Rudra
Rural-Urban Distress Reforms and Action (RUDRA)
Rural-Urban Distress Reforms and Action (RUDRA) is a social campaign initiative of the Institute of Perception Studies (IPS), focuses on highlighting the persisting problems faced by the people. Through extensive research and discussions, it is hoped that policy interventions can be framed along with social and political reforms.
Dr. Kota Neelima is an author, researcher and political scientist, and was Senior Research Fellow at The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC. Her recent work in urban-rural distress includes:
‘Gender and Rural Distress in Maharashtra and Karnataka: Invisibilities of Widows of Farmer Suicides,’ in State of Working India, 2020, Azim Premji University. The research formulates Distress Indicators and develops a State Distress Scale to identity vulnerabilities and prevent farmer suicides in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Her research has also informed policies for women-headed households, notably in Punjab’s Mata Tripta Mahila Yojana, announced in 2020. Under the scheme, new initiatives/ programmes would be taken by the State to cover the aspects which have hitherto remained uncovered or were partially covered by existing Centrally/State sponsored women/girl child-oriented schemes.