-Down to Earth   Most severely and consistently excluded groups are women, Adivasis, Muslims and the disabled, report confirms A recent report by a Delhi NGO undermines government claims on reaching welfare schemes to the needy and disadvantaged sections of society. The report, titled The India Exclusion Report 2013-14, says the government has failed miserably in providing equal access to public goods to the most disadvantaged groups. The report, prepared by Delhi-based Centre for...

-The Times of India   MUMBAI: Here is a reason why heart attacks kill every fifth Indian: More than three-quarters (79%) of Indians have skewed lipid levels. Any abnormality in the level of lipids - fatty acids that are essential for the working of every cell - can lead to thickening of arteries, and thereby lead to heart problems. This is a finding of the first phase of a 28-state study by the...

-Economic and Political Weekly   This article analyses the water, sanitation and hygiene situation in slum households and compares it with the non-slum urban households using data from the 2011 Census. It argues for a shift from the mere water supply coverage to an emphasis on quality water distribution. Intermittent water supply coupled with poor sanitation contributes to higher health risks. Promoting point-of-use water treatment and basic hygiene practices on safe handling...

-The Hindu   The World of Work Report 2014 catalogues the impressive strides developing countries are making to catch up with advanced nations. But the International Labour Organisation study also contains important caveats on the cost from continuing sharp inequalities. Per capita income has grown on average by 3.3 per cent per annum in 140 countries over the past three decades, as against 1.8 per cent in the advanced economies. But this...

-The Times of India   NEW DELHI: Delhi appears to be more environment conscious than Mumbai and Pune as Delhiites largely would like the government to prioritize environmental protection over its development objectives. An environment survey, conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) across eight cities, on Tuesday revealed that over 50 per cent of respondents in the national Capital favour prioritizing environment over development as against 44 per cent of...