-The Hindu Averting a humanitarian disaster in India calls for an explosion of NREGA work in the next few weeks The abominable plight of migrant workers in recent weeks has invaded television screens and stirred the nation’s conscience. Alas, this is just the tip of the wave of hardships that is sweeping through the country. The situation looks increasingly alarming in the light of a series of surveys conducted by Azim Premji...

-The Hindu The reforms in agricultural marketing are no more than reiterations of earlier pronouncements The announcement of reforms in agricultural marketing by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in May, has been hailed by some as the “1991” moment for agriculture. While it does not mean much on the ground, it has successfully managed to deflect attention from the pittance offered by way of fiscal support to the agricultural sector, as a part...

-The Hindu If doctors have a duty to provide care then what about the value of reciprocity: does society not have a duty to support those who assume the burden to buttress the public good? During the lockdown I come across a number of stories in the press that are in some way related. A woman in Bengal was refused admission into a government hospital and eventually gave birth in an autorickshaw....

-The Telegraph How did unorganized labour become invisible? Thanks to a humongous oversight on the part of the government, India’s unorganized labour has suddenly become a vivid, long-running story. Photographers walk with families undertaking unimaginable journeys. Reporters tail them in SUVs. Their faces and daily tragedies have dominated newspaper headlines and television news for two months running, something nobody would have ever thought possible. Since when did hyperventilating news channels focus on...

-Livemint.com * Rural unemployment rate has been growing for the last couple of weeks despite rural economy opening up gradually * Economists believe despite the opening up of the economy, it will take time for unemployment situation to come back to the pre-covid time NEW DELHI: India’s rural unemployment rate climbed to 25.09% in the week ended 24 May from 22.79% in the previous week, while urban unemployment rate declined by over four...