-Down to Earth Sixty-four countries are on track to meet Millennium Development Goal of reversing the incidence of malaria, according to a WHO report WHO's World Malaria Report 2014 has reported a significant decrease in deaths due to malaria. Mortality rates due to the disease have reduced by 47 per cent worldwide and 54 per cent in the WHO African region. The report estimates that of approximately 4.3 million deaths averted between 2001...

-The Indian Express The Centre on Monday admitted for the first time that hydropower projects had "direct and indirect impact in the aggravation of floods" that hit Uttarakhand in 2013, killing hundreds and leaving thousands homeless. It also said that the projects caused "irreversible damage" to the environment and enhanced landslides and other disasters. Filing its affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) conceded that "the...

-The Hindu It is not the responsibility of the government alone to act in order to curb corruption; corporate firms need to be proactive as well in checking fraudulent financial practices The winter session of Parliament witnessed a noisy debate on the black money controversy. Governments of all hues have disappointed the Indian janata on the issue of black money and the failure is often associated with a perceived nexus between politicians...

-The Hindu Business Line   Cases of prosecutions over wages, contract workers, child labour are down  Among key initiatives of the Narendra Modi government has been the fast-tracking of labour law reforms to put an end to ‘inspector raj' and improving the country's rank in the World Bank's ease of ‘doing business' index. However, when it comes to checking labour law violations, the number of inspections in the Central sphere, which includes banks, railways,...

-Down to Earth Employment guarantee, rural road and sanitation schemes among those likely to be affected The upcoming budget will see social sectors face huge cuts in funds. Ministries concerned with infrastructure works, on the other hand, will be given with more funds. These include ministries of shipping, road and transport, telecom and power. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has directed the Union Ministry of Finance to include these budget adjustments in the...