Several schemes to address different Indian urban issues are introduced by the government. Prachee Mishra discusses the fiscal and policy level challenges these schemes will encounter.

Shripad Dharmadhikary critically examines the proposed push for hydro power projects in the recently released Draft National Energy Policy for public comments by NITI Aayog.

Do district level and local media play a critical role in development journalism? In a two-part series The Hoot.org takes a closer look at Mirzapur's media.

A livelihoods and savings programme in the slums of Allahabad doubles as a safe environment for adolescent girls to learn about reproductive health. Rrishi Raote reports.

The more things change the more they stay the same. Bored by the hyperbole and premature celebrations of a new India in the metros, Videh Upadhyay travels to eastern UP, and gets a firsthand look at power cuts, the power brokers, and the despair of the majority who are simply powerless.

Data from UP's Crime Records Bureau shows only a small number of crimes against women, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Police officials' unwillingness to register and investigate crimes is a key reason, and the State Commission for Women is largely mute. Puja Awasthi reports.

In U.P., the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme - instituted under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in 2005 to ensure access and quality elementary education (Class 6-8) for disadvantaged girls - has opened new doors hitherto closed because of discrimination and poverty. Swapna Majumdar has more.

On Independence day, a District Magistrate in U.P. handed over three teachers of a primary school to the police, during a surprise school visit. School children are among the worst sufferers in the state; they continue to pay for a system they neither moulded nor understand. Puja Awasthi reports.

A recent report by Human Rights Watch, No Tally of the Anguish provides a much-needed exposure of the real story behind averages and official data about maternal mortality, writes Kalpana Sharma.

If you keep water standing in a glass for a while here, it causes a stain around the rim. Pamela Philipose describes the tribulations and ordeal of women in Mamana village of Uttar Pradesh, as they fight to collect potable water everyday.

Much has been written on the inhuman atrocities inflicted on women during the 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar and the deplorable conditions in the relief camps. Saumya Uma draws attention beyond these to how the violence has robbed women of their basic rights and voices in myriad ways.

Radha. Zahira. Neha. Names and tales that serve to remind us that despite the reams written, laws passed and discourses held on sexual violence in the country, the road to justice for rape survivors remains as arduous as ever. Manjari Singh reports.

September 28 is being observed as the Right to Know day by the Freedom of Information Advocates Network, a global group of NGOs working for better transparency in governments. An India Together report on the recent strides citizen activity has made in India on the right to information.

Chitta Behera points out that the otherwise progressive draft Right to Information Act 2004 (prepared by the National Advisory Council) could do with some additional fine-tuning while still under review within the offices of our government.

The National Campaign for the People's Right to Information is asking citizens to put pressure on the Prime Minister to deliver on the UPA government's promise of bringing in a 'progressive, participatory and meaningful' right to information law.

Lawmakers at New Delhi recently passed the Right to Information Bill. The legislation provides for an information commission with powers to enforce transparency. An officer who delays disclosure will be liable to pay a penalty of Rs 250 for every day's delay. Prakash Kardaley is optimistic about the bill about to become law.

The new national Right to Information law came into effect on 12 October as citizens groups nationwide – from Karnataka to Delhi -- have virtually been on alert and awaiting the opening of government departments to applications for information. Much remains to be seen and done, reports Subramaniam Vincent.

If RTI applications continue to rise in number, it will not be too long before the system as we know collapses and will have to be overhauled. More suo motu disclosures are needed to avert this, writes Vivek Vaidyanathan.

Recent rulings by the Central Information Commission offer hope that decision-making in environmental regulation will be more transparent and participatory henceforth, and embrace suo moto disclosures. Kanchi Kohli reports.

Shailesh Gandhi's work is proof that working in an accountable, democratic and transparent manner is possible in the official Right to Information machinery. Darryl D'Monte reports.

Despite recent concessions to be subject to Right to Information Act, the Supreme Court's attitude to the sunshine law remains a matter of concern, writes Pradeep Baisakh.

Civil society candidates should be eligible for appointment to key RTI posts in the States and the Centre. We must apply for such jobs, and help improve the system, writes Krishnaraj Rao.

On learning that she could find out why her widow pension was being delayed, she made her grandson write out an RTI application on her behalf. When she got her pension, I realised how powerful this law could be, writes R Balasubramaniam.

The State Information Commissioners are supposed to uphold the RTI Act in their respective states. But their own appointments are shrouded in secrecy, writes Krishnaraj Rao.

The new head of the nation's highest body for enforcement of the Right to Information Act has himself been appointed with little public awareness of the process or criteria used for his selection, writes Krishnaraj Rao.

Under pressure from RTI campaigners, the department in charge of short-listing the candidates for appointment as Central Information Commissioners itself becomes more transparent.

Central Information Commission asks MoEF to make an environment expert panel's report public, outlining arguments that could be used for disclosure of many other documents. Krishnaraj Rao writes.

