-IdeasForIndia.in The Mandal Commission and Sachar Committee reports, among others, have indicated the existence of caste inequalities within the four major caste groups. However, data on this subject remain limited. Using data from a novel 2014-2015 survey conducted in Uttar Pradesh, this article shows that within-group inequalities among upper castes are significantly less, relative to the within-group inequalities observed among both Hindu and Muslim OBCs and Dalits. Broadly, four social groups –...

-Hindustan Times Russia's invasion of Ukraine raises cattle feed prices, making it impossible for Karnataka farmers to buy. Farmers in North Karnataka say they cannot afford cattle feed prescribed by the Karnataka Co-operative Milk Federation (KMF), with war uncertainty hiking prices further in the last 15 days. Farmers incur losses because their cows produce significantly less milk compared to the landlords who use the feed, thereby not being able to sell as much...

-The Tribune SDO fears damage to bundhs & stone studs may flood residential areas, agri land Yamunanagar: Despite efforts of the district authorities to stop illegal mining, the activity is going on unabated in the Pathrala rivulet in Jaitpur and Nagli villages, close to bundhs and stone studs built by the Irrigation Department to protect residential areas and agricultural land. On the complaint of Vinod Kumar, Sub Divisional Officer (SDO), Water Services Division,...

-Newsclick.in Slope destabilisation, soil erosion and sequestered carbon loss have increased, according to Ravi Chopra. Noted Dehradun-based environmentalist Ravi Chopra recently resigned as the chairman of the Supreme Court (SC)-appointed High Powered Committee (HPC) overseeing the environmental impact of the Narendra Modi government’s Rs 12,000 crore 889-km Char Dham highway widening project in Uttarakhand.  The Char Dham project, one of the largest road-widening projects in the Himalayan region, intends to connect the four...

-TheCitizen.in Life on the edge As we curl up in blankets and sip hot tea, Delhi’s winter and smoggy skies are host to different realities. Every morning these children on the Yamuna Bank, adjacent to the DND flyway, wake to scrape for trash. Spending almost the entire day in the process, they have little time for games. Tired and soiled when they return home, they have to play in the dirt and dust...