The need of the hour is to decentralise drought management and think long term

AJIT JOGI, the first chief minister of Chattisgarh, speaks to DOWN TO EARTH on sustainable development of the new state

Total forest cover of CHATTISGARH, UTTARANCHAL and JHARKHAND

Fighting the drought preoccupies the new government. Charting a mining policy to explore the rich mineral deposits is next on the agenda

The process of alienating people from natural resources has not stopped, even with the attainment of statehood

Most politicians and activists see the Forest Conservation Act as a hurdle towards empowering the tribal population. They want the act amended

Rich in natural resources but extremely poor, the three new states are in need of a new strategy for development. But no blueprints have been drawn so far. DOWN TO EARTH reports on the posers thrown up by the birth of Chattisgarh, Uttaranchal and J