Dilip D'Souza on how unglamorous measures have begun to pay off for the Saora people in Orissa.

In one of development's pampered districts in Orissa, chamar children are still polishing shoes, some even as they are supposedly schooling. Special economic packages are helping only a little here, and academic performance and serious rehabilitation remain abysmal, finds Ranjan K Panda.

Ganjam migrants in Surat send home Rs. 400 crore a year, a fourth of that through the unique Tappawala courier system. But global recession has seen remittances take a hit, writes P Sainath.

A delegation of entrepreneurs from Pakistan decided to spend Id in India, exploring opportunities for their businesses and forging friendly ties at the same time. Surekha Sule reports that there are many areas where the strengths of the two nations in global trade can be mutually beneficial.

India currently does not count the costs of defence pensions, para military forces and the defence ministry itself as part of budgeted defence expenditure. Correcting for this and converting to purchasing power terms, we are the third largest spender on defence in the world next only to the US and China, writes Pavan Nair.

That Ex Sanghe Shakti concluded in the plains of Punjab without much ado indicates the determination of both India and Pakistan to keep temperatures below the now usual levels of the summer campaign in Kashmir. However, this positive should not cloud the questionable premises of Ex Sanghe Shakti, writes Firdaus Ahmed.

The most intractable conflicts in South Asia have remained unresolved because of the inflexibility and dogmatism of the contending parties. It is time for them to move beyond self-justification towards acknowledging and embracing the beauty of compromise, writes Ramachandra Guha.

There has been a massive erosion in public confidence in our criminal justice system. There have been numerous commissions set up to suggest improvements, but nothing much has come of these, writes C V Madhukar.

Circumstances surrounding the death of alleged terrorist Khalid Mujahid in UP underline how sloppy investigations and a bias for emotion instead of facts have dented the credibility of the fight against terror. Puja Awasthi fears that such half truths will only feed the evil of terrorism further.

As the world mourns the loss of one of history's most remarkable leaders, Devaki Jain reminisces the occasions when she met Nelson Mandela and dwells on the qualities that set him apart.

When malnutrition among children is widespread, the government is slashing funds allocated to the mid day meal scheme that covers most of the vulnerable children. Questioning this approach of the government, E S Ramamurthy started a petition to raise the funding for mid-day meal scheme to cover minimum nutritional needs of a child.

Deccan Development Society (DDS) is transforming the lives of villagers of Zaheerhabad, Telangana. Ashish Kothari visited the place recently and writes about how DDS is successfully working with Dalit farmers towards ecologically sustainable farming, women empowerment and community-led communications.

When does one stop being a migrant and become just one of the residents? Dilip D'Souza finds that the answer can be quite different, depending on who is giving it: the not-so-new arrivals themselves, or the original inhabitants. But it is the offical view that is most troubling, for it shows how much the migrants' lot is hostage to high office.

In Harud, autumn is not just the season it stands for. It is a metaphor for a state caught in a situation of persistent siege, bomb blasts, and killings. Shoma Chatterji reviews the film.

New Delhi concedes a long-standing Bodo demand to set up an independent council for the tribal people, and demands that rebels now disarm.

Jhum, a traditional form of shifting cultivation common in the North-East, was the focus of a recent international meeting in Guwahati. But dilution of the original practice has impacted the ecosystem in some areas. Should jhum persist or perish? Surekha Sule has more.

For scores of students in Assam's primary schools, cooked food served in school under the Midday Meal Scheme is an attraction. Headmasters vouch for its impact in increasing attendance, but point to several challenges in making the scheme work statewide. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.

With large parts of the state experiencing regular conflict between insurgents and security forces, and also between various ethnic groups, children in Assam, many of them forced into relief camps, face the risk of losing all access to education. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.

In a region mired in conflict for a decade now, the emergence and growth of weaving as a livelihood option for Bodo women has been welcome, and the women have taken to it with great entrepreneurship. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.

Endless ethnic clashes in the state since the 1990s, coupled with chronic flood and erosion, have triggered large scale migration from Assam to greener pastures outside the state. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.

Eco-friendly disposable plates and bowls made from sheaths of the abundant areca nut plant in rural Assam hold great promise for a lucrative industry with global reach. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports on the enterprise.

The ruling government has seen limited success in some areas, but the state's lingering needs seem to have been forgotten in the war of personalities ahead of the looming parliamentary elections. Ratna Bharali Talukdar has more.

Should foreign immigrants in Assam enjoy Indian citizenship as outlined by the Assam Accord and endorsed by Section 6A of the Citizenship Act? Tanvi Bhatikar reports on a recent court ruling that focuses on these questions.

On World Disability Day and the few days following it, there was some coverage in the media of issues that concern the disabled population. But, considering that this represents peak coverage for the year it is hardly adequate, especially as the number of disabled persons in India is huge, writes Ammu Joseph.

