-Newsclick.in The high healthcare costs were expected to be addressed through the introduction of health insurance by the Union government, but it covers less than 30% of hospital charges leaving a heavy financial burden on the poor. Health outcomes have remained grossly unequal, with India's dalits and adivasis living shorter lives of poorer quality, as per a recent paper published by Oxfam India. Private infrastructure now accounts for nearly 62% of India's...

-The Telegraph Advocate Prashant Bhushan calls for urgent hearing, but no firm assurance from CJI Ramana The NGO Common Cause and veteran journalist and former Union minister Arun Shourie on Thursday joined the chorus in the Supreme Court for striking down as unconstitutional the sedition law, alleging its increasing MISuse by governments against citizens. The apex court has already listed for hearing on May 5 and 6 a bunch of similar petitions challenging...

-Livemint.com Cotton prices have touched ₹90,000 per candy. Prices of some  varieties of have  touched ₹100,000 per candy The Union government may impose a temporary ban on cotton exports if cotton prices continue to surge, textiles secretary Upendra Prasad Singh told Mint. The statement comes at a time when the Indian textile Industry is reeling under a spike in cotton and yarn prices, impacting production and exports. Cotton prices have doubled in barely...

A recently released study, which has been done by Dalberg in collaboration with Kantar, and with support from the Omidyar Network India, brings to light both the supply and demand-side perspectives on the 'One Nation One Ration Card' (ONORC) scheme. Titled 'Fulfilling the proMISe of One Nation One Ration Card: A frontline perspective from 5 Indian states', the survey for the study was conducted in five states i.e., Andhra Pradesh,...

-The Hindu Business Line To make farmers aatmanirbhar, the governments should instead nurture a healthy credit culture and empower them via a robust ecosystem rather than relieving all the borrowers, irrespective of their distress levels. Only 4 out of the 21 political parties lost the election (either at the Centre or State) following the electoral proMISe and implementation of a farm loan waiver (FLW) scheme started by Haryana’s Devi Lal government. A...