Economy | Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

The economics of being a cab driver in Bengaluru

May 7, 2019 Deepa Vaishnavi V M

Sridhar, a native of Kunigal taluk, had come to Bengaluru as a teenager nearly 25 years back. After working as driver for a family, for Ola Cabs and for a government department, he is still unable to make ends meet. His story reflects that of many cab drivers in the city

Struggling to meet living expenses, garment workers demand wage arrears of Rs 1862 crores

May 2, 2019 Navya P K

Workers want companies which usually supply to big brands, pay them arrears worth 1800 crores, as per the state government’s draft notification on wage hike.

How rental bikes are easing daily commute in Bengaluru

March 12, 2019 Harsha Raj Gatty

Citizens are increasingly using app-based rent-a-bike services for short trips or daily commute. Can this reduce traffic congestion in the city?

With meagre pay and unhealthy conditions, why do Bengaluru pourakarmikas continue in their jobs?

February 26, 2019 Krupa Sriram

Illiteracy, caste dynamics and social constraints of a migrant worker — a survey in Whitefield reveals the mix of factors that keep a pourakarmika bound to her profession, irrespective of the conditions and compensation.

BBMP to proceed with separate wet waste tender, wastepickers to collect dry waste

February 9, 2019 Arjun Rajan

Bengaluru is about to get a separate collection system for segregated wet, sanitary and street sweeping waste. There has been opposition to this proposal especially from councillors, but BBMP will be going ahead with this plan.

It is consumer literacy that leads to real progress

December 24, 2018 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Join and strengthen a local consumer group in your locality, or even start one. That can better the quality of our lives. Existing groups are not effective because they do not have sufficient popular support.

Evictions: The harsh reality of migrants in Bengaluru’s slums

December 18, 2018 Aparajita Ray

Close to 5,000 migrant workers living in slums are in the threat of getting evicted, while the court is not yet convinced that they should be. What is it all about? A series on migration begins with this article.

GAIL piped gas: Network in place, but reaching homes still an issue

December 11, 2018 Aparajita Ray

15,000 families have already paid the security deposit for piped gas supply, but cannot be billed yet. While the company aims to connect 100 kitchens a day, the maximum so far has been just 35.

The long road to clean air: Behind the court ruling on GIL’s Whitefield plant

November 19, 2018 Soumik Dutta

The Supreme Court has imposed a penalty of Rs 50 lakh on Graphite India limited (GIL), calling its Whitefield plant a serious offender contributing to air pollution in the area. In the first of an in-depth two-part series, we look at the long struggle that led to the ruling.

How do those biscuits reach your neighborhood kirana store?

October 22, 2018 Thanmaya Bekkalale

Exploring the intricate distribution system in cities that ensures food, household and consumer products, from biscuits to colas reach the thousands of super markets and stores across the city.

The food on your plate: Is it safe? Is it organic?

October 11, 2018 Vinita

While organic fruits, vegetables and staples are much sought-after especially in metro cities like Bengaluru, consumers are often not able to verify the quality of the produce. What makes it ‘organic’ and how can we check?

How industry-academia partnership can help increase employability in IT

October 9, 2018 Shree D N

The emergence of private organisations that offer skilling solutions is a perfect marker for the rising problem of unemployability among fresh IT graduates. What other solutions exist to the skill gaps clouding the job-worthiness of the new workforce in IT?

Skill gaps among fresh IT graduates in Bengaluru impact hiring numbers

October 5, 2018 Shree D N

2.11 lakh students were enrolled in engineering courses in 2017-18, only 34,506 students were placed in Karnataka, according to AICTE. This points to a dim overall hiring scene, though IT graduates are only a fraction of this number. Why aren’t fresh IT grads getting hired?

How do those veggies reach your plate?

October 5, 2018 Vinita

Ever wondered what’s the story of the vegetables and fruits we consume everyday… where do they come from? What is its journey?

Bengaluru Buzz: HC adjourns pothole case | Fuel price reduced by Rs 2 | Whitefield presses for GIL closure

September 27, 2018 News Desk

From potholes to sewage mismanagement to polluting industries — a recap of recent headlines on burning issues for Bengaluru that you may have missed.

Where street food vendors pay taxes: Rajarajeshwari Nagar food court sets example

August 29, 2018 Amith Subramanian Pallavoor

There’s a lot of demand for street food in Bengaluru. However, the facilities offered to street vendors are zero. Street vending is not a formal business option yet. How can this issue be solved? The city itself has an interesting example that showcases that.

Aspirations of young urban poor: Bridging the employability gap

August 28, 2018 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Blue and grey collared workers are integral to the city – garment workers, domestic help, masons, plumbers, sweepers… But what will the future of their children be? In this article, we look at the challenges these youth face in getting the jobs they want and what could help overcome those.

Aspirations of the young urban poor: A job that pays well, and has ‘prestige’

August 14, 2018 Manasi Paresh Kumar

With no influential friends or social network and limited education, where do the children of our domestic workers, security personnel or other blue/grey-collared workers find jobs? How often are their expectations being met?

Run smaller buses, not pod taxis: Prof Ashish Verma

July 24, 2018 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Bengaluru is once again toying with the idea of introducing pod taxis. But it is at best a fast mode of personal rapid transit, with limited and low carrying capacity. Neither will it provide last mile connectivity. Do we have better alternatives? Ashish Verma explains.

Street vendors to BBMP: cover all street vendors in surveys, issue id cards to all

July 18, 2018 Vinay Sreenivasa

Legalising street vending in Bengaluru is still a long shot, and there are many things that the BBMP needs to do. What are they?