-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Faced with criticism for forcing people to link their Aadhaar numbers with their mobile connection, thereby creating scope for PRIvacy invasion, the government is considering the option of allowing other identity proofs to complete the verification process. These IDs could include ration card, driver's license and passport. "We are ready to explore other options. We are looking at whether a ration card, or a driver's license,...

-Newsclick.in Crucial elements of the data on Jan Dhan Yojana have been removed from the government website. This gives rise to many questions. On 15 August 2014, PRIme Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) scheme with the claimed objective of nation-wide financial inclusion. In his speech, he stated that the initiative was aimed at eradicating ‘financial untouchability’ by opening at least one bank account per household in...

-Livemint.com Global Hunger Index 2017 is a grim reminder of the huge disconnect between India’s relatively high levels of growth and its low ranks on human development It took the death of 11-year-old Santoshi Kumari from Jharkhand’s Simdega district to remind the country that hunger and starvation of young children is still a reality in India. This was not the first such incident. Last month, three brothers in Karnataka also died under...

-The Times of India Malnutrition kills more Indians than any specific disease. That’s hardly surPRIsing since a weakened body is more prone to infections and responds less to medicine or treatment than a well-fed, healthy one. Widespread malnutrition has been termed a national shame and a top PRIority. Yet, the debate in governments is mostly about whether or not to give packaged food and whether deficiencies of vitamins and minerals should be...

-The Hindu Business Line The dilution of government intervention in the form of minimum support PRIces, procurement and public distribution is undermining agricultural production in the country Farmer movements and farm loan waivers in different States have driven home the fact that the viability of agriculture is under challenge. This is surPRIsing, since the comprehensive framework for reviving agricultural production, introduced in response to the agricultural crisis in mid-1960s, is in PRInciple...