-The Times of India An iodine patch, designed like a regular bindi, is expected to help one lakh tribal women in north-west Maharashtra battle Iodine Deficiency. Since these tribals don't consume iodized salt, they are usually deficiency in this nutrient. Last month, these iodine bindis were distributed free to tribal women in villages near Nashik and Ahmednagar. "Each woman got 30 bindis to last a month. When stuck on the forehead, it...

-The Hindu     Aberrations in monsoon behaviour are not uncommon. What is new is the difficulty in forecasting caused by factors coming under the generic title, ‘Climate change.' Forecasts by the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum and the India Meteorological Department indicate that the south-west monsoon rainfall may be deficient. Also, there is a possibility of the evolution of an El Niño event during June to September. There is a 45 per cent...

-FAO Per capita vegetable production in Asia and the Pacific has increased some 25 percent over the last decade. Yet, while Asian countries produce more than three-quarters of the world's vegetables, they and other producers worldwide will need to dramatically increase their vegetable production by 47 percent to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population which would exceed nine billion by 2050, FAO warned today. According to a UN report, with...

-Press Information Bureau (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) Public health is a state subject. National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and under NRHM, financial support is provided to States/UTs to strengthening their health care delivery system including support for engaging ASHAs and patient transport ambulances and development of health infrastructure in rural areas based on the requirements posed by the States/UTs in their Programme Implementation...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: An Indian government laboratory released a formulation of salt fortified with iodine and iron for mass consumption, calling it a tool to combat anaemia and Iodine Deficiency, without adequate and rigorous evidence to show that it increases blood haemoglobin levels, scientists have said. The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, has shared the formulation and production technology for its double fortified salt (DFS) with seven salt-producing companies, some...