-The Indian Express The reasons for TMC's confidence that their 'rice politics' in the state will surmount all other criticism are rooted firmly in history. It is hunger that dominates discussions about elections in West Bengal. Starvation doesn’t need to be imagined in Bengal, it’s not a distant memory — the word still conjures up images of gaunt ribs, filthy rags and lethargic limbs with unnerving clarity. The reasons for TMC’s confidence...

-CNN-IBN It's lunch time in Bundelkhand's Gudrampur village. Shyama knows the four hungry children waiting patiently will soon be restless. She is glad her sister-in-law Chunni Bai is helping. She is expecting her third child and pregnancy makes her tire easily. In the ninth month now, it's impossible to trek the 10 km circuit to collect firewood from Kadhaili and then sell it at the Fateganj market. She would make Rs 25...

-The Indian Express For Bedoni, whose family lost members to hunger in 2004, the supply of affordable rice to Amlasole village in Belpahari on the Jharkhand border means a less frantic struggle for food. Amlasole (West Bengal): The first thing Bedoni Sabar mentioned when asked what the government has done for her was, “Oi, du takaye chaal (You know, that rice at Rs 2).” The 38-year-old mother of five sat plaiting...

-The Hindu The assault on the Right to Education Act and government schools is motivated. It is definitely not in the interest of India’s children, especially those from less privileged households The public education system (PES) has for long been under fire. It is being painted as non-functioning, wasteful and un-improvable. The Right to Education Act (RTE) was designed to improve this system. Therefore, it is natural that the RTE will also...

-Business Standard While allocations to several social sector schemes have been increased, concerns about the direction of the funds being ploughed remain The health and education sectors have trudged along the last two years awaiting direction that would be set through new policies the National Democratic Alliance government promised. In the absence of these guiding documents, most observers have been left to read the intermittent policy decisions like Tea-leaves to guess the...