Notwithstanding the most comprehensive E-governance policy in India, Maharashtra faces several roadblocks to full digitisation. Power outages, cable thefts, and an ambiguous position as regards computer operators prevent villages getting the full benefit of E-panchayats.

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme even when moderately successful, has been the harbinger of a major change in the lives of the rural underprivileged. Distress migration has ceased, and marginal farmers have started earning substantially from their produce.

High waves and coastal inundation due to tropical cyclones cause heavy loss of life and property. Hence, precise prediction and warning is of extreme significance. The forecast services played a major role in preventing losses when cyclone Phailin made landfall in 2013.

The primary aim of generating indicators of development, defined in varying terms, is to generate information in quantitative and qualitative terms, to critically examine who gets what, where and how.

Wide regional inequalities exist in the health status of the country. A study of measures like infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, safe delivery and immunisation shows that economic development along with a higher governmental expenditure on health can lead to improvement in the health status.

If the capacity of a community to face the perceived disasters is developed before the specialised responders arrive, many lives could be easily saved and infrastructural losses minimised.

Mainstreaming corporate social responsibility in disaster management could support disaster preparedness and mitigation activities of the community and mobilise human, material, and financial resources of the company for utilisation during disaster situations.

Coastal populations, especially those of the east coast of India, are prone to frequent cyclonic calamities. Women’s participation in distribution, rebuilding, management and all other aspects of disaster is imperative for fostering responsive and sensitive partners who can mitigate the vulnerability status.

The ICRW study provides evidence and makes a compelling case for a much needed review of elected local governance bodies; and for related actions to engender both the attitudes and abilities of elected representatives.

As India’s poor are being thrown out of forests to make space for a growing tiger population, hundreds of affluent investors and users continue to take their safari thrills.