-Press release by Right to Food Campaign dated 28th September, 2018 17 lakh elderly, widows and differently-abled persons in Jharkhand who qualify for social security pensions, do not receive their entitlement. One important reason is that pension coverage in Jharkhand is not universal. Even those who do receive pensions face chronic selection errors and administrative glitches. In 2016-17, 3 lakh pensioners were deleted as “fake”, though many genuine persons, whose pension...

-Down to Earth Shailaja Fennell, an expert in gender and household dynamics in agriculture, talks to Down To Earth about millet production in India As India witnesses the central government launch a campaign to promote nutri cereals, Down To Earth talks to an expert about the relevance of millets, its cultural significance and its benefits for women. Shailaja Fennell, university senior lecturer in development studies at the department of land economy in...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: With the upper caste backlash over the government's aggressive pro-Dalit measures roiling the politics, will BJP execute the radical measure of sub-categorisation of OBCs or prefer to procrastinate on the expert commission's pending report? The question was uppermost on the minds of government insiders a day after the chairperson of the Commission tasked with drafting the sub-categorisation blueprint, Justice G Rohini, met Union minister Thavar...

-The Hindu Budgetary support must be strengthened to make Ayushman Bharat a success Ayushman Bharat has been rolled out as a health protection scheme that will provide guaranteed access to treatment that is free at the point of delivery to about 40% of the population selected on the basis of censused socio-economic indicators. It is the essential first step on the road to universal health coverage, although it has been launched by...

-The Hindu The new law has safeguards, including bail to the accused before the start of trial New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared an ordinance that makes talaq-e-biddat, or instant triple talaq, a criminal offence that will attract a maximum jail term of three years. President Ram Nath Kovind later in the day gave his assent. The new law, however, incorporates safeguards, including a provision for bail to an accused before...