Assessing India’s Frontier Development Strategy: The Border Area Development Programme (1986)
The Border Area Development Programme (BADP) was launched in 1986-87 by the Government of India to address a structural gap in nation-building
Category Center for Work and Welfare
Meghalaya Department-wise Schemes Update 2026
Policy UpdateAyana N K Background Meghalaya, meaning “the abode of clouds,” is a hill state in Northeast India covering about 22,430 sq km. According to the 2011 Census, it has a population of around 29.67 lakh. The state is predominantly…
The New Currency of Power: How Critical Minerals Are Reshaping India’s Economic Diplomacy.
Dolly Kaushik The next contest over strategic power may not be fought over oil alone. Increasingly, it is being shaped by lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earth elements – the minerals behind electric vehicles, renewable energy, electronics and defence systems.…
Mapping India’s State wise Old-Age Pension Schemes
Old-age pensions are one of the oldest tools of social protection anywhere. In India it sits at the crosshairs of elderly poverty relief and dignity. The Union government's main instrument is the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) which is run by the Ministry of Rural Development. It has operated since 1995 and today comprises five components - the largest is the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS). IGNOAPS was introduced in 2007 (NSAP, 1995). IGNOAPS offers Below Poverty Line citizens aged 60 and above a monthly pension of ₹200 and which further becomes ₹500 after the recipient turns 80 years old (NSAP, 1995).
Kerala Department wise Schemes Update 2026
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…
Bridging the Language Gap: Assessing Kerala’s ‘Changathi’ Malayalam Literacy Programme for Migrant Workers (2017)
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 Department Schemes Update 2026
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.