-The Times of India MUMBAI: The government is in the process of drafting a clause that makes it mandatory for hospitals empanelled under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) to publicly display the number of Caesarean section and normal deliveries they have carried out. The move comes after the Centre received a citizen's' petition in February which drew Attention to the alarming rise in the number of C-sections in India, mainly...

-The Hindu Liberalisation has eroded the institutional capacity to train young people who might pursue liberal values The other day, a student asked me what exactly the word ‘liberal’ mean. She wanted to know whether ‘liberalisation’ promotes ‘liberal’ values. She had noticed that institutions of higher education, which are supposed to promote liberal values, were finding it difficult to resist ideological and commercial pressures triggered by the process of economic liberalisation. So,...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: An umbrella organisation of publishers of educational books has pointed out that a 12 per cent tax has been levied on children's colouring books whereas "semi-pornography" books have been exempt under the goods and services tax, drawing Attention to the perceived contradictions in the new levy regime. "Semi-porn for free, but pay for colouring books," the Federation of Educational Publishers in India (FEPI) has titled its short media...

-The Hindu Business Line In the Cauvery delta’s worst drought in 140 years, a padyatra brings home the harsh realities of how Tamil farmers are living on the edge and what sustains their resilience A farmer sells his sugar cane to the local public sector sugar mill, where he is mandated to sell his crop. Instead of paying, the factory hands him a slip of paper. Eighteen months pass by and he...

-Down to Earth By 2030, rice and wheat are likely to see about 6-10 per cent decrease in yields Rising temperature affects flowering and leads to pests and disease buildup. Flood and excess rain over a short duration of time cause extensive damage to crops. Extreme weather events have caught Attention of agrarian experts and scientists alike and they are now focussing on natural farming to arrest the impacts of climate...