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

Forests have been the root cause of the struggle for statehood. In an interview with DOWN TO EARTH, Uttaranchal's first chief minister NITYANAND SWAMI says he intends transferring power to gram panchayats

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

India with its deplorable rural roads can learn a lesson from Madagascar, which has successfully implemented a decentralised system of constructing roads