In a recent blog post, Columbia University professor Arvind panagariya mentions that the critics of the present Prime Minister of India failed to underscore ‘employment rate’ -- flip side of unemployment rate -- that stood at nearly 94 percent according to the report on Periodic Labour Force Survey 2017-18. A recent article by Dr. Vikas Rawal and Prachi Bansal, however, points out that in order to understand the problem of joblessness...

-The Times of India PATNA: Twenty more children succumbed to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in the last 24 hours, taking the toll in Muzaffarpur and other districts of Bihar to 93. Union health minister Harsh Vardhan, who visited Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur on Sunday, expressed concern over the outbreak. Vardhan was accompanied by his junior Ashwini Kumar Choubey and state health minister Mangal pandey. He held a...

-Mongabay.com * According to scientists, 40 percent of insect species are likely to become extinct globally in the coming years. Indian entomologists agree that India is already witnessing a slump in insect numbers. * Pollination, biological control, food provisioning, recycling organic matter, producing honey, silk, lac, medicines and food are just some of the reasons why we need insects. * Scientists rue the lack of adequate information and documentation on insects in India....

-The Financial Express When several NGOs and others protested against the GEAC report, the UPA's environment minister, Jairam Ramesh decided not to give the final go-ahead. As farmers under the umbrella of the Shetkari Sangathana start their civil disobedience movement and plant the banned Herbicide Tolerant (HT) GM seeds as well as Bt brinjal, chances are the authorities will treat this as yet another law and order issue and will arrest them;...

-Hindustan Times The next census, in 2021, is slated to count OBCs for the first time in 90 years. The commission, headed by former high court chief justice G Rohini, is giving the finishing touches to its report that will be submitted next month. A key government panel is likely to recommend radical changes to how the 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) is implemented in India for jobs and...