-Live Mint BJP-ruled states to get more funds, while most Congress-ruled states will lose out if report's funding formula is accepted New Delhi: Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are the least developed (or the most backward) in that order, according to a government committee whose recommendations, if accepted, will mean a larger share of central funds for these states. Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are India's most developed states, according...

-India Today The BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is going to fight the next general elections on the development plank, and he puts forth Gujarat as the model of development. At public meetings, he has been appealing to other states and the Centre to follow his model. But the latest index released by the finance ministry may prove to be a pinprick. It shows Gujarat has not done as well...

-The Hindustan Times The haryana government on Thursday ordered a chargesheet against 1991 batch IAS officer, Ashok Khemka for major penalty under Rule 8 of All-India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules. Chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is the competent authority in disciplinary matters pertaining to IAS officers on Wednesday, approved action against Khemka. Primarily, Khemka has been held liable of administrative misconduct - overstepping jurisdiction in passing orders to cancel the...

-The Hindu In richer and poorer States, differing periods of danger for girl children: data Last year, 74,000 more girls under the age of 5 than boys died in India, numbers for which there is no biological explanation, researchers say. Moreover, while many richer States abort female foetuses at a higher rate than some poorer States, once the child is born, many poorer States have a worse record in ensuring her survival,...

-The Hindu Lax monitoring, poor public engagement and inadequate training to vaccinators have dealt a serious blow to the crucial pentavalent immunisation programme The Pentavalent vaccine, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's latest addition to the immunisation programme, has run into a storm. The Supreme Court has sent a notice to the Ministry asking why the vaccine should not be banned in the country. The vaccine is no stranger to controversy. A...