Impressed with the work done by Gujarat in use of geographic information system, a central expert group has recommended the state's programme as a "base model" to develop a "national framework" for utilisation of the technology in Monitoring and implementation of NREGA. The expert group, headed by Rural Development Ministry Secretary B K Sinha, noted in a recent meeting that Gujarat has done "relatively fair amount of work" on the use...

Manpreet Singh Ayali, chairman of Zila Parishad-cum-District Health Monitoring Planning Committee, has said Rs 12 crore are being spent in this current financial year under the various schemes of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to provide better health facilities to the people of rural areas.   Ayali was addressing a meeting of District Level Health Monitoring Planning Committee at Zila Parishad Complex on Friday. Ayali further said that the birth rate has...

Human Rights Watch, a leading rights group, has said the latest UN maternal mortality estimates contradict the claim made by New Delhi that it is 'on track' in meeting goals for reducing maternal mortality. An assessment by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other UN agencies found that though India is 'making progress' in declining maternal mortality, it is not 'on track' in meeting its UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The...

A leading rights group has accused India of hoodwinking the public over its claims of improving maternal health, as renewed efforts began at the United Nations to cut global poverty. Human Rights Watch said the government in New Delhi was wrong to focus on the number of women who give birth in health facilities as a measure of progress rather than how many survive the delivery and post-delivery period. The group's Asia...

The Centre has agreed to release `400 crore to the Andhra Pradesh government to implement the Right to Education Act from this academic year 2010-11. The decision was taken at a meeting convened by the Union minister of human resource development with the officials of the school education department of various states in New Delhi this week. The principal secretary of primary education, Ms Chandana Khan, had attended the meeting. The Union...