Reportage
The Cane Cutters of Gujarat: They work 12 hours a day and get paid after six months
Tribal migrant labourers in South Gujarat, slog long hours on sugarcane farms, but have neither proper homes, toilets nor education for their children. Their wages are handed to them only at the end of six months, which leads them right into the dedhi debt trap that thrives on the hefty 50 per cent interest.
Nidhi Jamwal
Notorious for brewing hooch and seething alcoholism, Chainpurva now sleeps peacefully
Infamous for brewing illegal liquor, and where alcohol addiction and domestic violence was commonplace, Chainpurva village in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, stepped up and changed course. Here’s how a police official lifted the fog of alcohol with the help of the village women.
Gaon Connection
If children could vote: In poll-bound UP, high malnourishment but 66% POSHAN funds unutilised
With 41% of under-5 rural kids stunted and 33% underweight, government after government in Uttar Pradesh has made several changes to the anganwadi nutrition programme. Hot meals have been stopped, dry rations are in ‘short supply’ and the state government now plans to merge the anganwadi meals with the mid-day meal scheme. Meanwhile, a large chunk of funds meant to fight malnutrition has remained unutilised between 2017-18 and 2020-21. A ground report as part of ‘The Gaon Postcard’ series.
Shivani Gupta
Growing a variety of produce has earned this UP farmer not just profits, but also the Padma Shri
His willingness to experiment and try out new techniques of farming have led to farmer Sethpal Singh of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, being awarded the Padma Shri. Here’s how the 55-year-old farmer practises integrated farming on his 15 hectare farmland.
Divendra Singh
Court cases, imprisonment and hooch deaths: Will amending Bihar’s prohibition law change things?
In the last fortnight, 18 people died in Bihar after consuming spurious liquor. Two months ago, at least 39 people died in a hooch tragedy. About 632,000 people are booked under the state’s prohibition law and many are languishing in jails with their case hearings delayed indefinitely. The excise department is currently drafting a proposal to dilute the law itself.
Lovely Kumari
Remembering Gurmeet Bawa: An epitome of Punjabiyat
Gurmeet Bawa, who was a melodious repository of Punjab’s folk culture, was awarded the Padma Bhushan, posthumously on January 26, two months after she passed away. Despite obstacles, the acclaimed Punjabi folk singer chose to go down a difficult path and revived Punjabi folklore through her singing.
Vivek Gupta
Lakhs of poor in Rajasthan unable to access ration as the state govt’s food security portal is down since May 2020
At least 7.4 million people in Rajasthan, mostly from the economically weaker section, are unable to draw their rations despite having a ration card. For more than one-and-a-half-years now, the portal of the state government for updating NFSA beneficiaries is not functional. People are running from pillar to post to update their ration cards on the portal but in vain.
Somu Anand
RRB-NTPC Protests: Students’ union calls for Bihar bandh on Jan 28; threatens nationwide movement
Alleging injustice in allotment of seats to the qualifying candidates of the Railway Recruitment Board’s Non Technical Popular Categories (RRB-NTPC) Level 1 examination, students in Bihar continue to protest despite assurances by the Indian Railways officials. The protesting aspirants have called for a general strike in Bihar tomorrow, on January 28. Here’s what the issue is all about.
Lovely Kumari
Rugs to Riches: The dhurrie makers of Sitapur
Handwoven dhurries from Khairabad in Uttar Pradesh fly all the way to America, Japan and Europe.
Puja Bhattacharjee
Republic Day special: British atrocities still fresh in the memory of two villages in Madhya Pradesh’s Baghelkhand
Two villages named Maajan and Pindra in the Baghelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh still remember the brutal killings of their ancestors who once rose to challenge the might of the British Empire. Read on to know more.