-The Wire Science There is reason to celebrate the drop of India’s maternal mortality rate: the decline is consistent and continuous, indicating that the reproductive health of India’s women is getting better. However, a closer look at the state-level MMR data reveals that the all-India three-year average of maternal deaths camouflages the performance of some states. We can predict that the Empowered Action Group states and Assam will have to redouble their...

-Business Standard Since jobs will remain scarce for the foreseeable future, an unemployment allowance should be the next big social-security initiative, writes T N Ninan Crises in the Indian economy used to be the “normal”. In the 12 years from 1962 to 1974, India fought three wars, suffered four droughts that produced famine in places like Bihar, and lived through the first oil shock, which saw a quadrupling of crude oil prices. The...

-Frontline.in A Parliamentary Standing Committee pulls up the Rural Development Ministry in its report on a “critical evaluation” of the MGNREGA and calls for more investment in the scheme. A Parliamentary Standing Committee report of the Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, tabled in February, strongly recommends enhancing the budget for implementation of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, higher wage rates, and increasing the number...

-The Hindu New generation anganwadis to exclude 11-14-year-olds; focus shifting to 14-18-year-olds The Centre is launching a back-to-school campaign to bring at least four lakh young girls who are out of school into the formal education system. Under the new Saksham Anganwadi scheme of the Women and Child Development Ministry, these 11-14-year-old girls will no longer receive anganwadi support, as the focus shifts to 14-18-year-olds, Women and Child Development (WCD) Secretary Indevar Pandey...

-The Hindu Students left stranded with dwindling supplies, says Association The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his urgent intervention to help stranded Indian students pursuing their medical studies in Ukraine. “Most of them cannot afford the escalated costs of air travel. Even those who can afford [the cost] cannot travel due to the adverse conditions there. The day-to-day rations are dwindling, creating severe hardships for their...