: How prepared is India for the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine?
India has the world’s largest immunisation programme, annually covering 157 million newborn, young children and pregnant women. The Indian government plans to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to about 300 million high-risk category people by September 2021. Clearly, it won’t be easy.
Nidhi Jamwal
Can the Centre’s new ordinance on air pollution clean up NCR-Delhi’s air? Experts’ opinion divided.
Whereas some have welcomed the new commission on air pollution with representatives from different states and ministries, others have termed it a “bureaucratic vessel” or a ‘Civil Servants Club’.
Nidhi Jamwal
Highest opposition to the new agri laws among northwest region farmers; greatest support in the west region: Gaon Connection Rural Survey
Gaon Connection’s ‘The Rural Report 2: The Indian Farmer’s Perception of the New Agri Laws’, shows that farmers’ opinion on the new agri laws is divided. On both the sides — 52% opposing or 35% supporting these laws — many are unaware of the details of the acts.
Nidhi Jamwal
After Telangana, heavy rainfall batters Maharashtra; at least 27 dead, major kharif crops lost
Between October 8 and October 14, Maharashtra received 131% above its normal rainfall. The incessant rainfall has led to floods. Standing kharif crops of soybean, toor and cotton, and horticulture crops of pomegranate and grapes have been washed away.
Nidhi Jamwal
Peninsula Pounded: 30 dead in heavy rain-related incidents in Telangana and Andhra; Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka on alert
After heavy rainfall in the east coast of the country, action now shifts to the west coast as the depression formed in the Bay of Bengal moves westwards. At present a low pressure area, it is expected to again intensify into a depression as it emerges in the Arabian Sea.
Nidhi Jamwal
Rape Narratives: Of the men, by the men, for the men
Rape-and-death cases, which manage to receive media attention and inspire Twitter hashtags, are often followed by narratives, which are driven by men.
Nidhi Jamwal
Caste Matters: A woman, who is also a Dalit, is doubly cursed
By the age of 15, over 33 per cent scheduled caste women in India reportedly experience physical violence. The figure is 19.7 per cent for “other” category women.
Nidhi Jamwal
Labour laws in Lok Sabha: Government claims reform; activists raise an alarm
The labour law codes before the Lok Sabha shortchange the migrant workforce and those from the informal sector, protest labour activists.
Nidhi Jamwal
“We need to take the EIA discourse to the Parliament floor and develop a new EIA law”
The Draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2020 has blown into a big controversy as various research and environmental groups across the country have opposed it, and sent thousands of emails to the Union environment minister, Prakash Javadekar, requesting revoking of the draft legislation. What are the problems with the draft EIA notification? Why is it being opposed tooth and nail? NIDHI JAMWAL, environment editor of Gaon Connection speaks with CHANDRA BHUSHAN, CEO, iFOREST (International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology).