From toilets to behaviour change: How Swachh Bharat is transforming rural sanitation

September 20, 2026 1:58 PM

From toilets to behaviour change: How Swachh Bharat is transforming rural sanitation

India’s rural sanitation programme has moved beyond the construction of household toilets to a broader focus on sustaining sanitation practices, managing waste and encouraging communities to take ownership of cleanliness. When the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) began in 2014, rural sanitation coverage stood at 39 per cent. By 2019, the government said rural India had achieved 100 per cent sanitation coverage, with more than 10.28 crore toilets constructed between 2014 and 2019. Rural India was s...

DoRD and PFRDA sign MoU, ‘Pension Sakhis’ to expand reach in rural India

September 15, 2026 9:59 AM

DoRD and PFRDA sign MoU, ‘Pension Sakhis’ to expand reach in rural India

In a bid to expand pension coverage and strengthen social security in rural India, the Department of Rural Development (DoRD) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate pension awareness, enrolment and support among rural households through a dedicated cadre of ‘Pension Sakhis’, the Ministry of Rural Development said in a press release. Leveraging rural community networks  Leveraging the community institut...

Empowering India’s grassroots economy: How MSMEs are driving growth across rural and semi-urban India

May 14, 2026 3:09 PM

Empowering India’s grassroots economy: How MSMEs are driving growth across rural and semi-urban India

India’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has emerged as one of the strongest pillars of the country’s economic growth, employment generation and grassroots development. From small manufacturing units and rural traders to artisans, self-employed entrepreneurs and service providers, MSMEs today form the backbone of India’s domestic economy. With targeted reforms, digital integration, financial support schemes and formalisation drives, the Government is now attempting to tra...