-TheWire.in The government is gearing up to prepare the Union Budget 2016-17. The Ministry of Finance is holding pre-budget consultations with various groups for their inputs to make it inclusive and progressive. The Finance Minister, in his opening remarks during the pre-budget meetings with the social sector mentioned that “Inclusive growth is high on the priorities of the present government and the government will take adequate measures to ensure social security...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Around 92% of India's adult population above 18 years has acquired valid Aadhaar numbers as on Wednesday, the significant landmark enhancing the case for linking the unique identity scheme to disbursal of benefits under welfare programmes run by the Centre and states. The Unique Identification Authority of India's (UIDAI) achievement means that a very large majority of India's adult population is in a position to...

-The Hindu The public health care system, if adequately funded, is still the better alternative in a developing and complex country like India The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), by consensus, has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of objectives meant to improve the lives of millions of poor in the world. Among these, access to quality health care and freedom from disease is of paramount importance in helping societies...

-The Indian Express A renewed funding squeeze may undermine MGNREGA’s recent revival, fear civil society activists. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme which guarantees 100 days of wage employment per year to rural households, may have staged a revival in the last two quarters after showing a declining trend in person-days generation during the first year of the Narendra Modi government. But the turnaround could well be temporary,...

-The Hindu Business Line New Delhi: Social sector experts have sought wider coverage of social security benefits and increased allocation for the Right to Education, schemes for nutrition for children and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme. “There is a deficit of 9 lakh teachers. We have demanded allocation of at least 10 per cent of the national income to education and implementation of the Right to Education by the...