Microsoft India has partnered with government in delivering many successful e-governance initiatives. It has played a key role in the areas of education through the Siksha initiative by enhancing IT skills of the teachers. Ranbir Singh, group director, public sector, Microsoft India, in an interview with Samir Sachdeva mentions the areas where Microsoft has partnered with various government agencies for the betterment of society.

The low cost tablet Aakash was promised to students as a device that would significantly improve the quality of education. But the feedback from the pilot seems to suggest that it is a grand dream fast going sour.

Land sharks are out to gobble up an ancient city of Odisha known for its unparalleled urban planning and fortification.

For over 16 years the Supreme Court has been hearing two major petitions concerning forests and wildlife. Writ petition 337/1995 filed by the Centre for Environmental Law (part of WWF) concerns protected areas (PAs) and writ petition 202/1995, is the omnibus forest petition widely known as the Godavarman case. The first landmark order in the second petition was delivered on December 12, 1996. In an unprecedented but hugely valuable effort, both the cases have been kept open under the writ of continuing mandamus.

A decade ago, Chandra Pradhani, a Paraja tribal of Nuaguda village in Kundra block of Odisha's Koraput district, would migrate to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to earn a living as a brick kiln worker. He no longer does this. Today, he is feted by the nation. He was one of the tribal farmers honoured by prime minister Manmohan Singh at the 99th Science Congress held in Bhubaneswar in January. It is the hard labour and traditional agricultural techniques of tribal families that have helped put Koraput on the map of world agriculture.

India is young and young people don't like to be sermonised. Slogans would not help conserve water. But taking small steps, practising a few things daily, and auditing one's own behaviour will make one more responsive to his/her inner call. Once the call for conservation and hygiene emanates from within, perhaps change will follow inevitably. But the inner call will call for authentic appeal. Mizos can help us.

A new scheme by the district administration of Agra has increased people's participation in monitoring of govt schools. The results are encouraging.

Meena Chaturvedi is an Indian Audit and Accounts Service official of 1987 cadre. After a 23-year career she took voluntary retirement to join SREI Sahaj e-Village Limited as chief executive officer (public services and e-learning) in October 2010.

What happens when a people-centric approach to governance (State Wide Attention on Grievances through Application of Technology) connects with technology.

Neither for the farmers, nor for the environment, the draft water policy seems to help only vested interests.