While diversion rates still remain high, evidence seems to point to substantial improvements in the public distribution system around the country. It is well understood that a substantial proportion of the grain, mainly wheat and rice, that is meant to be distributed to eligible families under the Public Distribution System (PDS) ends up being sold in the open market by corrupt intermediaries, including some dealers who manage PDS outlets. The extent...

A project engaging young men as allies against and not as perpetrators of gender-based violence acting as catalysts to bring about a constructive change in and around their community has proved to be an effective approach. Non-government organisation Independent Commission for People's Rights and Development (ICPRD) undertook the project in three Karnataka districts – Ramnagara, Bellary and Mysore – for three years beginning October 2008. An evaluation report of the project...

-Press Information Bureau   Bageshwar in Uttarakhand has reported minimum Crude Birth Rate (CBR) of 14.7 while Dhemaji in Assam has reported the Minimum Crude Death Rate (CDR) of 4.5 as per the findings of the Annual Health Survey (AHS) in 284 districts of nine states. The survey results were released by Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Shri K. Chandramouli at a press conference in New Delhi today in the presence of...

-PTI   All major agrarian states are facing shortage of farm labourers due to factors like implementation of NREGA and migration of labours to Urban areas for better job prospects, Parliament was informed today. "All major agricultural producing states where rural employment generation programmes are being implemented are facing this problem (labour shortage)," Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Rawat said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. Factors such as implementation of Mahatma...

Six districts have reduced infant mortality rate to 28, which is the UN target to be achieved by 2015 A few districts in the eight empowered action group (EAG) States have excelled by achieving the targets set by the United Nations under the millennium development goals (MDGs). The EAG States are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Rajasthan. Of the 248 districts of the EAG States and Assam...