Anti Poverty Programs
With an expanding IT sector and an annual economic growth rate of seven percent, India’s growth seems unstoppable. In an effort to keep pace with the economy, the Indian government, in hand with international agencies and private contractors, is undertaking a formidable set of domestic development programs. These programs are aimed at building the networks and facilities that must be in place if the country is to continue to grow. Without these crucial development projects, India’s fast-paced progress could be derailed. However, these projects come with significant and sometimes irrevocable consequences. Many are displaced with little to no compensation. The government’s methods are often highly questionable and many are disenfranchised as a result of Delhi’s national ambitions. In this section, India Unheard community correspondents look into India’s development schemes and programs.
Land Rights Wronged!
Over 60% of India’s population depends on agricultural land to sustain themselves. At an average one hectare of land supports five people. For large parts of this population, especially tribals and scheduled castes, access to this land is problematic; most don’t have proper land tenure or when they do, the...
This village in Bihar has never seen electricity
The village of Keswar Bigha, Bihar was happy when there were electrical poles installed in their village. They thought they will finally see electricity in their homes, and their children will study under an electrical light. However, much of it remained a dream when the electrical poles were left without...
Impact Story
Are 70% Indians free?
Independence Day is over. We have posted #HappyIndependenceday hashtags, heard patriotic songs and saluted the tri-colour proudly yesterday. We remembered Nehru’s famous independence speech the ‘Tryst with Destiny’ and were inspired yet again by the ancient words. As we discover that the Prime Minister’s speech on Independence Day wrongly claimed...
IMPACT: A Bihar Village gets water after four years
Everyday in the morning, Meena Devi, a resident of Bihar would travel three hours to get water. She would carry at least 20 litres of water back to her village Chanandi, which would provide for daily requirements of the household – from drinking to washing. She wasn’t alone in this...
20 year old shelterless Anganwadi Centre in West Bengal
Launched in 1975, the integrated child Development Services (ICDS) scheme is one of the world’s largest programmes for early child development. The primary objective of the scheme is to improve the nutritional and health status of children aged 0 to 6 years and pregnant and nursing women. In 2005, the...
West Bengal: Water scarcity forces people to ration drinking water
Annapurna Kumari has been drinking a little water in the past few years, and whatever water she drinks is polluted and unhygienic. Just like her, the 200 other residents of Darikuri Dolashal village, West Bengal, are falling sick in the face of acute water scarcity. So severe is the problem,...
Chhattisgarh: Rapid Industrialisation Threatens Tribal Livelihood
The rapid industrialisation of Chhattisgarh has disrupted the environmental balance of the region. The livelihoods of the millions of indigenous people that depended on forest resources of the region are at stake, as the forests succumb to industries and mining activities. Rajesh Gupta, Video Volunteer community correspondent captures the loss...
Cashless and Landless: Tribal oustees of Narmada worry about their future
The Sardar Sarovar Dam has displaced over 41,000 families from the banks of Narmada across Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, since 1985. The Sardar Sarovar Punarvasvat Agency (SSPA) was constituted in 1992, for implementing the Resettlement and Rehabilitation for affected families, but little action has been taken to offer the...