-The Hindu In any new National Water Policy, the aim should also be to encourage conserving water resources and efficient usage The complexity and scale of the water crisis in India calls for a locus specific response, that can galvanise and integrate the ongoing work of different Ministries and Departments through new configurations. Such an integrated approach must necessarily cut across sectoral boundaries and not stop at the merger achieved between the...

-The Hindu Caste data will help us understand the contours of inequality and craft reasoned and INClusive policies The debate about whether the decennial Census should collect data on caste from individuals who fall into the administrative categories of ‘General’ and ‘Other Backward Classes’ (OBCs) has been argued by public intellectuals, politicians, and government administrators for decades. As the Census currently only collects data on ‘Scheduled Castes’ (SCs) and ‘Scheduled Tribes’ (STs),...

-PTI/ The Hindu Nine low-pressure systems, INCluding two cyclones, one deep depression and six lows, affected the country during the period. India recorded 125 extremely heavy rainfall events during September and October in 2021, the highest in five years, owing to the late withdrawal of the southwest monsoon and higher-than-normal low-pressure systems, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. The country recorded 89 extremely heavy rainfall events in September against 61 in the...

-Newsclick.in On Saturday, the Ministry of Rural Development denied that the rural jobs scheme was facing a shortage of funds. Its response, however, “leaves many questions unanswered,” according to civil society members. Activists have questioned the Centre’s response to media reports on the shortage of available funds for the rural employment guarantee scheme in the current financial year, by alleging that it is “misleading” and that it leaves many raised questions “unanswered.” Last...

-The Hindu Agriculture Insurance Company looks at technology-aided assessment methods Agriculture Insurance Company (AIC) of India Limited, the public sector organisation engaged in providing insurance cover for various crops, is in discussions with various commodity boards for exclusive crop-specific insurance schemes. A senior official of the Agriculture Insurance Company said that one of the goals of the company was to speed up settlement of insurance claims by farmers and the company was exploring...