-SciDev.net Nearly half the children in India are stunted Maternal height is the strongest determinant of childhood undernutrition Investments should focus on improving social circumstance and dietary diversity BANGALORE: Nearly half the children in India suffer from stunting because mothers are uninformed, financially incapable or stunted and undernourished themselves, says a study conducted by the Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston and published by Social Science and Medicine last month.   The highest...

-The Hindu We need to provide full Internet at prices people can afford, not privilege private platforms. This is where India’s regulatory system has to step in The airwaves, the newspapers and even the online space are now saturated with a Rs. 100 crore campaign proclaiming that Internet connectivity for the Indian poor is a gift from Facebook which a few churlish net neutrality fundamentalists are opposing. In its campaign, Facebook is...

-The Hindu Experts and NGOs say Nairobi outcomes favour rich countries and effectively end Doha Round. In the backdrop of a political intrigue surrounding the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) final Ministerial Declaration at the recently-concluded meet in the Kenyan capital, Commerce Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, is likely to make a statement in Parliament tomorrow on what the ‘Nairobi package’ means for India. The minister will be making her statement amidst claims by international trade...

-Livemint.com A NSSO report shows there are significant caste-based differences in economic status of agricultural households in India New Delhi: Social divisions in India’s countryside are a well-established fact. A National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) report released last week shows there are significant caste-based differences in economic status of agricultural households in India. Unsurprisingly, lower castes are the worst-off by most yardsticks. A large majority of India’s farmers are finding it difficult...

-Livemint.com A key condition for the success of road rationing is that alternatives are easily available A big debate on urban transport policy has been triggered by the decision of the state government of Delhi to restrict automobile usage according to the licence plate number. The plan is to significantly reduce vehicular traffic by allowing odd and even numbers to ply the roads on alternate days. Given the city’s atrocious air...