-The Hindu An anthology of independent evaluations of MGNREGA shows that it has provided income security, improved health, narrowed the gender gap and created useful assets   In the midst of the debates that prevail in this country over the feasibility of the world’s largest public works programme, the MGNREGA Sameeksha — an anthology of independent research studies and analysis on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, from 2006-2012 — is...

-PTI Bihar State Human Rights Commission today took suo motu cognizance of reports in different newspapers about cases of removal of uteruses purportedly under Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY). "They (the cases) do not appear to be sporadic incidents; rather they seem to have been done in a systematic manner as if they were the result of conspiracy and part of some racket. The reports refer to the districts of Saran, Sitamarhi,...

-The Hindu Identification of children after tracing them poses a major hurdle for the police and other investigating agencies in reuniting them with their families. This is because many visible features such as height, weight, eye colour and complexion change very rapidly during the growing years. Over a period of time many of these characteristics and even distinguishable features such as birthmark or tattoos, key to identification, change. There is no provision...

-The Telegraph In a primary health centre in eastern Jharkhand, the angry shouts of a nurse punctuated the occasional wails of a woman in her early-20s who was in labour pain and only minutes away from delivering her baby. Each time a uterine contraction evoked a yell or a wail or the woman sought a more comfortable position during labour, the nurse or other health workers admonished her, asking her to shut...

-PTI Employees of public sector banks have gone on two-day nationwide strike today opposing banking sector reforms and outsourcing of non-core activities, affecting operations. Several private sector banks, foreign banks and ATMs, however, continued to operate normally. The strike call was given by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella organisation of nine unions of employees and officers of PSU banks. They are protesting against banking sector reforms and unilateral implementation of...