-PTI Washington: Early breast cancer diagnosis and survival rates are very low among women living in rural India compared to those in developed nations, a new study has claimed. Researchers said women in developed countries survive roughly 10 years longer after a breast cancer diagnosis compared to women in poor-to-middle-income countries. The study by University of Michigan demonstrates the lack of access to good health care faced by women in poor countries, said...

-Outlook Malkangiri (Odisha): Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today launched the Re 1 a kg rice scheme for the poor in Odisha from the backward and tribal-dominated Malkangiri district. Patnaik, who distributed cheap rice to members of the Bonda tribe, had announced the scheme on Republic Day. It would provide rice at Re 1 per kg to people living below poverty line (BPL) as well as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, disabled and beneficiaries of...

-The Hoot The media welcomed the UID's promise of giving an identity to those outside the system, but has failed to track its failure to do so. On January 1, the Indian government announced roll out of its ambitious cash transfer scheme  in 20 districts of the country based on unique identification (UID), also called Aadhaar. The media, while presenting the pros and cons of cash transfer, also mentioned that...

-Economic and Political Weekly A cost-benefi t analysis by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy of the benefits from Aadhaar integration with seven schemes throws up huge benefi ts that are based almost entirely on unrealistic assumptions. Further, the report does not take into account alternative technologies that could achieve the same or similar savings, possibly at lower cost. Reetika Khera (reetika.khera@gmail.com) is at the Institute of Economic Growth on...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Rs 8 lakh crore for disabled welfare? The ministry of social justice and empowerment has asked government departments to earmark 3% of their budget on disabled-related interventions, raising the possibility of the huge sum over next five years that can bring the ignored social group to policy focus. The initiative flows from the 12th Plan document that has asked all government arms to earmark "reasonable amount"...