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A group of farmers in Odisha have turned an arid drought-prone area into one of plenty. Not due to any steps taken by the government but thanks to a training program being conducted by an NGO, Manav Adhikar Seva Samiti, where farmers are taught to conserve water and minimise impact on groundwater by harvesting rainwater in small man-made ponds.

22 ponds have already been made by farmers and these have proved to be very cost-effective. Despite deficient and erratic rainfall, the results are encouraging.

Sitaram Majhi used to migrate to Hyderabad to work. Now he grows vegetables in his 8-acre farm. For Tulsi Amar, another migrant labourer, who has taken to organic farming because he could not afford fertilisers, the results have been dramatic. He grows 20 types of vegetables.

More such self-help efforts need to be encouraged.

Tobacco use drains around 350bn rupees from the Indian economy , kills more than 900,000 people each year in India .

The Indian government delayed implementation of graphic pictures on cigarette packs, due to elections.

54-year-old Raj Kumari Devi , of Anandpur, Bihar , wife of an unemployed farmer,who took to the fields despite opposition from her father-in-law has been honoured with the Kisan Shree award.

The feat?

In a region famed for growing cannabis and tobacco since the 1970s, she has persuaded farmers to switch to mango, banana, litchi, papaya and vegetables.

“When I was younger, I was an active health services volunteer. When I learnt that chewing tobacco leads to cancer, I vowed to stop farmers from growing it".

And yes. She wasn't standing for elections then.