Reportage

February 11, 2022

After 5 years of groundwork, Kerala Bird Atlas gets published

A group of bird enthusiasts as well as wildlife experts came together to compile an atlas of the bird species in Kerala. The ‘Kerala Bird Atlas’ project is arguably the largest citizen-based bird project in Asia. More details here.

Gaon Connection
February 11, 2022

Activists miffed as conviction rate for human trafficking reduced by less than half in 4 years

Between 2017 and 2020, there has been a decreasing trend in conviction rates of human trafficking cases in India. Activists blame fallacies in the investigation behind this, which results in acquittal of the traffickers who roam freely and threaten survivors in their community. Here’s what can be done.

Gaon Connection
February 11, 2022

Chandra Prakash Shukla, who ran a small stationery shop, is now a successful amla businessman

A chance encounter with a professor changed Chandra Prakash Shukla’s life. The businessman from Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, now manufactures food products made out of amla.

Puja Bhattacharjee
February 11, 2022

‘Recommendations ignored’: Head of SC- appointed panel on Char Dham project resigns

In the wake of rising tensions with China, the Supreme Court, on December 14, had accepted Union Defence Ministry’s request to widen the Char Dham road in Uttarakhand and modify the highway as a double lane corridor.

Gaon Connection
February 11, 2022

‘Just 4 states have funds left to provide employment under MGNREGA in current fiscal’

A group of activists have highlighted that only Maharashtra, Odisha, Goa and Mizoram have positive net balances to provide employment to the rural citizens under the funds allocated in the Union Budget for the current fiscal year. The activists also pointed out that lower fund allocation for MGNREGA is leading to an increase in rural distress. More details here.

Sarah Khan
February 10, 2022

Disability pension less than Rs 500 a month in eight states: Govt

Persons with disability are provided less than Rs 500 as monthly pension from the government in states such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland with lowest at Rs 100 in Mizoram. Maharashtra with highest beneficiaries provides only Rs 300 a month to people with disability. Read on to know more.

Gaon Connection
February 10, 2022

Their farmland turned barren due to polluting effluent, villagers in UP’s Mirzapur to boycott polls

Phase one of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh gets underway. But in Jagapatti village of Mirzapur, the inhabitants say they won’t vote in protest against effluents from the carpet industry in neighbouring Bhadohi district’s seeping into their fertile fields and destroying their crops.

Brijendra Dubey
February 10, 2022

Marathwada farmer Godavari Dange’s inspiring story now as a comic book

Using spare yet elegant text and illustrations in their comic book, Raindrop in the drought: Godavari Dange, Reetika Revathy Subramanian and Maitri Dore recreate an incredible story.

Pankaja Srinivasan
February 9, 2022

More than 25,000 Indians died by suicide due to unemployment, inability to pay loans during 2018-2020

More than 16,000 people ended their lives due to bankruptcy or indebtedness while 9,140 people died by suicide due to unemployment in three years, from 2018 to 2020. Read on to know more.

Gaon Connection
February 8, 2022

Budget Session: Enabling gram panchayats to become self-financed will strengthen rural economy, says Centre

In reply to a question about the government’s plans to make gram panchayats self-financed, the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj told Rajya Sabha that doing so would result in village councils becoming self-reliant and eventually contribute to the rural economy. More details here.

Gaon Connection