-Frontline.in Interview with R.B. Barman, former Chairperson, National Statistical Commission. R.B. Barman, former Chairperson of the National Statistical Commission (NSC), was member of the Indian Statistical Service before joining the Reserve Bank of India in 1979. He was president of the Indian Econometric Society in 2006-07, Vice Chairman, Irving Fisher Committee on Central Bank Statistics, Bank for International Settlement, Basel, Switzerland, and Member, International Data Forum. He sent a paper to Prime...

-The Indian Express Social policy is in danger of getting lost in electoral histrionics. As the country inches towards parliamentary elections, a deep confusion pervades the realm of social policy. When the narendra modi government came to power five years ago, there were high expectations of a rollback in welfare schemes. The previous government, so went the story, had gone overboard with social spending, and Modi would set this right. In...

-The Telegraph The internet giants want to tackle fake news and surface details on political ads, but will it work? She's Twittersphere’s newest star. Last week, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined Twitter and within 24 hours, racked up 160,000 followers. Of course, Priyanka’s nowhere near Prime Minister narendra modi’s 45-million-plus followers. But she and former Uttar Pradesh chief Mayawati, the Bahujan Samaj Party supremo who’s another Twitter newcomer, are notching up Twitter followers...

-Scroll.in Money could have been better spent on medical infrastructure, Sen says Santiniketan (West Bengal): Economist Amartya Sen on Friday criticised the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana, saying it does not fulfil the requirements of primary healthcare and that the money could have been used better by improving medical infrastructure. “If we look at the healthcare system, we will see that there is tremendous neglect towards primary healthcare. The neglect is often not conspicuous...

-Scroll.in Private insurance companies have benefitted more than farmers from the new crop insurance scheme.     Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was launched to expand crop insurance coverage in India     But coverage has shrunk, despite compulsory enrollment of farmers at the time of taking loans     Private companies retain a larger share of government funds than before     Farmer groups have opposed compulsory enrollment and complained about payment delays.   In its manifesto for the...