Whose budget is it, Mr Jaitley?

Being the first full year budget of the National Democratic Alliance government, there was expectation that the finance minister's announcements …

Sick(le) charade

The NDA government's new and revised schemes to augment rural development are yet to show any results

The lure of 10 million jobs a year

Employment in agriculture has increased. Will it lead to shed the belief that agriculture will not be able to employ further?

Is PM Modi really a ‘Champion of the Earth’?

Even as the United Nations has selected India's PM for this year's award to honour his role in protecting the environment, his regime's …

Interim Budget 2019: 'Gokul Mission funds have not been suitably utilised at all'

The scheme is just 'lip service' for the Modi government says official even as Piyush Goyal allocates Rs 750 crore to it

Why India's poor laugh at anti-corruption campaigns

Indian anti-corruption drives don't factor in the poor, the worst victims of the scourge

The unbearable burden of 2015

This is the second full budget of the NDA, coinciding with the second year of its governance

Environmentally conscious former PM Vajpayee no more

Two old timers recall the contributions that Vajpayee made to the field of environmental governance in India

Farmer producer organisations need their very own Amul

Instead of encouraging them on paper, the government has to create a few model FPOs in the country and provide institutional support to them

Centre rolls out Agriculture Land Leasing Act, 2016

NITI Aayog's Panagariya wishes to extend the Act to non-agricultural uses as well, which farmer leaders oppose

Central concerns

In a bid to give more fiscal autonomy to states, the Centre in the last budget gave them a higher share in Union tax receipts. Has this helped …

NaMo budget on transport and pollution: Green expectations - Dashed hopes

NDAÔÇÖs maiden budget upholds and supports UPAII blunders to protect the automobile industry while ignoring the perils of …

Report card: Environmental governance under NDA government

The government has stepped up action on environmental concerns such as pollution, but retains a myopic view of natural resource management and …

'Relations between non-profits & govt are waning since liberalisation'

In the wake of arrests of 5 human rights activists by Maharashtra police, Down To Earth speaks to activists about what is bringing …

How companies got their way on biodiversity

Amendments to the Biodiversity Act let companies off the hook on having to share the benefits of using biological resources

NDA government sets up high level panel to amend green laws

Industry has been complaining that requirements set out under these laws have been hindering economic growth

Too many centuries may not win the match

Finance minister allocated Rs 100 crore to 28 programmes, but far less sum to schemes catering to the masses

Ministries battle over applicability of Forest Rights Act

As development projects continue to receive Centre’s push, officials within the government fear that rights of tribal communities are …

NDA introduces changes in MGNREGA

Rural development ministry to make social audit compulsory; create more durable assets in blocks and districts, instead of villages

India's National Action Plan on Climate Change needs desperate repair

India's National Action Plan on Climate Change has been slow to start and its sectoral missions are not aligned with the schemes the government …

Union Budget 2018: Merely increasing funds for Clean Ganga will not ensure results

A CAG report had said underutilised funds and an absence of a long-term plan affecting rejuvenation of Ganga

NGO moves Supreme Court; seeks CBI probe into MGNREGA funds scam in Bihar

Report by Centre for Environment and Food Security says nearly Rs 6,000 crore meant to be paid to wage labourers siphoned off

How we reviewed NDA’s interim budget last year

Modi government’s maiden budget was a patchwork of abandoned schemes being revived or existing ones being re-named. Despite some fund …

Don’t take away Gram Sabha’s powers under FRA: activists petition Modi

‘Central government's attempts to do away with consent of Gram Sabhas for diverting forests unconstitutional’

Ministers mount pressure to dilute Forest Rights Act

Tribal affairs minister asked to withdraw objections to Maharashtra’s Village Forest Rules that allow forest department take control over …