-The Business Standard The Nobel laureate says neglecting children is not only unjust but also an economic blunder Nobel laureate Amartya Sen said the National Food Security Bill needs to be strengthened to include children’s entitlements. According to him, the Bill, in the current form, neglects children. He pointed out that there are powerful lobbies for diesel and LPG subsidies, and even for exemptions of custom duties on gold imports. However, nobody is...

-The Economic Times Cash transfer in various forms has been used in many countries to target support to the poor and achieve social objectives. In India, its introduction has generated more passion than rational debate. The scheme is not a magic bullet, but if properly implemented and targeted, cash transfer is a very sensible instrument of social assistance. In India, the rationale for introducing the scheme seems to be to check...

-The Hindu “Allocation for urban population should be made on a par with rural population” Reiterating its reservations over the National Food Security Bill, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday said it is for raising the coverage of urban population under the Bill from 50 per cent to 75 per cent. At a conference of State Food Ministers in New Delhi on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Minister for Food R. Kamaraj, who began his speech referring...

-The Hindu Bangalore: Taking suo motu cognisance of the adverse effect on patients at government hospitals in the State owing to doctors’ strike, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to prima facie treat doctors’ conduct as criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and initiate legal action against them. A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice K. Sreedhar Rao and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer passed the order...

-The Hindu The aim: to generate a cadre of healthcare providers who will stay put in villages and extend comprehensive healthcare to the needy It is not unusual to find Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in villages closed for long hours, with the patients waiting for a doctor. The reason: many doctors are reluctant to serve in rural areas. Thus, the promised public healthcare to all finds little meaning for the patients in...