Swachh Bharat Mission on track to declare India open defecation free by October 2019
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), over 500,000 villages and 585 districts in India have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).
South Asia
5 million Indian women just made a 385-mile human chain for gender equality
The wall was a statement of gender equality, and a call to end violent protests against women trying to enter Kerala’s Sabarimala temple, a pilgrimage site for Hindus.
India’s Sikkim becomes the first 100% organic state in the world
India’s north-eastern state of Sikkim has won the award for the being the “100 per cent organic state” that promotes agroecological and sustainable food systems.
Pakistani government hires first transgender employee
The Pakistani federal government counts a transgender employee among its work force for the first time.
India’s gay sex ban is struck down
In a groundbreaking victory for gay rights, India’s Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously struck down one of the world’s oldest bans on consensual gay sex.
India energy minister flags massive 100GW solar tender – by far the largest ever
India’s energy minister R K Singh has flagged a massive solar tender of 100GW — by far the biggest in the world, as the fastest growing energy consumer turns increasingly to renewables to satisfy its enormous needs.
India increases its 2022 renewable energy target by 28%
India’s power and renewable energy minister announced that India was increasing its 2022 target by 52 GW up to 227 GW.
India aims to criminalize witch doctor practice of branding sick children with hot irons
When a traditional healer burned hot clay into the chest of two-year-old Kushbu Lal, she died. Now moves are afoot to criminalize a practice that continues to cost lives.
India will abolish all single-use plastic by 2022, vows Narendra Modi
The pledge is the most ambitious yet of the global actions to combat plastic pollution that are taking place in 60 nations around the world.
India approves massive new 5,000 megawatt solar farm
India’s federal government recently gave the go-ahead for development of the country’s largest solar power park in the state of Gujarat.