Hasmukh Dhumadiya describes the ordeal of residents of Bakshipunch Housing Society in Dwarka, Gujarat, and their efforts in overcoming it.

Entrepreneur and social activist Pradeep Lokhande’s project of setting up a library every day across rural schools in Maharashtra is helping many poor students see the light of a new day. Ramesh Menon reports on this unique initiative.

Voluble among themselves, these women are less comfortable in speaking up at civic meetings when men are present. Policy interventions can only initiate social change, but change itself takes time to unfold. Ashima Sood continues her diary series on Chingrajpara slum, Chhatisgarh.

Does participatory development result from the actions of local groups themselves, or is it shepherded by NGOs? A documentary film on migrant women labourers explores their coping strategies against poverty and restricted roles, as well an NGO's efforts on their behalf. Ammu Kannampilly notes Women Builders' sensitive and unsentimental portrayal.

My Mother, The Gharwali, Her Maalak, His Wife (70 minutes) is a play showcasing a day in the life of people who sell sex for a living. Directed by Sushama Deshpande, it is an unselfconscious portrayal of people in ‘sex-work’ by people in ‘sex work’. Charumathi Supraja has more.

Women in the Sunderbans region of West Bengal are setting a trend in climate change mitigation through projects under the "Common Property Resource" initiative, and carving new frontiers in livelihood security in the process. Ajitha Menon reports.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 aims to create safer workplaces for women in particular. However, as Anagha Sarpotdar points out, without deeper discussion and interpretation of its provisions, prevention of abuse at workplaces may remain a pipe dream.

As part of a study on the socio-economic status of women from the ‘Most Backward Castes’, women from the Nayibrahmin or barber community talk of their lives of oppression and deprivation. Akhileshwari Ramagoud recounts their tales.

Sordid living conditions, poor educational and medical facilities, and lack of childcare inevitably characterise the lives of construction workers in the country. Are they ever going to be able to reap the benefits of the growth they facilitate? Kathyayini Chamaraj examines.

Former Golden State Warrior Andre Iguodala talks to WSJ's Lee Hawkins about being an active tech investor, his commitment to opening doors for other athletes and people of color, and the benefits of having a "strict" mother.

As golf declines in popularity, communities across the country are struggling with how to best redevelop the land that’s left behind. WSJ visited the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley where the town is trying to figure out what to do with its municipal course.

Sheila Johnson, the first African-American female entrepreneur to be worth $1 billion, tells WSJ's Veronica Dagher why some women don't help each other, the story behind founding Salamander Hotels and Resorts and BET, and how she's investing in other women's companies.

Kobe Bryant, the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, NBA officials confirmed to league employees. He was 41 years old. Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also killed in the crash. Photo: Getty Images

Wendy Nguyen, founder of Wendy's Lookbook, speaks with WSJ's Veronica Dagher about surviving trauma, creating viral videos and launching a CBD business.

Miko Branch, co-founder and chief executive of Miss Jessie's hair-care line, tells WSJ's Veronica Dagher about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, what it's like to work with major retailers and how wealth has changed her life.

Garments made in Bangladeshi factories that major retailers have banned as unsafe are finding their way onto Amazon's site for sale in the U.S. WSJ investigates Amazon's apparel supply chains and the impact of its marketplace on garment factory workers. Photo: Karan Deep Singh for The Wall Street Journal

Clothing sizes are broken and as shopping has shifted online, the problem has worsened. WSJ retail reporter Suzanne Kapner breaks down the issue and explains what startups are doing to solve it. Photo: oonal/Getty Images

WSJ's Joanna Stern "bumps into" Heidi Zak, the co-founder and co-CEO of bra brand ThirdLove. The two discuss proper bra care, the company’s algorithm that determines bra sizing and how ThirdLove is challenging Victoria’s Secret. Photo: Andria Chamberlin for The Wall Street Journal

The current version of Nike's controversial Vaporfly sneakers won’t be banned in competition, track and field’s world governing body ruled on Friday. That's likely to fuel further debate about whether the high-end racing shoes offer an unfair advantage. We took a look at the tech inside the shoes to see what all the fuss is about. Photo/Video: Alexander Hotz/WSJ

The trend of traditional consumer goods companies buying newer cosmetic brands is only increasing, and skin care specifically is experiencing an exceptionally lucrative boom. But analysts suggest that some of the more recent acquisitions in the beauty industry are the first signs a skin-care bubble may pop.

Markets in Asia refuse to shrug off worries in Europe. The WSJ's Deborah Kan speaks to Hong Kong Digital Editor Jake Lee about how fears over contagion in Europe are impacting Asia.

Some top J.P. Morgan executives and directors were alerted to risky practices by a team of London-based traders two years before that group's botched bets cost the bank more than $2 billion. David Reilly has details on The News Hub. Photo: Bloomberg.

An ominous rise in Spanish government bond yields fanned speculation that the country might need a bailout of its own. Matt Phillips reports on Markets Hub. Photo: Reuters.