The initial euphoria over its emphatic electoral win over, the focus is now on realities within which the AAP will have to deliver on its promises. T R Raghunandan explores if the party can realise its vision of ‘swaraj,’ living up to the true ideals of decentralisation.

The joint statement on climate change at the end of PM Modi’s recent tour of China has expectedly created considerable hype. Darryl D’Monte takes a balanced view of its import and the real challenges for India in the face of global climate politics.

The draft notification specifying emission standards for coal-based thermal power plants is a welcome first step towards regulation, but needs much greater attention to detail and further calibration, writes Debadityo Sinha.

The recent amendment to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification relaxes building norms for CRZ areas. There are certain necessary measures that should have preceded it, says Meenakshi Kapoor as she brings out the implications of the amendment.

The present government completed one year in the office in May this year. It came to power by promising to bring achhe din for the Indians, who were frustrated with high inflation, corruption and policy paralysis during the last government. Pradeep Baisakh objectively analyses the performance of the Modi government in its first year.

The Ishrat Jahan case has again hit the headlines with former home minister P Chidambaram being accused of rewriting an affidavit to prove the 19-year-old’s innocence. Ramesh Menon presents a recap and investigates where things stand now.

The Draft National Water Framework Bill, put out for public comments recently, represents an important and progressive step forward despite some shortcomings and challenges involved in its implementation, writes Shripad Dharmadhikary.

A recent report suggests merging the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) into a new organisation to be called the National Water Commission. Shripad Dharmadhikary comments on the report.

A new notification from the ministry lays out a process by which illegal units can be granted clearance and “brought into compliance” within the next six months. Manju Menon and Kanchi Kohli report.

Pradeep Baisakh analyses a recently released report by human rights activists and civil society organizations to see how the present government has performed in the three years it has been in power.

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.

It has been more than 3 decades since the scheme of Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan was implemented. It was given statutory status by converting it into an Act in Karnataka in 2013.  Kathyayini Chamaraj examines the promises of the scheme and Act and questions the outcomes.

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.

27-year-old Nandlal Master was born into a saree weaver's family. Today, he is a leader in the Mehdiganj area of Varanasi District, and runs classes for children who would otherwise be stranded. He has also led a local movement on water that has become a problem for Coca Cola as well as the local administration, writes Sandeep Pandey.

Many laws on land ownership are discriminatory, and the ones that do speak of gender justice are largely not implemented. While a few exceptional women have overcome these odds, for most women, land rights remain shackled by state and society alike. Puja Awasthi reports.

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.

While the old town is chaotic and crowded, on the other side the roads are wide and well maintained. There appears to be a complete disconnect between the two halves of Mirzapur, writes Kalpana Sharma.

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.

Lack of open communication between parents and school authorities is diminishing trust and respect between them. This in turn has caused many unfortunate incidents that could have been avoided, reports Puja Awasthi.

Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts in western Uttar Pradesh had their long standing communal harmony destroyed by the riots that took place there in September 2013. Shoma Chatterji reviews the powerful documentary Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai which looks closely into the how, why and the aftermath of these riots.

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.

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.

By 12 October 2005, the Right to Information Act must be 'fully functional' in every city, township and village. At a national conference held soon after the law was passed, government officials, civil society groups and national and international experts had met to chalk out an agenda to make this happen. Mandakini Devasher takes stock.

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.

When a Pune-based die-hard transparency activist went to a government book depot in the city on 15 October morning to buy a copy of the new Right to Information Act, he was surprised to see that there were already 50 odd citizens in line for copies. True, bureaucrats have also planted landmines, but the citizens may yet win, says Prakash Kardeley.

In two recent rulings, the Central Information Commission rejected candidates' requests asking to see their own assessed answer sheets. One of the CIC's arguments was that the examining authority and the evaluator had a fiduciary relationship and thereby qualified for exemption. Prakash Kardaley wonders if the CIC went too far.

A combination of intimidation and mindless application of the letter of the law threatens to dissuade citizens from putting the RTI Act to use. And politicians are only happy to offer solutions that further dilute the law's purpose. Suman Sahai and Swati Gola note examples from Chhatisgarh that point to the need for a program for rights literacy.

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.

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.

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.

Too many RTI applicants are being fobbed by Public Information Officers saying the file being sought is lost. Well, in that case, ask what action has been taken per the Public Records Act, urges Krishnaraj Rao.

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.

While researching suicide data published by the NCRB, Shambhu Ghatak files an RTI enquiry on how the Bureau identifies causes behind suicides and compiles the data across states to arrive at national figures. The response reveals the lack of clarity in the exercise.

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.

As India enters a new monsoon season, Jaideep Hardikar recounts the Chhatisgarh situation where women are increasingly becoming farm managers.

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.

The government recently imposed a ban on women under 30 emigrating for domestic work and caregiving. But instead of stopping women who want to migrate, it is likely to put them at greater risk to trafficking and exploitative treatment - the very concerns that have driven the ban. Rita Manchanda has more.

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.

Abysmal pay, low dignity and zero benefits and security unite government-appointed social health activists from Punjab and UP at a protest meet in the capital. Amrita Nandy reveals some of their shocking tales of exploitation and deprivation.

Vineeta Bal, a former member of the Prime Minister's task force for Women in Science under the Department of Science and Technology, explores the status of women scientists in India in a freewheeling conversation with Pamela Philipose.

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.

Comprised of over 350 students, professionals, homemakers from across the country, Bikerni is the first all-female motorcycle association of India. Surekha Kadapa-Bose brings us the stories of this group that has been charting new horizons for women to follow.