-The Hindu While indexation of the NREGA wages is critical, lifting them to the minimum wage would help workers and the economy The government made two recent announcements at two ends of the spectrum to mitigate the economic crisis. One concerns a new indexation of NREGA wages meant to increase rural incomes. The second is a reduction in corporate tax rate. Prices of commodities increase each year, so it’s important to accurately estimate...

-NDTV The cumulative growth in April-August over the corresponding period of the previous year was 2.4 per cent. Signs of economic slowdown became more pronounced after country's industrial production or factory output, measured by the estimate of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) registered its worst slump in more than six years in August. The IIP shrank by 1.1 per cent in August compared with an expansion of 4.3 per cent in...

-The Hindu Patience and perseverance are required to get information under the RTI When journalists seek information under the Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005, there are many surprises in store: the information is often denied or responses to queries are partial because the “information is not available”, or “doesn’t pertain” to the department contacted, or is stated to be under the category of exemptions (any information which could affect the sovereignty...

-The New Indian Express The selective eating disorder has hit the Indian population like never before and there is nothing stopping it. Researchers say packaged food in India, which is fast replacing staple and balanced diet, is among the most unhealthy in the world. In the absence of clear policy measures, the population is faced with serious health complications such as obesity, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, and Type...

-The Hindu Business Line The death of two children killed for relieving themselves in public just days before India was declared ‘open defecation free’ by the Prime Minister highlights the chasm between targets and solutions India was declared ‘open defecation free’ on October 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s 150-year birth anniversary. A target-oriented sanitation drive, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) was a signature programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first term in office. Rapid...