-Down to Earth Collective rights to undo historic injustice meted out to indigenous people remain completely ignored by the states, says Citizens’ report Ten years after the historic Forest Rights Act (FRA) was passed by the Indian lawmakers, only three per cent of villages or communities could secure their rights over forest resources which include land and the produce from the forests and water, states the Citizens’ Report prepared by Community...

-The Hindu Since November 9, a day after the Centre banned Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes, the Sis Ganj Gurdwara has seen hectic rush during lunch About 500 kg of dal, 600 kg of vegetables and one tonne of rice is what it takes to feed thousands of people at the Sis Ganj Gurdwara in Chandni Chowk on an average day. The langar or community kitchen at the popular gurdwara has always been busy,...

-The Hindu Business Line Scarcity of ?100 notes hits kharif harvesting; decline in demand worsens situation Hyderabad: Ram Singh (name changed), a 45-year-old farmer near Ranjim, a tehsil in Chhattisgarh, stood impatiently in the long queue, waiting for his turn to swap a bunch of old notes for new. “I don’t want the new notes. I’m desperately looking for ?100 notes that I need to pay to the labourers that I have...

-Business Standard There is a widespread panic among farmers, who were preparing for the next Rabi season New Delhi: There is a widespread panic among farmers, who had recently harvested their paddy crop, and were preparing for the next Rabi season. They fear that in the absence of new currency notes they will miss out on the crucial sowing time. This is most crucial time for a farmer when he not only...

-The Hindu Recent years have been a watershed in the public health programme in India. We have managed to eradicate diseases such as polio and tetanus, reduced maternal and child mortality rates significantly, halved the prevalence of tuberculosis and malaria and increased the life expectancy for both adults and children. These achievements reflect the unflinching efforts of the Indian government and all stakeholders in the past two decades to ensure health...