The historic city of Bhagalpur in Bihar, often in the news for the wrong reasons, figured in the Lok Sabha on Thursday when Bharatiya Janata Party member Shahnawaz Hussain sought to draw the government's attention to the pitiable condition of weavers there. “The jacket you are wearing is made of Bhagalpur silk,” he told Deputy Speaker Karia Munda, who was in the Chair, even as he pointed towards Leader of the...

This is a budget crafted for, and perhaps by, the corporate farmer and agribusiness. The real heroes of India's success story were our farmers. Through their hard work, they ensured “food security” for the country.— Pranab Mukherjee, interim budget speech Feb. 16, 2009 This Budget belongs to 'Aam Aadmi'. It belongs to the farmer, the agriculturist, the entrepreneur and the investor. — Pranab Mukherjee, budget speech, Feb. 26, 2010 Gee! Another pro-farmer budget....

A recent survey carried out by the TNUEF brings to light details of the discrimination Dalits in Madurai have faced for generations. OVER seven decades have rolled by since the freedom fighter A. Vaidhyanatha Iyer successfully led Dalits into the Meenakshi temple in Madurai, overcoming all the impediments posed by the casteist forces that were hell-bent on thwarting the historic event. But the stark reality is that “hidden apartheid” against...

The Child Right to Education Bill 2009 which was passed by Parliament in last August 2009, which speaks about the free and compulsory education to all children between 6 to 14 years. On other hand there was nation wide campaign by Child rights organization CRY for “saman shiksha sabko shiksa”. Both tell about education to children. In states of Jharkhand, Bihar few areas of West Bengal and Orissa there are...

India’s largest association of doctors and the country’s apex regulator of medical education appear poised for confrontation over a government proposal to create a new cadre of healthcare providers for rural areas. The Union health ministry has announced a plan to create a group of health practitioners who could diagnose and treat common illnesses and injuries and prescribe medicines to patients in rural areas plagued by shortages of doctors. The health ministry...