-The Hindu The Modi government is determined to dismantle the two-pronged welfare paradigm. It is now an established fact that one area where the Narendra Modi administration has acted with a sense of purpose, urgency and resolve is in slashing social expenditure. Be it education, health, agriculture, livelihood security, food security, panchayati raj institutions, drinking water or the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes sub-plan, central government funds earmarked for social protection have been cut. The...

-The Tribune Transformative approaches to agriculture are the need of the hour. For this, we have to impart climate resilience and rehabilitate economically stressed farming communities of agriculturally developed regions. Since more than two decades now, farmers have been committing suicides in India, a fact that reflects the harsh realities of farming. Most of these farmers were traditional family farmers, leading a lifestyle based on traditions and beliefs. The intensive commercial commodity-based...

-Down to Earth This decision is expected to address the delay in transfer of funds from the Centre to States A decision to transfer funds for India’s flagship employment guarantee scheme in real time will be taken soon. This is expected to end the procedural delay in fund transfer for the scheme to States, a factor known to be behind its poor implementation. It will enable States to get their share of...

-The Times of India HYDERABAD: The steep rise in sunstroke deaths in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh is the result of the ultraviolet (UV) radiation index in the two States that stands at a critically high figure of 12. This has now come to the fore, courtesy data released by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The ultraviolet index or UV index is the standard measurement across the world used to understand the strength...

-Livemint.com The BJP, which rode to power on the aspirations of rural youth and farmers, faces one of its toughest challenges from the same electorate The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in the 16th general election by winning a sizeable number of seats in States with a predominantly rural population. These States—Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh—not only accounted for more than...