Chetan Chauhan
Chetan Chauhan heads regional editions as Deputy National Affairs Editor. A journalist for over 20 years, he has written extensively on social sector with special focus on environment and political economy.
Articles by Chetan Chauhan
Bihar election wide open, repeat of Maharashtra situation cannot be ruled out
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON OCT 06, 2020 09:41 AM IST
Officially, Nitish Kumar is the NDA’s chief ministerial candidate in Bihar but the LJP’s exit can create an impression that BJP can have its own CM, if the party wins more seats than the JD (U).
Farm bills are welcome, but farmers need a rights-based protection law | Analysis
UPDATED ON SEP 25, 2020 05:44 AM IST
A base price will ensure a fair price for every farmer, removing MSP limitations, which cover only 22 crops. Such a mechanism would help both farmers and private buyers as it will bring about transparency and accountability in the farm trade
Mercury rises in north as monsoon loses steam
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON SEP 20, 2020 04:59 AM IST
The sultry conditions may last for the next 10-13 days, the experts added, at least till the monsoon fully withdraws from the region without any rainfall.
Monsoon misses north India in September, hits south and east hard
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON SEP 18, 2020 07:45 PM IST
The usually warmer weather with temperatures ranging from 32 degree Celsius in hills of Himachal and Uttarakhand to 39 degrees in Delhi, five to eight degrees above normal, has impacted horticulture
May take decades to clean Ganga water, say experts
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON SEP 17, 2020 04:55 AM IST
The dissolved oxygen level, or the amount of oxygen available to living aquatic organisms, has improved at 27 locations and the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), the amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria while they decompose organic matter, and faecal coliform (FC) content, a measure of the suitability of water for consumption, has improved at 42 and 21 locations, respectively.
Ganga’s water quality improved between 2014 and 2019, experts say pace is slow
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON SEP 15, 2020 11:11 PM IST
The maximum improvement in River Ganga’s water quality has happened in the hills of Uttarakhand, primarily due to effort been made to contain the flow of human and animal sewage.
GST row: Most states likely to opt for borrowing Rs 97k crore
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON SEP 09, 2020 01:14 AM IST
An acceptance by states, which is likely to be confirmed to the Union finance ministry soon, will put an end to the controversy surrounding the GST compensation payments.
Haryana, Madhya Pradesh may face legal challenges over quota in jobs
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON AUG 22, 2020 01:05 AM IST
On Thursday, Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala said his government would bring a bill in the upcoming assembly session proposing reserving 75% of private sector jobs for locals.
Haryana Guv seeks President’s approval, experts say job quota in private sector legally untenable
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan | Posted by Abhinav Sahay
UPDATED ON AUG 20, 2020 08:35 PM IST
Legal experts have differing opinions on the issue of reservation in private sector jobs.
In absence of Parliament session, social activists start consultation on key policy issues
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON AUG 19, 2020 03:51 PM IST
Jan Sarokar, a conglomeration of social organisations, has started a virtual consultation this week on 10 themes with over 200 speakers
How Ashok Gehlot managed the crisis
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Aurangzeb Naqshbandi and Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON AUG 14, 2020 11:49 PM IST
As the crisis — triggered by the rebellion by now-dismissed deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and doused by a truce call earlier this week — unfolded, Gehlot had his task cut out. He had to fight a two-pronged battle — on the internal and the external fronts. In the end, the outcome was in his favour.
45% annual funds for jobs, ration spent in 4 months
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON AUG 10, 2020 04:12 AM IST
While the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) enabled 90 million households find work between April and July, subsidised rations under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) were provided to an average 720 million people every month during April-July, the data shows
45% of central funds for rural jobs, subsidised food spent till July due to Covid-19 crisis
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan | Edited by Anubha Rohatgi
UPDATED ON AUG 08, 2020 05:37 PM IST
According to the central government data, till July 2020, around 45% of Rs 1,01,500 crore for NREGA and 44% of 1,15,569 NFSA funds for the current financial year has already been allocated to the states.
Aadhaar Card’s use may be widened further
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON AUG 07, 2020 06:28 AM IST
Under the new rules, issued on Wednesday, any central or state government department or ministry can approach the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) -- the statutory body that manages Aadhaar and runs Aadhaar-based services -- to use the unique 12-digit biometric number for authentication.
