-Frontline In a situation of increasing life expectancy and crumbling traditional support structures, a universal social pension scheme that does not rely on contribution by a person or an employer can help the elderly. INDIA prides itself on being a "young" society, likely to benefit from a demographic dividend as children and young people move into working age groups over the next decade. This optimistic view assumes that society will be able...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Supreme Court today ruled that once the government reduces the prices of essential drugs, the new rates would come into immediate effect and companies cannot continue selling at earlier prices. A bench of Justices R.M. Lodha and Kurien Joseph rejected the arguments of multinational giant GlaxoSmithKline Pharma that companies are entitled to sell drugs at old rates for 15 days to dispose off stocks. According to the bench,...

-The Indian Express The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that drug manufacturers and retailers cannot sell Medicines at higher prices mentioned on the label of the boxes if the government notifies a lower rate. They must implement the price fixed under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO) within 15 days from the date of notification. The bench of Justices R M Lodha and Kurian Joseph rejected the argument that the revised prices...

-The Times of India KOLKATA: You must have been complaining about rise in prices across categories - food or non-food. What you have not realized is West Bengal has become one of the most expensive states in India. Consumer price indices for October this year, filed with the Parliament barely a fortnight back, shows that Bengal's figure is now the second highest. Consumer price indices (CPI) for the rural Bengal during October...

-Frontline DAVID SANDERS, Professor Emeritus and founding Director of the School of Public Health at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa, is a specialist paediatrician with postgraduate qualifications in public health. One of the founders of the global public health movement, he has over 30 years' experience in health policy and programme development in Zimbabwe and South Africa, having advised governments as well as organisations such as...