Construction

Delhi’s homeless migrants work daily wage jobs that provide temporary housing on worksites, but they often endure abuse from their contractors and employers and receive low to no wages. The city’s approximately 200 shelters allot 18 square feet per resident, which is far below the National Urban Livelihoods Mission’s Scheme of Shelters for Urban Homeless guideline of 50 square feet per person. Labourers in Yamuna Pushta use congested shelters because the nearby jobs determine their survival. In this context, the homeless labourers’ working and shelter conditions, the skills they possess, and the barriers they face to decent working conditions are examined.

Read more about Understanding the Skills and Livelihood Aspirations of the Working Homeless Men of Yamuna Pushta

An Illusion Built on Tragedy

Vol. 56, Issue No. 22, 29 May, 2021

Continuing the Central Vista redevelopment amidst the pandemic reveals a sinister stubbornness.

Read more about An Illusion Built on Tragedy

Time for a Massive Fiscal Stimulus

Vol. 55, Issue No. 36, 05 Sep, 2020

Only bold interventions by the government can ensure a quick recovery of the economy.

Read more about Time for a Massive Fiscal Stimulus

A Novel Approach to Understanding Delhi’s Complex Air Pollution Problem

Vol. 54, Issue No. 36, 07 Sep, 2019

Shuvabrata Chakraborty, Samir K Srivastava

With rising concerns about the steep increase in air pollution in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, several factors—particularly motorised transportation, construction, and stubble burning in neighbouring states—are being identified as contributing to this hazard. However, in order to make effective policy decisions, there is a need for a holistic approach that identifies the root causes of the problem. The use of system dynamics simulation offers a novel systems thinking approach to understand Delhi’s air pollution, taking into account the dynamic nature of the air pollution system as well as the complex interdependencies among the various factors and sources of air pollution.

Read more about A Novel Approach to Understanding Delhi’s Complex Air Pollution Problem

Well Worth the Effort

Vol. 51, Issue No. 19, 07 May, 2016

Anjor Bhaskar, Sunil Gupta, Pankaj Yadav

More than 1,00,000 wells were sanctioned for construction under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in Jharkhand during the last few years. This study evaluates the outcome of this well-construction drive through a survey of nearly 1,000 wells in 24 randomly selected gram panchayats. A majority of sanctioned wells (60% with parapet and 70% without) were completed at the time of the survey. Nearly 95% of completed wells are being utilised for irrigation, leading to a near tripling of agricultural income of those in the command area. The real rate of return from these wells in Jharkhand is estimated to be close to 6%, a respectable figure for any economic investment. However, well construction involves some out-of-pocket expenses and this investment is risky: nearly 12% of the wells were abandoned midway.