-PTI Six Indian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working for the uplift of women, Dalits and poor have been approved for consultative status with the United Nations. The approval came by the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, which is a part of the UN's Economic and Social Council, during the annual ongoing session of the world body panel this week. NGOs enjoying general and special status can attend meetings of the Council and issue statements. Prominent among...

-Outlook The Social Justice Ministry has asked some of the key Central ministries to take necessary steps to safeguard the interests of senior citizens and ensure their financial, health and personal securities. The move comes following recommendations of the ministry's first 'National Conference on Ageing' in this regard. The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry has forwarded its recommendations to Union ministries such as Home Affairs, Finance, Health and Rural Development to take steps...

-Economic and Political Weekly Extensive reforms are required so that sexually assaulted women do not feel they are the "accused" when they submit themselves for medical examination and trial. Urgent reforms such as setting up humane rape crisis centres where women can directly approach women counsellors to tell their story, lodge a complaint, and get examinations done at one place are required to improve the situation. Amita Pitre (amita@oxfamindia.org) is with Oxfam...

The total expenditure on central schemes for the poor and on the major subsidies exceeds the states' share of central taxes. These schemes are chronic bad performers due to a culture of immunity in public administration and weakened local governments. Arguing that the poor should be trusted to use these resources better than the state, a radical redirection with substantial direct transfers to individuals and complementary decentralisation to local governments...

-The Times of India Crest Cash transfers have been described as the world's favourite new anti-poverty device. As India gets set to implement it, TOI-Crest finds out if the politics will ever be divorced from the cash The UPA government's ambitious plan to introduce direct cash transfers (DCT) by January 1, 2013 reflects both the political desperation of a beleaguered government and the urgent need to reform India's inefficient and corrupt public...