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Dear Reader,
In Uttar Pradesh, part-time teachers, 24,000 of them, are on protest. They are paid a measly Rs 7,000 a month to teach students in government-run schools and have repeatedly been promised wage revisions and permanent tenure since 2017.
However, as Article 14 reports, despite petitions, protests and judgements of the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court, the government refuses to relent, citing a shortage of funds. The teachers, at the end of their tether, are now forced to find alternate employment as salespersons, tailors, rickshaw drivers and godown workers. About 16,000 of them have quit in the past decade and the consequences are not far to see. The state’s survey on education outcomes in 2023 found that less than 50 per cent of the students in classes one to three in UP’s schools achieved even foundational literacy.
The Polavaram Irrigation Project, a long-delayed multi-purpose dam on the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh, is expected to be transformational upon its completion in 2027. It aims to irrigate 436,825 hectares, generate 960 MW of hydropower, and provide drinking water to 2.85 million people. However, the project has faced major challenges, including the displacement of approximately 200,000 people across 276 villages due to the reservoir’s backwater.
The project's impact is not restricted to Andhra alone but will include areas in Chhattisgarh and Odisha, where the backwaters will surge. Main Bhi Bharath reports from Malkangiri in adjoining Odisha, a land predominantly inhabited by the Koya tribe, who palpably fear that the backwaters will submerge their lands and lead to their displacement. The tribals allege that, apart from sporadic promises, no concrete plans for compensation or rehabilitation have been proposed. Additionally, many in the community lack formal land titles, raising fears that they may be deemed ineligible for relief, even if it is provided.
Digital arrests in India—a sophisticated scam where cybercriminals impersonate law enforcement officials to extort money—are now a frightening and frequent occurrence. The Probe investigates the modus operandi of the cybercriminals, draws out the vulnerability and trauma of the victims, and looks at what can be done to avert the crime and protect the victims.
Last Friday, the Union Ministry of Electronics and IT released the draft rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act of 2023, calling for public comment from stakeholders until February 18, 2025. The Rules provide the necessary details and implementation framework of the Act.
MediaNama examines aspects of the draft Rules and points out that exemptions for government bodies, vague terms like “State instrumentalities,” and provisions for unlimited data retention, could hinder access to critical information and heighten the risk of state surveillance. Additionally, undefined terms like “sovereignty” and “public order” could facilitate the misuse of personal data, potentially targeting journalists and creating a chilling effect on press freedom. We bring you their coverage.
For more such stories from the grantees this week, please read on.
Warmly,
Sunil Rajshekhar
IPSMF
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