-The Hindu Financial burden has to be assessed before scheme is extended to higher income groups: Chandy Consequent on the Congress party’s core committee recommendation to raise the number of subsidised LPG cylinders from six to nine a year, the Kerala government on Wednesday announced that the additional three subsidised cylinders would be targeted at the BPL (below the poverty line) category on the basis of the consumption pattern in 2011-12. Addressing a...
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India Coaxes Tribal Girls Into Schools -Manipadma Jena
-IPS News RAYAGADA- The deafening din of the lunch gong is sweet music to the 200-odd tribal girls rushing down the stairway, clutching stainless steel plates and tumblers. Sikhsya Niketan (House of Education) in Chattikona administrative block of Rayagada district is a residential school meant exclusively for girls of the Dongria Kondh tribe in eastern Odisha state. The school is part of the federal government’s intensified efforts to take universal education to...
More »Lancet backs WHO on need for universal health cover -Vidya Krishnan
-The Wall Street Journal/ Live Mint More than 60 million pushed below poverty line in India by healthcare costs in 2011 More than 60 million people were pushed below the poverty line in India by healthcare costs in 2011, said the Lancet medical journal, making a case for universal health coverage (UHC) in its latest issue. This comes amid international debate on the role of insurance, affordable medicines and access to healthcare. The...
More »Setting limits -V Venkatesan
-Frontline The Central government notifies new RTI rules, which effectively curb citizens’ right to obtain information. ON July 31, the Central government notified new rules to implement the Right to Information Act, 2005. The rules will come into force once the Central government tables the notification in Parliament and both Houses of Parliament agree to it. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has not published these rules on its website as...
More »Add clean fuel to the fire -Anjali Nayyar and Brian Wahl
-The Hindustan Times It is a matter of great concern that a large number of Indians still rely on inefficient and unhealthy energy sources. Approximately 80% of Indians cook and heat their homes with biomass fuels —largely wood and animal waste. This has a tremendous negative impact on people's health and the environment. Experts estimate that about 3.5% of India's total disease burden can be attributed to indoor air pollution resulting...
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