-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the health ministry's proposal to institute a three-year degree programme for public health professionals. The bachelor in community health programme will act as a bridge between auxiliary nurse midwife and a doctor and overrides the objections raised by a parliamentary panel and the Medical Council of India. The decision will help raise a cadre of public health professionals for rural...

-The Indian Express The rural health cadre will not create two classes of doctors, it will help fill two different needs. The cabinet is pondering the idea of a cadre of mid-level health practitioners, a plan that has been fiercely resisted by medical associations because they worry it will dilute the worth of MBBS Graduates. It has also been recently rejected by the parliamentary standing committee on health, for allegedly creating two...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: Ahead of the general elections next year, the government will recruit 140 young Graduates for a three-year fellowship scheme to oversee better delivery of flagship programmes in backward and remote districts in the country. This is an extension of the ongoing Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellowship (PMRDF) scheme and will cost the government Rs 36 crore for a twoyear fellowship while in the last year of...

-The Hindu To get youth interested in agriculture research, the Agriculture Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) must undertake a special drive, noted farm scientist M.S. Swaminathan said on Friday. He said there should be a special analysis of the gaps in regional-level research, particularly in northeastern and tribal areas "as was done in the past." Special recruitment drives should be undertaken by inducting young scientist Graduates from such regions and "grooming them intensively." He suggested...

-IANS A small sugarcane farmer in western Maharashtra, Bhau Kadam (name changed) and his family, own about three hectares of land. He has two sons who are both Graduates and work in Pune. When I asked him why he did not make his sons farmers, he says that farming is hard work, is non-remunerative and it is difficult to get labour. Besides he also thinks that farming is not glamorous, a farmer's...