-TheFederal.in Fund allocation could be done much more effectively with the availability of current data, said Palanivel Thiaga Rajan The Tamil Nadu government has scope for conducting accurate state-specific sample surveys, similar to the ones done by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) to improve availability of data for taking policy decisions, said Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, in Chennai on Monday (December 6). The Tamil Nadu minister...
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After arsenic, fluoride and iron, now high levels of radioactive uranium in Bihar’s groundwater - OP Singh
-GaonConnection.com At least ten districts of Bihar have reported high levels of uranium in their groundwater, the primary source of drinking water in rural areas, which far exceeds the tolerable limit prescribed by the World Health Organization. Millions in Bihar are already facing a high disease burden due to elevated levels of arsenic, fluoride and iron in their water. Presence of uranium has multiplied their worries manifold. The state government is...
More »Reliable data, good policy -R Srinivasan and M Vijayabaskar
-The Hindu The onus is on the government to ensure that there is a robust system of public data production and use When evidence-based policymaking becomes the cornerstone of good governance, it is difficult to overstate the importance of reliable and timely public data. Such data have a direct bearing on the state’s capability to design and implement programmes effectively. Among the emerging economies, India is credited to have a relatively robust...
More »Centre to scrap caste-based payments for MGNREGA -Priscilla Jebaraj
-The Hindu The Centre has decided to scrap the system of caste-based wage payments in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme after complaints from State Governments. In an order dated November 1, the Finance Ministry directed the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to “revert to the previous system of generating single muster, single FTO [or Fund Transfer Order] and transferring money into a single NeFMS [or National Electronic...
More »State elections, limits of caste-based strategies -Gilles Verniers
-The Hindu Caste demographics do not have the deterministic effect on electoral outcomes that is often assumed As a new round of State elections approaches in India, political parties are crafting their electoral strategies. A large part of this exercise consists of constituency mapping, or gathering data about caste and community demographics, information about the local balance of power between groups, and the identification of local caste leaders, with the aim of...
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