A good marker of a country’s progress is the environment in which its children grow up.  Prevalence of malnutrition, hunger, unhygienic surroundings and forced child labour cost a country dearly in terms of its real growth. The State of the World's Children 2011 report shows how little is being invested in the future citizens of our world. The theme of this year’s report is “Adolescence: An Age of Opportunity” and...

In the pre-budget Economic Survey 2010-11, the Union finance ministry made a strong pitch for the pro-growth impact of investment in human capital adding, “fortunately, there is awareness of this in India and efforts are afoot in terms of budgetary allocation and actual initiatives to boost the development of skill and human capital.” Given this leading comment, it was only natural that Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee laid special emphasis...

India today slammed the US and other parties to the Copenhagen Accord for failing to deliver "fast track" financial obligations to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and other nations facing the risk of climate change. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said the United States and other parties to the Copenhagen Accord had agreed to raise USD 30 billion for helping poor nations most at risk of climate change. "The continued inability to deliver on...

The Economic Survey on Friday favoured a phased opening of foreign direct investments in multi-brand retail saying it could help address concerns of consumers and farmers, besides bringing technical know-how. Even as the debate over FDI continues, the survey said during 2011-12, projects worth Rs 24,143 crore are expected to be completed adding a capacity of 168.6 lakh square feet. "Permitting FDI in retail in a phased manner beginning with metros and...

Cash transfers, the latest global development fashion, involve several risks in India, not least the risk of forgetting the need for continuing structural change. WHEN I was growing up, several decades ago, middle-class society in India was always a little delayed in catching on to Western fashions whether in music or dress or in other aspects. The past decades of globalisation seemed to have changed all that. Modern communications technology...