Serving the state through Twitter handles

Twitter Seva is a service offered by Twitter, exclusively to government ministries or departments that are interested in building a direct grievance mechanism for the public. This service has been adopted successfully and efficiently by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police Department for grievance redressal as well as to build a positive image of the UP…

Achieving a digitally empowered society in India

Anirban Mukerji Senior Manager Wireless Reach Qualcomm Relevant information delivered via mobile broadband can empower underserved communities and help the government meet its objectives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India plan aims to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy by empowering citizens through ubiquitous access to the Internet and use of…

Daily wage earners learn their rights

On International Labour Day, Team Baank-e-Loom organised an awareness camp in Saidanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where more than 70 per cent of the population works in the unorganised sector, mostly as agricultural labourers, brick-kiln labourers and other daily wage earners. Despite a large weaving community, most men in the village are dependent on daily wage for…

52 Parindey is back for a second lap

After the successful leg of 52 Parindey in 2015-2016, the project is back with Chapter II. After documenting initiatives and innovators that look at sustainable, environment-friendly vocations, 52 Parindey Chapter II will focus on India’s handloom sector. Over the next 52 weeks, fellow Rahul Karanpuriya will digitally documenting the history, heritage, culture and livelihood of…

Grassroots NGOs build their ICT capacity in Bihar & UP

A one-day ICT Capacity Building workshop was organised in Samastipur, Bihar, on May 15, 2017, to apprise NGOs with Google applications and other digital tools that are available to help them improvise their operations and management. Around 50 representatives from NGOs, SHGs, CBOs and farming communities participated in the workshop to learn about various digital…

Two more handloom clusters set to go digital

In the month of May, DEF adopted two more handloom clusters in Kollegal (Karnataka) and Pochampally (Telangana) with support from Microsoft under its Digital Cluster Development Programme (DCDP). Kollegal is located in Chamrajnagar district of Karnataka; and is situated on the foothills of the Western Ghat, providing temperature that is suitable for growing silk cocoons.…

Barabanki learns there is #NoShame in menstruation

Every year, the world observes May 28 as Menstrual Hygiene Day to call attention to and ‘normalise’ menstruation. The day was also observed at Baank-e-Loom in Saidanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in collaboration with Water Aid and FICCI Lucknow-Kanpur. Just like the rest of the country, especially rural India, young girls’ and women’s potential in Saidanpur, too,…