-The Business Standard Financial inclusion in Madhya Pradesh helps the Centre's cash transfer projects It may not take a century for villages in India to get banks, and villagers to own accounts. Madhya Pradesh is paving the way for financial inclusion. The state is suddenly full of excitement about what it considers is a feat. Its rural development department has hired publicity agents to spread the word that every villager in the...

-PTI The UPA-II government is all set to connect 2.5 lakh gram panchayats with broadband within 16 months with a view to improving public delivery mechanism. "In a review meeting of the project, the Planning Commission was assured by the Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda that country's all 250,000 panchayats will have broadband connectivity in next 16 month", a source privy to the development said. This is also part of an attempt to...

-The Hindu The Planning Commission’s perspective on universal health care causes concern Current deliberations in the Planning Commission about actualizing universal health care in the Twelfth Five Year Plan, have invited concerns. There has been a marked thrust on state-funded insurance as opposed to a genuine effort on the government’s part to rebuild public health systems, something that has been a globally time-tested system to ensure health for all. The ongoing discussions are...

-PTI Fresh incidents of arson in interior areas of Kokrajhar district were reported on Monday leading to shoot-at-sight orders, indefinite curfew and flag march by army even as the toll in the ethnic violence Assam rose to 21. Police said four more bodies were recovered during the day from Kokrajhar district. Of the total 21 deaths, Kokrajhar accounted for 17 while neighbouring four persons died in Chirang district, to where the violence between...

-The Hindu Instruments that permit people to vote directly on policy and to initiate legislation can ensure that the citizen’s voice is heard   Independent India has been a large-scale experiment in democracy. Unlike many other nations that gained independence from colonial rule but descended into dictatorships and military rule, India has remained a democracy, despite its size and diversity. While we pride ourselves on this achievement, we also need to reflect more...