Rural India: Blossoming in Neglect?
VAF organized its First Conference in Pune from 28th – 30th August 2018. Research work done by VAF across eight themes was presented and discussed with larger fraternity. In order to reach and benefit a wider audience and stakeholders, we share all the papers presented during the conference as given below.
Recognizing and nurturing rural blossoms - synthesis of papers presented at the conference
Conference Themes
Download working papers/presentations
Current status and barriers to digital inclusion
Simplification, transparency, avoidance of unnecessary meddling bureaucracy, the speed of response and very quick and huge reach are some of the key advantages of the IT-enabled services offered to society at large. Central Government has mandated Digital Inclusion platform to promote the above. This session had presentation related to the current situation of Digital Inclusion in its complexity in different parts of the country.
WORKING PAPERS
Extent of digital inclusion in Sundarbans region of West Bengal
Extent of digital inclusion in Telangana
Progress towards digital inclusion in rural Gudibande of Chikkaballapura district
Status of internet use among young entrepreneurs in towns adjoining major cities in Rajasthan
Changing baskets of consumption in rural households
Consumption is considered as a primary indicator for the well-being of the households, and the household income and expenditure revolves around it. The focus of this theme was to explore the changes that are happening in the consumption basket of the rural households and their socio-economic impact in multiple locations.
WORKING PAPER
A Macro economic perspective of changing rural consumption
Changes in consumption pattern in the sundarbans regions of West Bengal
Study of changes in consumption pattern in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal
PRESENTATIONS
Gaps between opportunity sets available to rural youth vis-à-vis their urban counterparts
Post liberalisation, India witnessed an increase in the rural-urban inequality in terms of income, living conditions, access to various facilities, etc. This session explored the gaps in opportunities related to education and livelihood among rural youth vis-à-vis their urban counterparts.
WORKING PAPERS
Exploring the opportunity gaps regarding educatin among the rural and urban youth of Mandla
Gaps in Education opportunities available to urban and rual youth
Opportunity gaps in rural and urban India – in context to two districts in Assam
The inequality of opportunitites for rural and urban youth in education and livelihoods
Social and economic impacts of water harvesting structures
Water harvesting structures (WHS) are often proposed as a miracle strategy to solve the problems of water scarcity. Central as well as the state governments have promoted their use by providing subsidies, by collaborating with local NGOs and by implementing them through MGNREGA. This session had presentations on impact assessment of various WHS built in different regions of the country.
WORKING PAPERS
Enhancing water, food and income security through Farm Ponds
Exploratory study of Doha model as a water harvesting structure
Impact assessment of the Doha Model as a water harvesting structure
Impact of farm ponds on lives and livelihoods of farmers
Reviving india’s water harvesting structures to achieve drought resilience
Social and Economic Impacts of water harvesting structures A synthesis
PRESENTATIONS
Social and Economic Impacts of water harvesting structures A synthesis
Water Sector Collaborating with the Government
Reviving india’s water harvesting structures to achieve drought resilience
Impact of farm ponds on lives and livelihoods of farmers
Impact assessment of the Doha Model
Enhancing water, food and income security through Farm Ponds
Incentives and motivation for women taking leadership roles in collectives
Women’s collective organisations take many forms: SHG’s, “Mahila mandal”, co-operatives for undertaking or supporting an economic activity, Nari Sangh for advocating gender justice. While membership entails attendance in periodic meetings and participation in collective activities, leadership role entails much more significant investment of time and energy. This session presented several insights from the research on incentives and motivations which drives individuals to take leadership in collectives.
WORKING PAPERS
Understanding the incentive for the Leaders in women collectives – Jaipal Singh Kaushik
Contemplating leadership in models of women empowerment – Gurpreet Kaur
Beyond Leadership Affective Affinities and the Eka Nari Sanghathan
PRESENTATIONS
Role in promotion of leadership in collectives of women self help groups,cluster and federations
Health impacts of headload carrying and other domestic chores of women
In rural India, women are seen carrying heavy loads and doing other domestic chores, primarily due to lack of basic amenities. There is little data available on the impact of these practices on their health. This session presented and discussed such impacts on women.
WORKING PAPERS
Bio-gas and impact on rural women.
Health impact of domestic works on Women – A case study in the Sundarban region of West Bengal
Measuring the rural drudgery – a study from Rajasthan
Women’s daily chores and its health impacts – A qualitative study in rural tribal areas of Telangana
PRESENTATIONS
Bio-gas and impact on rural women
Daily Chores and its health impacts on Women
Whither social enterprises?
In the recent decade, social enterprises (SEs) have emerged as new actors in development arena, globally. SEs are mission-focussed organisations run on enterprise principles thus aiming to promote both public and private good. The focus of this theme is to discuss the growth and management challenges of SEs engaged in the agricultural sector. The session had presentations on reflections of practitioners and a panel discussion on several case studies.
WORKING PAPERS
Essay on social enterprises and social entrepreneurs – Review of global, Indian and Bharat lanscape
Incubating Social Enterprises – ISEED IRMA’s expereince
Learning about Social Entrepreneurship
PRESENTATIONS
Incubating Social Enterprises – ISEED IRMA’s experience
Learning about Social Entrepreneurship
Motivation for social enterprise research and a review
Research and knowledge building on social enterprises – TISS experience
Mainstreaming the Margins: Understanding the issues of the marginalised in eastern states of India
Severe population pressure, small land holdings, perennial vulnerability to floods, abundant yet inadequately utilised water resources and potential for sizeable incremental production from unused resources are some key features of Eastern India. This session had a synthesis of the research studies undertaken by VAF and others in building a comprehensive understanding of the eastern states of India.
PRESENTATIONS
Agrarian Stagnation in Eastern Gangetic Plains- Avinash Kishore, IFPRI, New Delhi
Managing the Water-Energy-Livelihood Nexus- Shilp Verma, ITP, Anand
Catalyzing Solar irrigation market in Chakhaji – Gyan Prakash Rai – ITP, Anand
Development Profile in Flood Prone Areas – Nirmalya Choudhury – TISS, Mumbai
Implementing PMKSY in India’s Eastern Geography- Abhishek Rajan, ITP-Anand
Ushering a Small Pump Revolution – Bikalp Chamola, Vikasanvesh Foundation, Pune
Small Pumps, Big Risks – VICTOR, KHETHWORKS
Challenges to the Natural Resource Management at the Shirui Village in Ukhrul district, Manipur
To cite:
<Name of the authors> (2018), <Title of the paper>, Conference on Rural India: Blossoming in Neglect? VikasAnvesh Foundation, Pune.
Disclaimer: All the papers shared here are working draft.