Land represents an important resource for the economic life of a majority of people in the world. The way people handle and use land resources impacts their social and economic well-being as well as the sustained quality of land resources. Land use planning is also integral to water resources development and management for agriculture, industry, drinking water, and power generation. This valuable work brings to the forefront the state of practice of land use planning in India, highlighting governmental programs and research with wide-ranging chapters on important topics. Covering various agro-ecosystem, including irrigated, rainfed, coastal, semi-arid, arid (drylands), and hill and mountain (temperate) regions, this volume discusses a variety of issues related to sustainable agriculture and rural development. Chapters address the following questions: *What are the sources, scales, and quality of land resources and land use data for efficient planning * Which are the agroecological systems hot spots that are have been degraded? How can these areas be rejuvenated in terms of quality? * What should be the unit of planning for a holistic approach for the conservation and efficient use of natural resources at different administrative levels and domains? * What are the roles of state land use boards and district planning committees? * How can various programs be integrated and implemented by central and state agencies? * What are the technologies, new policies, and support systems required to address sustainable land use? * What are the legal issues? * What should be the role of communities in planning for poverty alleviation and integrated planning for sustainable agriculture based livelihoods? * What is the role GIS in sustainable agriculture and rural development? With high population growth, endemic poverty, and weak existing institutional capacity for land management, India (and other regions of the world) require strong scientific and strategically important land use policies and methods for sustainable development. This book helps to show the way. This volume is being published in association with the Centre for Agrarian Studies and Disaster Mitigation of the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD and PR).

Land represents an important resource for the economic life of a majority of people in the world. The way people handle and use land resources impacts their social and economic well-being as well as the sustained quality of land resources. Land use planning is also integral to water resources development and management for agriculture, industry, drinking water, and power generation. This valuable work brings to the forefront the state of practice of land use planning in India, highlighting governmental programs and research with wide-ranging chapters on important topics. Covering various agro-ecosystem, including irrigated, rainfed, coastal, semi-arid, arid (drylands), and hill and mountain (temperate) regions, this volume discusses a variety of issues related to sustainable agriculture and rural development. Chapters address the following questions: *What are the sources, scales, and quality of land resources and land use data for efficient planning * Which are the agroecological systems hot spots that are have been degraded? How can these areas be rejuvenated in terms of quality? * What should be the unit of planning for a holistic approach for the conservation and efficient use of natural resources at different administrative levels and domains? * What are the roles of state land use boards and district planning committees? * How can various programs be integrated and implemented by central and state agencies? * What are the technologies, new policies, and support systems required to address sustainable land use? * What are the legal issues? * What should be the role of communities in planning for poverty alleviation and integrated planning for sustainable agriculture based livelihoods? * What is the role GIS in sustainable agriculture and rural development? With high population growth, endemic poverty, and weak existing institutional capacity for land management, India (and other regions of the world) require strong scientific and strategically important land use policies and methods for sustainable development. This book helps to show the way. This volume is being published in association with the Centre for Agrarian Studies and Disaster Mitigation of the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD and PR).

?Transparent Shadows? is a work of fiction, created stories around two amateur professional actors, who were very popular stage artists, of Kolkata. In spite long experience enacting various roles Shoilen Dutta, finds that he could not get absorbed due to severe compition, in real acting careers to get lucrative chances in professional stage, TV serials or film opportunities in Kolkata, . As he was getting past middle age with meager income, he realizes the bleak future awaits him; as he may have to quit the profession and depend on others, if he becomes invalid or old . He, along with another a younger amateur stage artist Lolit Sen, decide to earn illicitly by exploiting many foolish public by deception with their clever acting profession . They make elaborate planning in acts of deceit of different situations to make money from unsuspecting victims. Their new ventures are depicted in Three Episodes of this book. In each episode the duos face variety of characters with different situations having interesting twists and unexpected turns, with a touch of humour . It is in fact compilation of different stories in which the two play interesting key roles, of this Crime novel with three hilarious Episodes. This is a fiction and not based on real lives of any past or present stage actors

'The Fork' novel is the story of a beautiful and bold girl, from a remote forest area in India. She was duped and deceived by her husband, a lout involved in flesh trade. He married her with a crooked intention of selling her to dons of Red light area of Mumbai, for a high price. Godaari the young woman gets confused completely shocked for being dragged to sinful surroundings. She turns wild with rage at her husband's ugly character. She firmly determines to depend on her own instincts to ruthlessly fight for her freedom. This novel unfolds the perverse environments of little known areas of India.

India's Panchayati Raj institutions are constitutional bodies that have been providing space for communities to identify their needs, resources, planning, implementation, and monitoring. These village councils also assist in the political empowerment of the lower castes, tribals, and women. Interestingly, after India's constitutional amendments for the decentralization of governance, some of the states, like Kerala, and many Gram Panchayats in different parts of the country, have excelled in terms of human and social development. When the experiences of these panchayats are examined, it is revealed that this has been happening because of: the participatory planning from the below, devolution of funds, functions and functionaries, self-generation and productive usage of the resources, and effective participation of the community. This book, which is a compilation of the model Gram Panchayats from different parts of the country, can be used as an excellent guide for spreading the message to build further model panchayats within India.