-The Times of India PATNA: Bihar on Friday became the first state to launch a universal old-age pension scheme in which each person at the age of 60 years and above, irrespective of their financial, family or caste status, will get a sum of Rs 400 per month directly in his/her bank account. In other states, old-age pensions are provided only to the members of either BPL family or SC/ST or widows...

-Macroscan.org Jayati Ghosh argues that a combination of universal basic services, universal employment guarantee and Universal Pensions to ensure a minimum income is more workable and desirable rather than cash transfers to individual households. Please click here to access the article. ...

-The Hindu Invites political parties for discussion; Congress, RJD and NCP agree to participate so far As political parties prepare their election manifestos and promises, a group of civil society leaders and concerned citizens on Tuesday released a document, Reclaiming the Republic, which they hope will shape the political agenda in the run up to the Lok Sabha poll. The comprehensive list includes judicial and electoral reforms, repeal of laws which threaten personal...

-Frontline.in Interview with Aruna Roy. ARUNA ROY is a well-known social and political activist. A former Indian Administrative Service officer, she resigned from the IAS in 1975 and has since worked with the most oppressed in society. Aruna Roy’s observation on government service is indicative of her future concerns: “Everyone calls it an elite service; I always felt the discourse should be a bit better than what it was. I was shocked...

-Press statement by Right to Food Campaign dated 19 November, 2018 At least two more persons died of starvation in Jharkhand in the last 25 days. This takes the total number of hunger deaths in the state to 17, since September 2017. The most recent victim is 45-year old Kaleshwar Soren who died of hunger and destitution on 11 November in Mahuatanr village of Jama block of Dumka district. A fact...