-The Hindu     A computerised database of ration card holders and purchases is a safeguard against diversion of PDS supplies but the process can be disruptive for beneficiaries The government has initiated an interesting pilot for the Public Distribution System (PDS) in East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. When cardholders go to buy their PDS rations, their ration card number and UID (Unique Identification) number are punched into an "e-Point of Sale" (ePOS) machine. If...

-The Financial Express UIDAI validates digital counterpart to tackle problem of letters lost in transit. To overcome the unending complaints of Aadhaar letters being lost in transit by India Post, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has decided to validate "e-aadhaar" as a secured electronic document "to be treated on a par with the printed Aadhaar letter". In an office memorandum issued on March 28 by UIDAI's Assistant Director General A Kharkwal,...

-The Hindu   Despite apparent similarities, the reports of two centrally appointed committees are split on the relationship between knowledge, skills and social needs Two major reports with overlapping concerns were submitted to the central government during the last decade. They were drafted by committees appointed by two different offices of the same government. One was chaired by Yash Pal, and the other by Sam Pitroda. The titles of the two committees indicated...

-The Hindu   The government needs to open its eyes and realise that the technological utopia it envisions in the low-cost tablet is no cure for poor education, poverty or inequality The last few days have brought the Aakash tablet back into the media limelight. Last Friday, Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister M.M. Pallam Raju said that troubles with the manufacturer could doom the project. But the next day, former HRD Minister Kapil...

-The Hindu But there are other devices, says HRD Minister Pallam Raju India's dream of providing a laptop to every student is headed for a crash as the Canada-based Datawind has failed to supply the required number of Aakash tablets - low-cost computing devices. Showcased by India as the world's cheapest computing device, Aakash-2 was to be supplied to 22 million students and faculty at 50 per cent subsidised cost. The Human Resource...