-Livemint A study shows there has been considerable upward mobility among both the poor and vulnerable sections of the population One of the reasons for the drubbing given to the Congress in the recent national and state elections is the DISEnchantment of the so-called neo middle class with its policies. A recent World Bank paper (Addressing Inequality in South Asia by Martin Rama, Tara Béteille, Yue Li, Pradeep K. Mitra and John...

-PTI Washington: India-born Mexican scientist Sanjaya Rajaram has been awarded the World Food Prize 2014 for agricultural research that spurred an astonishing increase in world wheat production. The 71-year-old Rajaram, however, played down his contribution and thanked farmers for their "innovative spirit". "It is a collective achievement rather than that of a single person," the scientist told the award ceremony audience at the Iowa State University in America. The award "honours the innovative spirit...

-The Hindustan Times Gurdaspur (Punjab): Punjab, known for its sprawling agricultural fields, is equally famous for burning of paddy and wheat straw by farmers after the harvesting season. The smoke released from burning of paddy straw is extremely bad for health. "Each year, the agriculture department spreads the same message highlighting the ill-effects of straw burning in the fields, but farmers rarely pay heed to it. Burning of straw causes severe harm...

-The Hindu Rapid urbanisation, globalisation, consumerism, poor solid waste and water management and increasing population movement have created new habitats for mosquito breeding Dengue fever is rearing its ugly head again in India with new cases of infections and even deaths being reported from different States. The world's fastest growing vector-borne DISEase, dengue sees an estimated 50-100 million cases being reported annually in over 100 endemic countries. Ever since its detection in...

-The Hindu A systemic reform of the health sector in order to meet the key objectives of equity, efficiency and quality is long overdue. In this, the Central and State governments need to make interventions intelligently, decisively and strategically so that the poor reap the benefits How does Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on population, health and subjects like public hygiene, the facilitation of toilets and ensuring preventive health through yoga fit...