-Hindustan Times Studies that measure the contribution of MGNREGS towards improving the adaptive capacity of the beneficiary households have remained few and far between. While the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has been a valuable employment tool and safety net, as seen in the migrant crisis, its role in building ecosystems resilient to the climate crisis is being increasingly recognised. There is now an urgent need to bring upfront...

-The Indian Express Maharashtra government’s move to regulate fees is laudable. But it must also address larger issues of transparency, accountability and inequality related to private schools In February, Maharashtra Minister of State for Education Bacchu Kadu directed the state education department to create a “PLAn” to take action against private schools allegedly charging excessive fees and repeatedly violating state regulations on school education. Kadu has been at the forefront of hearing...

-The Indian Express With livelihoods affected during the pandemic, the importance of land ownership for access to formal loans as well as government relief programmes became more evident. But the relatively poor availability of clear and updated land titles remains a hurdle. For a significant section of the rural poor, land is both an asset and a source of livelihood. Many informal jobs in the urban centres were lost as the economy...

-The Hindu The policy has absolutely no consideration for Group 3 patients who require lifelong treatment support, say organisations Caregivers to patients with ‘rare diseases’ and affiliated organisations are dissatisfied with the National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021 announced on Wednesday. Though the document specifies increasing the government support for treating patients with a ‘rare disease’— from ₹15 lakh to ₹20 lakh — caregivers say this doesn’t reflect actual costs of treatment. There...

-The Indian Express On the Covid-19 lockdown in India, Tumbe said that while internal migration takes PLAce in all countries, India was probably the only country that faced a massive migration crisis. The recent laws in Jharkhand and Haryana that reserve private sector jobs for local residents are “nativist” and should be struck down, panelists said Tuesday at the second edition of the eight-part webinar series — Thinc Migration — organised by...