-AP Less than four months ago the world was cheered to learn that India had gone a full year with no new cases of polio, a landmark that left only Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria on the World Health Organization's list of countries where the disease is endemic.  But the battle is far from over, judging by the WHO's latest expressions of alarm. It says that in both Nigeria and Afghanistan the number...

PUNE/ KOLKATA: Heavy rains lashed Mumbai and parched fields in peninsular India as the monsoon resumed its journey after an agonising 11-day interruption, but the unforeseen 41% rain deficit this month has taken its toll, with vegetable prices rising sharply for the third straight month.  The monsoon, almost stagnant since June 6, touched southern parts of Gujarat and Chhattisgarh on Sunday. It is forecast to gain momentum in the next three...

-The Shillong Times KLEW: A serious irregularity has been unearthed over the implementation of the mid-day meal scheme in the Unitarian Lower Primary School in Upper Klew village in Ri-Bhoi district. Students of the school are not getting their mid-day meal even though official records claim that mid-day meals are being provided to the students on a regular basis. The matter came to light after students of the school confirmed that they were...

-IANS The government's plan to replace the public distribution system (PDS) with direct cash transfer into people's accounts under the proposed Food Security Bill is not getting any takers, some social activists said here Friday. According to the proposal, the PDS through which subsidised foodgrains are made available to people will be replaced with direct cash subsidies where a fixed amount will be transferred into people's bank accounts each month. Talking to media...

-The Hindu ‘Bhagidari atta' to be rich in fibre and nominally priced With a huge wheat harvest across North India and massive pile-up of stocks in godowns not resulting in a drop in the price of flour, the Delhi Government has decided to step in yet again with the sale of its “Bhagidari atta” for providing people with wheat flour at a reasonable price. Delhi Food & Civil Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf, who...