Amidst concerns over budgetary cuts in social sector spending, a recent statement from Shri Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Planning reveals that unemployment rate has risen much sharper among the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) vis-à-vis the overall population. Replying to a starred question by Shri PL Punia regarding Human Development Index (HDI) of SCs and STs, the Minister of State for Planning said on 6 February,...

-The New indian Express PUDUKKOTTAI: Drought, unseasonal rains, wilting crops, soaked harvest, suicides and clamour for compensation. These are the words that one associates with farming these days. However, amidst the gloom, a woman farmer, who refused to give in to the vagaries of nature, is a beacon of hope for the distressed. While paddy crops in various districts were damaged, A Gandhi, from Sundarappatti, who cultivated traditional paddy on her...

-Delhi Solidarity Group Following the ritual, Government of India presented its budget with much fanfare, claiming it to be pro-poor, but the larger question that looms is whether it will really change the lives of the marginalized sections of the society. For a country like India which is ‘democratic, socialist, sovereign, republic’ working towards the ‘welfare’ of its citizens, one, either out of innocence or honest belief, tend to assume that...

-PTI NEW DELHI: Government is conducting a study to ascertain agrarian distress in major farmer suicide-hit states, Parliament was informed today. The data on number of farmer suicides during 2016 has not yet been compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The most recent NCRB data showed number of farmer suicides to be 12,602 in 2015, with maximum reported in Maharashtra (4,291), followed by Karnataka. "Taking cognisance of the problem of agrarian...

-The Times of India At the age of 18, Anwar Ali was the sole breadwinner for his family. Last week, he was hit by a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus while cycling to work in Koppal. He lay bleeding on the road. Instead of rushing him to hospital, most passersby took out their mobile phones to click pictures of the bloodied man. A morbid, voyeuristic urge to upload heart-rending photos of...