-The Hindu The State’s recent experience shows that even the worst-governed States can reform their public distribution system and make good use of the National Food Security Act. “In Lalu’s days we had a lal card [BPL card], with Nitish we got coupons, and when Manjhi came we got this new ration card”. This is how Anuj Paswan, a Dalit resident of Tetar village in Gaya district, sees recent changes in Bihar’s...
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P Sainath, rural reporter, interviewed by Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies
-Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies World-renowned journalist P. Sainath has returned to Princeton to teach two courses, beginning this week, in the Program for South Asian Studies. The former rural affairs editor of The Hindu and award-winning "reporter" - he prefers the term to journalist - has devoted his career to telling the stories of India, uncovering the truth of social problems, rural affairs, poverty and the aftermath of...
More »Less cash for Dalits, tribals -Basant Kumar Mohanty
-The Telegraph New Delhi: Finance minister Arun Jaitley has slashed the overall allocation for Dalits and tribals in his budget compared with last year's proposals in a trend critics fear could see the "last man" gradually becoming the "lost man". The media, too, came in for criticism for giving the "impression" that the country had no SC/ST citizens. Jaitley yesterday set aside Rs 30,851 crore for Scheduled Castes and Rs 19,980 crore for...
More »National Health Policy 2015: A Narrow Focus Needed -Javid Chowdhury
-Economic and Political Weekly Since independence, India's national health policies have been aspirational but the end results have been limited. The National Health Policy 2015, which is in the process of being finalised, should, in place of the earlier "broadband" approach, adopt a "narrow focus" on primary healthcare through the National Rural Health Mission. The latter has focused on primary healthcare and has shown visible results. A slew of suggestions as...
More »The Meaning Of Vikas -Reetika Khera
-Outlook The BJP government needs to understand that "vikas" means growth and development, not growth alone. The new government that came to power with the promise of "vikas" has launched an unrelenting attack on social welfare programmes and legislations. In October 2014, there was a rumour that NREGA would be restricted to some districts. Though the changes proposed have not been implemented, NREGA is in danger of dying a slow death...
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