When a drought hit Bundelkhand in the late 2010s, it was not government relief, but timely MGNREGA wages that kept many families from migrating.

Climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is reshaping lives, economies, and ecosystems today. This year, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a dramatic surge in heatwave days across northern, central, and eastern India, with the most intense conditions expected from May onward.

Ten years ago, the Indian government launched Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) to improve the child sex ratio and promote girls’ education. The scheme had an impressive budget, and awareness campaigns were everywhere, from TV ads to village hoardings. When the parliamentary committee took a closer look, they found that a lion’s share of the funds had fueled awareness campaigns, while a smaller slice had reached girls directly. The initiative had certainly made noise with headlines and workshops, but did it change anything for the girls?