-TheWire.in One of the most disturbing effects of the pandemic has been on the nutritional needs of the disadvantaged. The Budget needs to prioritise addressing this issue. The pandemic led disruptions of nutrition services have exacerbated India’s existing burden of undernutrition. Children did not get the mid-day meals and supplementary nutrition under the anganwadi services scheme they were registered under. Critical health services like immunisation, iron-folic acide and calcium supplementation, treatment of...

-The Hindu The issue is about checking their monopoly power while encouraging their positive externalities and consumer surplus There are ongoing investigations worldwide, including in the European Union and the United States, on the abuse of monopolistic power by the Big Tech firms, especially Facebook and Google. Many compare this with the earlier antitrust investigations in the U.S. on the telecom industry and the break-up of the AT&T dictated by the Department...

-PolicyCircle.org The Special Programme for Promotion of Millets in Tribal Areas of Odisha: Malnutrition is one of the greatest health and development challenges at present. Ending all forms of malnutrition by 2030 is one of the targets under the second sustainable development goal. Revival of millets that are considered as smart crops because of their resilience to climate change and nutritional advantages will be important in this regard. The Special Programme...

-Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Millets are considered as smart crops that are resilient to climate stress and have nutritional advantages. Odisha’s initiative in millets, from farm to plates, has been intervening through four verticals in production (with new agronomic practices), processing, marketing and Consumption (includes awareness campaigns and also through inclusion in nutritional programmes). Odisha also started procurement of mandia/ragi (finger millet) since 2018-19. These have important lessons for other states in...

-The Hindu Treating mineral sale proceeds as revenue or income hides the real transaction — the sale of inherited wealth The principle that the economy must be “sustainable” — we cannot compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs — is beyond question. Climate change and high levels of Consumption already threaten to rob future generations of a planet that is liveable. The principle of Intergenerational Equity would make it...