-The Indian Express Last year, in February the first round of the health index was released, which measured the annual and incremental performances of States and UTs for the period 2014-15(base year) to 2015-16 (reference year). Kerala has emerged as the top ranking state in the second health index launched by Niti Aayog, while Uttar Pradesh is the worst, reported PTI. The health index is a composite measure of States and...

-The Telegraph The findings suggest that health parameters in poorest-performing states have deteriorated over the two-year period Measures of human health have fallen in eight states, including Bengal, with the steepest incremental drops over a two-year period in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, according to a health index released on Tuesday by Niti Aayog, the government’s think tank.   The index — a tool to assess states’ performance on 23 measures of health care...

-Down to Earth Farmers and farm labourers, who want to quit agriculture, are stuck in the non-remunerative work since other sectors are not generating jobs at the required rate We are fairly sure by now that the upcoming Budget would be the first government instrument towards the prime minister’s ambitious plan of making India a $5 trillion economy by 2024. Currently, India is nearly a $2.8 trillion economy. It is obvious we...

-The Hindu The institution can play an important role in refreshing India’s fiscal federalism India’s Constitution-makers thought of India as a union of States with a centripetal bias, done, advisedly, to preserve the unity and integrity of a newly fledged nation. Since then, the Indian economy, polity, demography and society have undergone many changes. The new aspirational India is now firmly on a growth turnpike. It is in this context that we...

-The Pioneer New Delhi: Concerned about the water crisis and drought conditions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Chief Ministers of all States advising them to conserve rainwater during the forthcoming monsoon. The PM had earlier written a personal letter to 'Gram Pradhans'(village chiefs) urging them to conserve rainwater.  The issue of drought conditions and water scarcity was discussed at the highest level at the Niti Aayog's governing council meeting last week....