Politics

People-centred governance and decision-making, ensuring accountability and transparency

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This section features initiatives and approaches towards people-centred governance and decision-making, with direct participation, and based on principles of social and environmental justice. This includes initiatives attempting to realize local non-hierarchical systems of decision-making in urban and rural areas, and linkages of these to each other at bio-cultural levels. This would also include collectives or communities that raise non-party political concerns at the local level and beyond, as well as initiatives that enhance accountability and transparency of political bodies. It will include alternative policy frameworks that are based on or promote the alternative economies featured elsewhere on this site, such as meaningful practices and concepts of well-being, instead of the mainstream development model which focuses on economic growth.

The story of a principled chief conservator of forests in Bastar, Chhattisgarh

A single man is showing what perseverance can do, in regenerating and protecting the forests of Bastar district in Chhattisgarh. The idea is spreading to neighbouring villages in Odisha, too.

The Grassroots Lokpal

How beneficiary-led monitoring of government-run services, such as ration shops and rural healthcare, functions in a few states.

Mendha Lekha residents gift all their farms to Gram Sabha

The Gram Sabha of Mendha Lekha village in Gadchirolli district in Maharashtra has done away with private ownership of agricultural land using the Maharashtra Gram Dan Act 1964. The intent is to further strenghthen the gram sabha by moving towards community ownership of land.

Localise to save the world! Lessons from Mendha Lekha

The recent economic crises and the powercut affecting huge swathes of South India, both point to the need to localise the economy at least for basic needs. Here are some stories related to Mendha Lekha village in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra

Community-led conservation in India

Communities can conserve forests and make a living out of it. Then why is the government playing spoilsport?

Baigas of central India battle for their forest rights

The Baiga adivasis of central India have mobilised to reclaim their rights over forests they have traditionally used.

The new jungle drums

A unique cell phone-based networking system in Chhattisgarh helps Adivasi Gonds share local news and air grievances.

Mobile Vaani – Community Radio in Jharkhand

Nearly 100,000 villagers in the remotest hamlets of Jharkhand connect every day to Jharkhand Mobile Vaani, a unique voice-based social platform where they can discuss issues regarding health, unemployment and education without fear and be reasonably confident of receiving a reply from the concerned authorities

India’s move to e-governance exposes ancient flaws

At present, IT is reinforcing more than attacking inequality: men are benefiting more than women; the rich are benefiting more than the poor. The challenge is to create the conditions for reversing the polarities