Technological interventions, innovative and fool-proof delivery mechanisms, constant reviews and fixing responsibility at each level ensure that an effective delivery system is in place. The Public Distribution System in Tamil Nadu is a success story, in its coverage as well as its pricing. Each family, whether below the poverty line or not, is entitled to 20 kg of rice at Re. 1 a kg. The State Government opted for universal coverage...

Recently, Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai wrote to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, expressing concern at alleged atrocities committed on tribals. While top officials of the Forest Department have rejected the “allegations” as baseless and ill-informed, a recent case in the Barwani district justifies Mr. Pillai's concerns. When Valsingh Sastia, an Adivasi, decided to repair the roof of his house before the monsoon, he had little idea that it would land him...

In the summer of 2006, I travelled with a group of scholars and writers through the district of Dantewada, then (as now) the epicentre of the conflict between the Indian State and Maoist rebels. Writing about my experiences in a four-part series published in The Telegraph, I predicted that the conflict would intensify, because the Maoists would not give up their commitment to armed struggle, while the government would not...

Chidambaram to explain Centre's plan to deal with Maoist activities in a holistic manner Meet to iron out problems in coordination among States To discuss plan to redeploy paramilitary forces Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will preside over a meeting of Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected States here on Wednesday. Chief Ministers of Orissa, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar will attend the day-long meeting, which will discuss a fresh strategy to fight the...

A Kanpur couple has alleged their 10-year-old son died because roadblocks set up for the Prime Minister’s visit to the city prevented the family from taking the child to hospital in time. Aman Khan, a Class 2 student, suffered head injuries on July 3 after the iron gate at his home in Shyam Nagar fell on him. His parents tried to take him to a hospital but were allegedly delayed because...