-The Economic Times The ills of Indian agriculture are many and well documented: highly fragmented land holdings, inadequate mechanisation, low quality and quantity of inputs, high dependence on monsoons, and so on. But the sector may do better in the future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's success in raising the pace of agricultural growth in Gujarat and his government's intention of introducing agri reforms-the recent raising of import duty on sugar, meant to...

-Newsclick.in Since being installed in government the BJP's ministers have announced a slew of measures to usher in "better days". True to this pattern, the new government's health minister - Dr.Harsh Vardhan - has articulated a number of priorities in the health sector. None of them come as a surprise as they are true to the BJP's core ideology of further promoting the neoliberal agenda of the previous UPA government. What Dr.Harsh...

-The Business Standard   Universal health scheme on the cards; Spend on the sector likely to be raised The Union Budget is likely to announce the first of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's social welfare schemes for the health sector - the National Health Assurance Mission. The programme will provide universal health care and offer comprehensive health insurance for the poor. The Budget could also, sources say, propose the government's mission-mode...

-The Indian Express   The landmark Land Acquisition law made by the UPA government is being called for a review by the Centre.   With concerns that the UPA's land acquisition law may lead to procedural delay persisting, the NDA government has decided to formally "review" the implementation-related issues of the law in consultation with the state governments.   Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who holds addition charge of the Rural Development Ministry, has called a meeting...

-The Indian Express   The food security act is inadequate to meeting the malnutrition challenge. Malnutrition remains one of the biggest challenges facing India. In the last large survey, the National Family Health Survey of 2005-06, about 42 per cent children under the age of five were underweight. Economic growth has failed to redress this problem. Recently released estimates from the District Level Health Survey for selected states continue to paint a dismal...