Amidst uncertainty over India's performance in terms of agricultural production and livelihood security of rural population, the Union Budget of 2016-17 will be presented by Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley on 29 February. Given the extent of drought in more than 10 states of India during 2015-16, it is expected that the NDA Government will allocate more resources for rejuvenating the rural sector. Since the country has seen two years of...

-The Hindu Bengaluru: Is Bengaluru in danger of becoming a city that is divided along the lines of class and caste? Terming today’s urban reality an apartheid city, activist and former bureaucrat Harsh Mander has said the perpetuation of caste, class and the neoliberal ‘greed is good’ motto, have made the middle class one of the most uncaring communities the world over. And what happens when the divide enters the classroom? “Rohith...

-Frontline The new crop insurance scheme introduced by the NDA government in an election year does not provide for a comprehensive coverage of all crops, against all forms of damage and at all stages of the crop cycle. IN AN election year, it is but natural that incumbent governments will introduce welfare policies and schemes. But the problem is that distribution of such largesse in a neoliberal dispensation can only be...

-Frontline.in An initiative focussed on Kerala’s development experience exposes a worrying trend of rising inequality and proposes a strategy for sustainable and equitable growth. THE fourth international Congress on Kerala Studies, organised by the A.K.G. Centre for Study and Research in Thiruvananthapuram on January 9-10, has generated much interest for its focus on a worrying new trend in Kerala’s development experience: rising inequality and marginalisation of large sections of people despite...

-BangaloreMirror.com Illiteracy, child marriage, poor dietary habits are the biggest hurdles in bringing change Three-year old Shivaranjini weighs nine kg, while her sister who is three years older weighs 12 kg. Both are at least one kg lower than the minimum recommended weight for their age. But they are not exceptions. Weak and underweight children, all bony hands and feet and nearly visible rib cages, are a common sight here. It's lunch time...