-The Telegraph New Delhi: The government today denied any move to introduce reservations in the private sector, saying there was "no such proposal", a year after the National Commission for Backward Classes had suggested enacting a law to make private firms set aside jobs for marginalised sections. "There is no such proposal (for reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes) in the private sector," social justice and empowerment minister...

-The Telegraph Bihar: The rise of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister has a strong implication on political inclusion of subaltern or deprived castes, as he is vocal about his backward lineage, often highlighting it at public meetings. Highlighting the phenomenon of Narendra Modi in Indian politics, Kanchan Chandra, professor of politics at New York University, said: "An inclusive democracy is desirable in itself since it sends out a signal of empowerment and...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: A UN report released today has ranked India 131 out of 188 countries worldwide on human development and has cited figures suggesting that about half of India's people face deprivation in education, health and living standards. Inequality, multidimensional poverty and gender gaps appear to be factors holding back India's progress on the human development index (HDI), a measure linked to progress towards a long, healthy life, access to...

-The Hindu Business Line The effectiveness of the revised Maternity Benefit Act depends on its proper implementation India now lags only Canada and Norway in the level of maternity benefits such as paid time off work extended to women. India’s statutory maternity leave is now the third best in the world and is certainly something to be proud of. However, the law is no assurance that the situation of working women will...

-The Indian Express Farmer producer organisations have truly taken off. Now’s the time to create their own lobbying platform. In the summer of 2011, as the managing director of the Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), an autonomous society under the Union Agriculture Ministry, I addressed a group of Uttar Pradesh government officials in Lucknow. My hosts politely sat through my presentation and near-evangelical pitch, as I pushed the idea of promoting farmer...