-The Hindu   The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday urged the Government to reconsider the present design of Below Poverty Line (BPL) census expressing apprehension that the current format would result in “undercounting” of the poor. Referring to the Independence Day speech of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat found it “objectionable” that Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh called the BPL census design “non-negotiable.'' “I find...

-IANS   The government will lay emphasis on health in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) and funds will not be a constraint in the areas of education and health, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday. "I have often referred to the 11th Five Year Plan as an education plan.  We will lay the same emphasis on health in the 12th plan as we laid on education in the 11th plan. I will...

Pulls up DoT for not getting an assurance from Rural Development Ministry A Parliamentary committee has asked the Rural Development Ministry not to debar those having telephone connections from inclusion in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) list as it could have negative impact on the growth of rural tele-density. It has criticised the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for not getting an assurance from the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) for non-inclusion...

-The Indian Express   Private schools are not satisfactorily implementing the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act in Panchkula district. As per information provided by District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO) to District Courts on Wednesday, only 676 students have been admitted under Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Below Poverty Line (BPL) category by 74 private schools, while many schools did not recruit a single children. Several schools are yet to furnish information regarding implementation...

-ANI   Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has said his ministry will be generating a rank of rural households and not conduct a Below Poverty Line (BPL) survey. Speaking to mediapersons here on Monday, Ramesh said his ministry is only responsible for the rank ordering.   "We will generate a rank ordering of rural households, which will be given to the state governments. Our responsibility stops there. It is the state government that is then going...