-The Hindu Maternity entitlements are an important policy tool for encouraging better maternal health. This is why we need to do away with conditionality in cash transfer schemes Since the National Food Security Act (NFSA) was passed in 2013, policy circles have been buzzing with talk of reforms in the public distribution system (PDS). Less well appreciated is the NFSA’s potential to call attention to, and help address, poor maternal nutrition — an aspect...

-Livemint.com National Family Health Survey finds child malnutrition, maternal mortality rates have declined significantly in the 13 states including in Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal New Delhi: A large part of India has shown substantial improvement in health of its citizens over the past decade, a new government survey says. Results from the first phase of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) 2015-16 show that child malnutrition, as well as...

Representatives of around 20 civil society organizations and NGOs met the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley as part of pre-budget consultation on social sector on 12 January, 2016. Immediately after the pre-budget consultation, a press conference was held by some of these organizations to convey the media persons what demands/ suggestions were made.   Subrat Das, Executive Director of Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA, http://www.cbgaindia.org/) informed us that during...

-The Hindu People of the region are not used to eating the new mixture KALABURAGI (Karnataka): The Karnataka Rajya Anganwadi Noukarara Sangha has demanded that the State government roll back its decision to change nutrient food mixture provided to inmates of anganwadis and to Pregnant Women in villages and resume providing local nutrient food mixture as earlier to overcome the problem of under nourishment of children and Pregnant Women. District president of sangha...

-The Telegraph Ranchi: Childbirths at home, no immunisation. Allegedly, this continues to happen in capital Ranchi, within city limits in a locality some 2km from Khel Gaon. A Jan Sunvai or district-level public hearing, held today under the aegis of National Urban Health Mission (NUHM), Jharkhand, had stunning disclosures like these from lower-tier urban healthcare workers, which may have ringing implications at a time Ranchi is eyeing the Centre's coveted Smart City...