-Live Mint Building an outcomes-focused delivery system is a particular challenge in India For once, I am optimistic about elementary education in India. Not because we have witnessed improvements in learning levels. In fact, the opposite is true. The latest Annual Status of Education Report highlights the deepening crisis of poor learning levels. In 2008, just under 50% of standard III students could read a standard I text. In 2012, this dropped...

-The Guardian In a village in India's poorest state, Bihar, farmers are growing world record amounts of rice – with no GM, and no herbicide. Is this one solution to world food shortages? Sumant Kumar was overjoyed when he harvested his rice last year. There had been good rains in his village of Darveshpura in north-east India and he knew he could improve on the four or five tonnes per hectare that he usually...

-The Times of India NAGPUR: The rural police, under a project to empower women and initiate village-based community service, have adopted a policy to reach out to young girls through various means. Roping in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the rural police plan to place complaint boxes in 426 girls' school in the district and set up a mobile library. In the backdrop of the shocking gang rape and dacoity at Kuhi last month,...

-The Times of India Jharkhand has ranked third among all states in implementation of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and delivery of services and monitoring. Mridula Sinha, principal secretary, state social welfare department, said the most important part of the whole process was monitoring the 40,000 anganwadi centres. Progress was reviewed during frequent visits to the centres or sometimes on telephone. "Focus was given more on weaker centres," said Sinha. The ranking...

-The Times of India The Companies Bill, 2012, passed by the Lok Sabha a few months ago, has recognised the importance of diversity in the board room. Certain class of companies will soon be required to have at least one woman director on board. The EU has long recognised the value that women directors bring to the table. But, policies need to be reworked even at the ground level. With the budget...