Reportage
Lockdown and weather woes: It’s not a happy summer for the mango farmers in India
Hailstorms, unseasonal rain, and thunderstorms have affected mango production in the country. Now, the farmers are struggling to sell their produce due to the lockdown
Divendra Singh
Displaced by a dam, the Yeravalar tribe is in a fix
The Aliyar Dam in Tamil Nadu is a popular tourist destination. However, the dam was built after the tribals belonging to the Yeravalar community were displaced from the area. They are now facing unemployment and poverty
Satya
These Corona Warriors in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are fighting a different battle
A day’s stipend of a medical intern in Uttar Pradesh is Rs 250 while in Rajasthan, it is only Rs 235. The stipend they get is much less than the standard pay fixed for unskilled labourers
Daya Sagar
“The real Corona Warriors are our invisible farmers”
Dharmendra Malik, the Bhartiya Kisan Union spokesperson, feels the country is, at present, going through demand, and not supply, crisis. Read his view in the sixth part of Gaon Connection series ‘Corona and Farmers’
Dharmendra Malik
Local administrations swing into action as many vegetable mandis are emerging as COVID hotspots
As fruits and vegetables are supplied from these major mandis (wholesale markets), it’s likely that those who are a part of the entire supply chain may end being the carriers. Hence, many mandis are shut
Kushal Mishra
COVID19 lockdown and the Indian government’s lackadaisical approach towards migrant workers reiterate the need for village republic
To address the coronavirus disease pandemic, the Karnataka government has set up village committees and gram panchayat task forces that are efficiently responding to the ongoing health crisis. But, panchayats have a larger role beyond just COVID19. Devolution of power — financial, planning and implementation — can rebuild rural economy and help attain village self-rule, or gram swaraj
Nidhi Jamwal
In Madhya Pradesh, farmers went to the mandis to sell onions. They were in for a rude shock
The onion farmers were desperate to sell their produce as they needed cash to survive the lockdown, but when the mandis reopened, they were disappointed. Onion, which was selling for up to Rs 200/kg until four months back, is now being sold for Rs 2-4/kg
Mithilesh Dhar Dubey
The COVID-19 crisis has given us time to fix problems related to agriculture and food security
Should we ask our farmers to produce more oil and energy crops so that we don’t have to import edible, crude oil? Is this the right time to address the problem of rampant use of chemical fertiliser?
MJ Saxena
During the lockdown, villagers in Jharkhand didn’t have to stand in long queues outside banks
There are 1,463 bank sakhis in the state who carry portable ATMs and laptops and work out of their banking centres present in 600 villages. Around 6.3 lakh people have benefitted so far
Neetu Singh
It is surprising that the buffalo is given little space in any serious public discourse on dairying
Almost half of India’s milk, with higher solids, comes from buffaloes. Yet, this low-maintenance and efficient feed-converting animal finds little place in our dairy and livestock policy