-The Hindu The move is part of the Centre’s plans to widen the coverage of the scheme and thus reduce the incidence of catastrophic health expenditures. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) health insurance scheme is set to offer teleconsultation services to its patients soon. The move is part of the Centre’s plans to widen the coverage of the scheme and thus reduce the incidence of catastrophic health expenditures, and improve...

-The Indian Express Defence is a national public good. It is the primary responsibility of the Centre. The amendment to the terms of reference (TOR) issued to the Fifteenth Finance Commission asking it to examine “..a separate mechanism for funding of defence and internal security ought to be set up and if so, how such a mechanism could be operationalised,” has triggered some suggestions on the need to have a relook...

-The Hindu SC says plea filed by child rights activists Enakshi Ganguly and Shanta Sinha raise “substantial issues and alleged detention of children”. The Supreme Court on Friday assigned the Jammu and Kashmir High Court’s Juvenile Justice Committee to inquire into allegations of illegal detention of children — some as young as 10 — by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, which is undergoing a period of lockdown following the reading down...

-The Indian Express The fate of close to two million people excluded from the NRC in Assam rests with the Foreigners Tribunals. The constitutionality and conduct of these quasi-judicial bodies are questionable Over 1.9 million people have been excluded from the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. The herculean executive exercise, mandated and closely monitored by the Supreme Court, has incurred a staggering expenditure of over Rs 1,200 crore...

-The Economic Times Labour ministry proposes to hand over reins; dedicated funds for provident fund, pension & insurance schemes to be administered by a Central Board. NEW DELHI: The labour ministry has proposed to hand over control of the over Rs 10 lakh crore corpus of provident fund, pension and insurance schemes under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to a central body, which will have a central government-appointed chairman. Unlike the...