Children with disabilities are routinely edged out of an education system that's hesitant to acknowledge diversity. Inclusion may be the key word in India's current education policy, but there is a world of difference between the law and its implementation. Deepa A reports.

Dr Ruffles, an affectionate dog and resident ‘doctor’ at a hospital in Chennai, has helped several children with special needs to overcome their learning disabilities and resolve complex behavioural issues. Hema Vijay reports.

An inspiring account of Malini Chib, disability rights activist and author, who talks about how she got around to developing a strong disability identity that she wants to “celebrate” rather than reject.

It has been happening for several years under the nose of the Haryana administration. The nation's top government auditor has issued multiple indictments. And yet they have polluted recklessly. Himanshu Upadhyaya tells the tale.

Despite the intervention of the Supreme Court, the state government is a long way from meeting its commitment to eradicate child hunger and deaths due to malnutrition. As a result, an already insecure condition for millions of children shows no sign of improvement. Rasika Dhavse reports.

With an eye on the electorate, the UPA government is trying to scale up its Direct Benefits Transfer scheme in a big way, linking it to the Aadhaar project. But given the low levels of financial inclusion and poor financial literacy among beneficiaries, its effectiveness remains suspect.

A number of families residing in the char areas of Assam have apparently staved off misfortune by taking up sugarcane cultivation, but it may require more than just that to stem the trend of migration and improve living conditions in the region. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.

Generalised policies that draw up uniform plans for cities also end up marginalising millions among the urban poor. Shirish Khare emphasises the need for more inclusive and participatory development if India is to meet the huge urbanisation challenge that lies ahead.

A survey among beneficiaries of the National Social Assistance Programme shows that while it does provide succour for many, a lot remains to be done for it to become sufficient social security for the masses. Anindita Adhikari reports on the survey findings.

An apparently well-intended plan to help very poor tribes in Madhya Pradesh find sustainable livelihoods bears no relation to the reality of how it is actually implemented. Money is simply distributed and disappears, but things remain unchanged. Susmita Guru reports.

With the closure of the dance bars, the sex industry has another arm. Thousands of women without education have lost their livelihood. They have to cash in on their looks before the passage of time wrinkles it. Excerpts from Rajendar Menen's book.

Jalyatra is a welcome addition to the literature on water systems in India, and one hopes that it once again brings attention to the traditional systems and the key principles behind them, writes Shripad Dharmadhikary.

Darryl D’Monte reviews the book Alternative Futures: India Unshackled edited by Ashish Kothari and K. J. Joy.

Are multinational firms more important than public health? Sudhirendar Sharma questions the haste with which New Delhi has let soft drinks manufacturers off the hook.

Gopal Krishna reports on the heavy price being paid by stone-cutters of the Lalkuan area of New Delhi.

This IIT Kharagpur professor's vision is to remove the digital divide between the visually impaired and the sighted world. Rasika Dhavse profiles Anupam Basu and his innovation, Sparsha.

Even as many Indian hospitals invite a foreign clientele to world-class treatment facilities, the poor have to contend with a different and unregulated private sector, says Abhijit Das.

As an alternative to incineration that is known to produce toxic pollutants like dioxins, India is leaning towards pyrolysis for disposal of medical waste. Ratna Singh of New Delhi based Toxics Link on the implications.

Smoking in the movies fosters a culture that encourages young people to smoke, whereas what is needed is that we actively develop antipathy to smoking! More than the health effects alone, it is this battle that has been engaged by the government's move to ban tobacco on screen, says Pankaj Chaturvedi.

Women's gynaecological and urological organs share a close relationship, and disorders affecting one may give rise to symptoms in the other. Better care and knowledge can reduce the incidence of these problems, however, and many of the conditions are treatable. Fehmida Zakeer reports.

Once again, a study by the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment found alarming levels of pesticide residues in soft drinks and stirred up a public debate. However, the larger issue of how pesticides have invaded the ground water and gotten into the food chain must not be missed, notes Ramesh Menon.

The U.S. auto giants are an example of how things work in the age of unbridled corporate power. Of how the collapse of restraint on that power fractures economy and society, writes P Sainath.

Tamilnadu leads the country in nutritional interventions and yet has alarming levels of hunger in children. Research indicates that is a very likely cause of poor schooling achievement and drop-out rates, reports Krithika Ramalingam.

NGOs have fared better than the government in tackling iron deficiency in poor children. Activists, policy analysts and funders want a convergence of various departments as opposed to boxing nutrition into the health-sector alone. Krithika Ramalingam completes her two-part inquiry.

The overwhelming mandate won by the BJP under Narendra Modi has led to continuing upward rally in the markets, but can it also inspire similar cheer in the social space? Shankar Jaganathan remains optimistic.

A recent workshop in Karnataka focused on the health impact of coal-based power plants and other industrial pollutants and shared inputs on how to empower local communities to combat the same. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports.