-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government has strongly favoured retention of the capital punishment with the two government-appointed nominees submitting their dissent notes on the Law Commission's recommendation on phased abolition of death penalty. The panel, in its 242-page report submitted to the government and the Supreme Court on Monday, recommended abolition of death penalty for all crimes other than terrorism-related offences and waging war against the country. Releasing...

Two recent reports show that this social sector scheme has had a causal impact in improving lives, especially for women and children Fourteen million people escaped falling into poverty under the world’s largest anti-poverty programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In 10 years of its existence, the scheme reduced poverty by 32 per cent. Recent data also shows that more women are drawing cash incomes, more children...

-Business Standard More money, better governance needed in public health care India's poor health outcomes are well known. Not only have China and Sri Lanka forged far ahead, in recent years Bangladesh and Nepal have overtaken India from behind. As things stand, in South Asia, India remains ahead of only Pakistan. The state of health is a reflection of both what is spent and how it is spent. The twin endeavours must...

-Frontline As rural Karnataka reels under an unprecedented wave of suicides by farmers, the State Administration looks on, unwilling to address the reasons that have rendered rural livelihoods fragile. DEATH stalks rural Karnataka. In the 41 days between July 1 and August 10, as many as 245 farmers committed suicide, an average of six a day; since April 1, 284 farmers have taken their lives. As a bewildered State government gropes...

-The Hindu Belagavi (Karnataka): At a time when a substantial number of small and marginal farmers are turning bankrupt owing to crop loss, non-remunerative prices for their produce, and inability to cope with the increasing cost of living, among reasons, a young progressive farmer has shown the way towards economic empowerment. Rajiv Malleshappa Rachannavar (34) of Inchal village in Saudatti taluk gave up education after SSLC. He joined his father in running...