-The Hindu   Planning Commission allocation will see significant rise The K. SRInath Reddy Committee of Experts, appointed by the Prime Minister to suggest universal health insurance coverage, is expected to submit its report by month-end, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said on Friday. At the same time, the Commission would ensure that allocation for the health sector was significantly increased in the 12th Plan, he said. During the 11th Plan, the...

-The Times of India   Tension gripped the site of the proposed Posco steel project in Jagatsinghpur district on Friday after 20 anti-land acquisition villagers were arrested on charges of preventing entry of officials and police into the villages. Police also dismantled two wooden barricades built by the villagers to bar the entry of "outsiders". "We arrested Niranjan Swain, Pravat Palei, Achuti Das, SRImanta Parida, Bhamara Rout, Tushar Nayak , Narayan Parida and...

With nearly 800 million people unable to read or write, the United Nations today marked International Literacy Day with a warning that illiteracy undermines efforts to eliminate a host of social ills such as poverty and sickness and threatens the very stability of nations. “The costs are enormous,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a message. “Illiteracy exacerbates cycles of poverty, ill-health and deprivation. It weakens communities and undermines democratic processes through...

Gate erected by caste Hindus to be removed A gate erected on Dalit Street 35 years ago to prevent Dalits from entering the area occupied by upper caste Hindus will be removed. Though it was kept open in the last five years, the 75-odd Dalit families used to avoid the street fearing repercussions. They used to go to MGR daily market via Royakottai main road. The street falls in the Reserved Ward...

-The Times of India   Picking holes in some decisions made by the home ministry, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has pointed out that the ministry had incurred an "avoidable expenditure" of more than Rs 9 crore by flying helicopters from Delhi to the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir to aid its troops deployed in operations. Besides, it has also rapped the ministry and its police wireless wing for incurring an...