Women in Uttar Pradesh are earning their livelihoods by collecting bills, running restaurants, making incense cones, and stitching sanitary pads. The self help group women are being trained under the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission.

From having to depend on their brothers and husbands for the expenses incurred in enjoying festivities, about 9,000 women in the rural areas of Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district are now not only able to relish the festivities on their own expense but are also able to contribute to the household incomes.

The 150 kilometre-long Kanchi River Canal Project that was meant to be a source of irrigation for more than 50,000 farmers in three districts of Jharkhand, has dried up in several places, is damaged severely and causing migration due to lack of water for cultivation. The state government has started the repair and maintenance works.

In wake of the heatwave conditions prevailing in the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed the authorities to ensure that there were no unnecessary power cuts in the state. But what is the situation in the rural areas of UP, how long are the daily power outages? Gaon Connection spoke with villagers and many complained of daily power cuts of 7-8 hours.

A paint manufacturing workshop operated by 20 women in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh has so far sold 1,200 kilogrammes of paint made from cow dung. For the women the enterprise has raised their self esteem and given them economic independence.

A year ago, a group of rural women in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, got together as a self-help group and started making turmeric, chilli and coriander masalas at home. Now, they are set to supply their masalas to nearly 400 schools for preparing the midday meals.