-The Hindu The delivery percentage has gone up from 7. 8 to 27. 2 Chennai: The number of deliveries taking place in primary health centres, the bottom of the public health services tier, has climbing steadily over the years in Tamil Nadu. From a mere 7.8 per cent in 2004-2005, the 1,614 PHCs in the State now cater to 27.2 per cent of all deliveries. Clearly, the PHCs are attracting patients from...

-Frontline Social development indicators in Gujarat are poor, proving that development in the State is lopsided On a hot day last November near Rajkot, Ramjibhai Patel, an octogenarian farmer, pointed to the middle distance and said, “See that lake?” There was indeed a shimmer in the dry landscape indicating water, but after a relatively poor monsoon, it seemed improbable. Chuckling, he said, “Yes, I see doubt on your face and you are...

-The Hindu One of the most prominent features of India’s middle-class-driven public culture has been an obsession about our GDP growth rate, and a facile equation of that number with a sense of national achievement or impending arrival into affluence. In media headlines, political speeches, and everyday conversations, the GDP growth rate number — whether it is five per cent or eight per cent or whatever — has become a staple...

-The Times of India Should maternity benefits and nutritional support to children under government schemes be restricted to only the first two children in order to "encourage stabilization of population"? Raising a storm among activists, the Parliamentary standing committee has recommended so while assessing the National Food Security Bill. The recommendation has been objected to by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights also. The other recommendations of the standing committee...

-Frontline A JOINT study by the UNICEF and the National Institute of Medical Statistics (a division of the Indian Council of Medical Research) on the levels, trends and determinants of infant and under-five mortality has concluded that at the current pace, India is unlikely to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets or the child survival goals of the Twelfth Plan. This, despite there being a consistent decline in the infant...