For jargon junkies

Book>> An Intelligent Person's Guide to Good Governance by Surendra Munshi, Biju Paul Abraham and Soma Chaudhuri Sage, Delhi Rs 270

E-government survey 2022: African countries show improvement but high data charges widen digital divide

Gathering adequate investment for e-government development has been a challenge for Africa

Strangling RTI ever so neatly

BJP's way of dealing with transparency process is effective: pack it with bureaucrats and let cases pile up

Deepening local democracy: What is the legal validity of Jharkhand’s hamlet-level governance units?

Complete reliance on community-based organisations can be ineffective; Gram Sabhas should play central role

Anna vindicated

The anti-corruption department raids the houses of a former Maharashtra minister, who put social activist Anna Hazare behind bars for accusing …

No fire exits in Delhi

Bad urban planning and a corrupt administration means fires will continue to claim lives in Delhi

A letter from a villager

A villager in Goa wants to cut a tree growing in his backyard to mend his damaged roof. But he needs to get permission from the tree officer. And …

The truth behind the Muthanga incident

The People's Judicial Enquiry Commission probe into the Muthanga incident in Kerala sheds new light on this burning issue, which is causing …

Deepening local democracy: Tola sabhas in Jharkhand provide easy access, more accountabilty

These hamlet-level governance units are a replica of Gram Sabha but can be a more effective in many ways, especially for far-off villages.

Collapse of Adivasi self-governance system in Jharkhand: Need to implement PESA in letter and spirit

The PESA Act is considered to be the backbone of tribal legislation in India; proper implementation can rejuvenate self-governance system in …

Inquiry into bogus Gram Sabha NoC in Bailadila delayed by a week

The NoC was given by the Gram Sabha of Hiroli village to NMDC for mining in Bailadila in 2015

Blame it on the foreign hand

Centre's motive behind the unseen "foreign hand" theory is to polarise the development discourse

Environment: A People's Perspective

Justice is a central component of the conceptual transition from human development to sustainable human development and a similar concern for …

Second disempowerment

Tribals have lost their decision-making power twice; first to the state then to the Maoists

Trim that FLAB

The bureaucrat is a generalist and gets to head departments that should be managed by specialists

Ceasing to be a citizen?

Excluson of four million people from Assam's draft National Citizen Registry has created panic among the inhabitants

Philately and wild India

Through the years, Indian stamps have featured local flora and fauna in varying degrees. Here is an overview

Language gap in policy making needs bridging

For active participation of tribal communities in policy dialogues, subaltern language are indispensable

Bill in Connecticut aims to stop sale of harmful cosmetics banned in EU

Many of the chemicals banned in the European Union are still used in the US in products ranging from toothpaste to shampoo and fruit juices to cheese

It's not just jobs, but good jobs that the unemployed need

People don’t just want jobs, but good ones that are stable, are in the formal-sector, have safe working conditions, collective bargaining …

Making of the Indian Constitution: a simplified brief

On the occasion of 70 years of the Constituent Assembly of India, Down to Earth explains the incremental stages of formulation of the Constitution

Over 50 million job cards of MGNREGA workers deleted in 2022-23; 7.4 million this financial year

Names are deleted without the knowledge of workers or following proper procedure, claim activists

No money to fix leaky roofs, MGNREGS workers in West Bengal fear upcoming monsoon

The Centre has blocked the state’s funds for the rural employment scheme for over a year, jeopardising the economic conditions of …

What will its first far-right leader since WWII mean for Italy?

Right-wing coalition led by Giorgia Meloni looks on course to secure at least 230 of the 400 seats in the Lower House, giving it a clear majority

Liz Truss: who is the UK’s new prime minister and why has she replaced Boris Johnson?

Truss’s brand of economic libertarianism, political optimism and hawkishness proved decisive in the 2022 leadership contest