Centre may allow Aadhaar authentication for social welfare schemes
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON AUG 06, 2020 11:39 PM IST
An order by IT ministry has asked government departments to seek permission for the scheme.
Numbers behind Rajasthan story
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON JUL 15, 2020 04:57 AM IST
The situation in Rajasthan could change if some MLAs who attended the CLP meeting decide to switch to Pilot’s side. There is no indication at the moment that this could happen.
Some states opt for hard lockdown as coronavirus cases spike
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON JUL 07, 2020 03:26 AM IST
The number of coronavirus disease cases in the country has almost quadrupled to 700,000 from 190,000 since the Unlock guidelines were enforced.
‘Surge in Covid-19 cases in Himachal but not at the pace as in other states’: CM
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON JUN 21, 2020 11:43 AM IST
Himachal CM Jairam Thakur said he has decided to chase the virus.
Covid-19 kills 5 out of every 100 patients in 69 districts, triggers concern
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan and Hitendra Rao | Edited by Sohini Sarkar
UPDATED ON JUN 12, 2020 08:36 AM IST
The case fatality rate has remained at 2.90% as compared to 2.96% on May 18, the Cabinet Secretary said, indicating that there was not much reason to worry as India’s case fatality rate was lower than several western countries.
Our economy is tourism dependent... I don’t expect many visitors this year: Uttarakhand CM
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan and Neeraj Santoshi
UPDATED ON JUN 10, 2020 12:57 PM IST
On Uttarakhand’s economic revival plan after the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, said “we have started focussing more on agriculture and the allied sectors.”
Centre flags 145 districts as potential Covid-19 hotspots
Hindustan Times, New Delhi/Chandigarh | By Chetan Chauhan and Hitender Rao
UPDATED ON MAY 30, 2020 07:59 AM IST
In a presentation to representatives of states on Thursday, cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba highlighted that eastern India was likely to be the next big Covid-19 hotspot with the return of migrant workers from the worst-hit states.
Migrant workers’ law in focus as crisis intensifies
PUBLISHED ON MAY 28, 2020 11:36 PM IST
Explainer: Migrant workers to get social security in the new avatar of 1979 law that was not so effective
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan | Edited by Abhinav Sahay
UPDATED ON MAY 28, 2020 06:35 PM IST
The need for effective protection cover for the migrant workers has been brought to sharp relief by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sharp drop in vegetable prices as buyers stay in
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON MAY 27, 2020 01:39 AM IST
The prices of fruits and vegetables in wholesale markets over the past week highlights the steep fall in the price of farm produce in the face of a drop in consumer demand during the lockdown imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic, experts said.
Despite bumper crop, prices of farm produce lowest in recent years due to Covid-19 lockdown
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan | Edited by: Amit Chaturvedi
UPDATED ON MAY 26, 2020 10:24 AM IST
Experts believe that the prices of fruits and vegetables might increase once the Covid-19 lockdown is fully lifted.
3.5 million enrol for MGNREGS work amid migrant exodus
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON MAY 23, 2020 03:39 AM IST
Some 3.5 million people applied for work under the federal programme during the period, compared to just 180,000 in the same duration last year, according to the MGNREGS website
3.5 million new enrolments under MGNREGA, as ‘distressed’ workers return to villages
New Delhi, Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan | Edited by Meenakshi Ray
UPDATED ON MAY 22, 2020 05:33 PM IST
According to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme website, around 3.5 million new job applications have come in the current financial year since April 1 till May 20.
550 districts in India have Covid-19 cases; many in rural areas
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON MAY 18, 2020 08:11 AM IST
As of Saturday, rural districts accounted for only 21% of total number of cases in India, according to health ministry reported — but the numbers are increasing.
Highest single day spike as Gujarat crosses 10,000-mark, amid slow response
Hindustan Times, New Delhi/Surat | By Chetan Chauhan and Jaykishan Sharma
UPDATED ON MAY 17, 2020 01:44 PM IST
On Saturday night, the total number of cases in the state stood at 10,989, behind Maharashtra’ s 30,706 and ahead of Tamil Nadu’s 10,585 — the two other states with over 10,000 cases.
States tread carefully, likely to redefine zones after May 17
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Chetan Chauhan
UPDATED ON MAY 14, 2020 06:31 AM IST
Officials in several states said guidelines defining Covid-19 containment zones would come by Saturday. A district may have red, orange and green areas, unlike the existing definition where an entire district is defined as red, orange or green.