-Business Standard While allocations to several social sector schemes have been increased, concerns about the direction of the funds being ploughed remain The health and education sectors have trudged along the last two years awaiting direction that would be set through new policies the National Democratic Alliance government promised. In the absence of these guiding documents, most observers have been left to read the intermittent policy decisions like tea-leaves to guess the...

-Livemint.com As the world celebrates World Water Day on 22 March, the situation in India is grim New Delhi: As the world celebrates World Water Day on 22 March, the situation in India is grim. In Maharashtra’s parched Latur district, the collector has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, banning the assembly of more than five people near tanker-filling points, public wells, tanker-plying routes and storage tanks. The ban, which...

-The Indian Express Bedaquiline, which is a drug for Multi-Drug Resistant TB, is being introduced at six identified tertiary care centres across India. The Union Health Ministry has introduced Bedaquiline into the national tuberculosis (TB) programme. This was among several initiatives Health Minister J P Nadda launched on Monday. Bedaquiline, which is a drug for Multi-Drug Resistant TB, is being introduced at six identified tertiary care centres across India. The sites have...

-Business Standard India should invest in mapping the country's aquifers and take steps to aid groundwater recharge to check a looming water crisis, experts said. With 40 per cent of the country under the impact of consecutive failed monsoons, water rationing could become a norm in many parts of the country in the coming summer, they warned. According to a recent Central Water Commission report, water levels in the Maharashtra reservoirs are 58...

-The Hindu The Aadhaar Bill has been passed with no public consultation about the privacy safeguards necessary for such a database and no provision for public or independent oversight. The rights to liberty and freedom of expression cannot survive if the right to privacy is compromised. The Central government has forced the Aadhaar Bill through Parliament in a week. Aadhaar has had an invasive and controversial presence well before the government’s attempt...