-Hindustan Times Hindus continue to have the lowest level of educational attainment among all the major religions of the world despite having made strides in the sector, a Pew study said on Wednesday. “Hindus have made substantial educational gains in recent decades. Hindu adults (ages 25 and older) in the youngest generation analysed in the study, for example, have an average of 3.4 more years of schooling than those in the oldest...

-The Hindu Public sector insurers, oil-marketing firms and others not to take a hit for cashless push The Centre has decided to bear the burden imposed on public sector firms on account of the many discounts and incentives offered to promote digital payments. The plan is to create a new expenditure head in the exchequer’s accounts that will absorb the costs of such measures. Public sector insurers, oil-marketing firms and others will thus not...

-Livemint.com Nearly 40% of loans taken by agricultural households come from informal sources, shows data New Delhi: Demonetisation of high value currency has impacted the rural and agriculture sectors in several ways. In the days following Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing withdrawal of Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes, trade in wholesale markets took a hit due to the acute cash crunch and farmers resorted to distress sales of perishables like fruits and vegetables....

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: The 81 bureaucrats, who were dispatched by the Centre in teams of three to study the impact of demonetisation on the ground, have red-flagged loss of livelihood in rural areas, particularly in the non-Formal sectors, and highlighted the negative impact on the farm sector in the sowing season. Officials told ET that these confidential reports were submitted last week and are now being examined for further action....

-The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement demonetising high denomination notes on November 8, 2016, will do little to address the prime objective of flushing out black money but will adversely affect the economy in the short term, especially the inFormal sector, which is predominant in India, says M. Govinda Rao, a Member of the Fourteenth Finance Commission and Emeritus Professor, National Institute of Public...