Policy UpdatePragya Raghav Background Kerala’s welfare delivery operates in a state where geography, demography and social needs make reaching people effectively particularly important. Spread across 38,863 sq km and home to nearly 3.6 crore people, Kerala combines a densely populated…
Kerala is home to an estimated 25 to 35 lakh inter-state migrant workers, mainly from West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring Nepal (Sreedevi & Gopinath, 2024; Peoples Democracy, 2025). They are an important part of Kerala’s construction, manufacturing, agriculture and service sectors. The state officially refers to them as Athithi Thozhilali, or “guest workers,” reflecting its attempt to promote inclusion. However, migrant-rights researchers note that the term can also suggest that these workers are temporary outsiders who do not fully belong to Kerala (The News Minute, 2021).
Karnataka is one of the largest states of India, occupying an area of 1,91,791 sq.km. It is the sixth largest state of India and has a population of more than 6.1 crore (as per Census 2011), making it the eighth most populated state. There are sharp regional differences such as the technology-oriented metro-economy of Bangalore Urban district, the drought prone and less developed Kalyana Karnataka region in the northeast consisting of seven districts, the coastal region of Karavali and the ecologically vulnerable Western Ghats ranges of Malnad. Karnataka comprises 31 districts in four administrative divisions: Bangalore, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Mysuru.
The Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana (MMMSY), also referred to as Mukhyamantri Maiyan Samman Yojana, is Jharkhand’s flagship women-focused cash-transfer scheme. It was launched on 18 August 2024 by the state government under Chief Minister Hemant Soren, with applications opening from 1 August 2024.
This article examines the Village Defence Guards Scheme (VDGS) as a case study in community-based auxiliary security policy in a contested border region
Kanyashree Prakalpa was introduced in 2013 in West Bengal to address two closely connected challenges faced by adolescent girls in West Bengal
The Public Distribution System (PDS) plays an important role in ensuring food and nutritional security for vulnerable sections of the population.