-The Hindu     Gaps between Muslims and the national average on most human development outcomes are narrowing, reflecting their improving condition The Prime Minister's high-level Sachar Committee, which analysed the social, economic and educational status of Muslims in India - based on data for the 1990s, concluded that Muslims were doing much worse than the rest of the population on most social indicators. Here, we examine how the socio-economic indicators of Muslims...

-The Business Standard The Congress party's suggested right to health, if implemented, would be a game-changer This is the season for party manifestos with their vague and quite unexciting promises. But in this sea of platitudes, sometimes something stands out that is worth talking about, because, if implemented, it would be a game-changer. For me this is the reported inclusion of the right to health in the Congress party's manifesto. It is well...

-The Indian Express Candidates are expected to spend up to R11,000 crore collectively Election spending by candidates and the state machinery for the upcoming General Elections is expected to bring about only a marginal rise in the GDP growth of the world's largest democracy. Poll expenditure, which is estimated to touch Rs 11,000 crore by candidates in the country's 543 Lok Sabha constituencies could increase the country's gross domestic product by about...

-Press Information Bureau (Ministry of Agriculture) The two-day National Conference on Agriculture for Kharif Campaign has come out with detailed strategy for maximising crop production during the coming kharif season. The focus will be on ensuring timely availability of fertilizers and quality seed and also sufficient credit to farmers. Based on inputs from States and the Fertilizer Ministry, it is established that sufficient quantities of fertilizers and seeds are available in...

-Outlook The number of poor in the country declined to 27 crore in 2011-12, from 40.74 crore in 2004-05, Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla said today. "The latest data of large sample survey on household consumer expenditure has been collected by NSSO in its 68th round conducted in 2011-12. "As per the estimates of Planning Commission, the number of persons living below the poverty line in the country...