-The Hindu Moving towards major reforms, the Centre is in the process of rolling out a universal health coverage package in at least one district in each State on an experimental basis. This would include a clearly defined basket of services to those who come to any public health facility for treatment or free supply of generic drugs, doing away with user charges and upgrading public health infrastructure right from the primary...

-The Telegraph   No one can accuse the Bengal government of mixing the personal with the professional — even when it comes to reading habits. “Believe me, Anandabazar Patrika, The Telegraph and Bartaman are among my favourite newspapers,” state mass education and library services minister Abdul Karim Chowdhury said today. Newspapers should be wary of unalloyed praise from those in power but Chowdhury’s statement stands out because of a curious detail that testifies to...

Today is 20th March and it was this day in 2009 when the new form of Right to Information Act (RTI Act) was enacted in J&K by Omar Abdullah led Government soon after coming to power. Prior to 2009 we had an RTI law passed by PDP Congress coalition Government headed by Mufti Mohammad Syeed in 2004 (J&K RTI Act 2004). The 2004 version of RTI Act was much weaker...

-The Times of India Railway minister Dinesh Trivedi on Wednesday did what none of his predecessors had done for almost a decade - he hiked passenger fares across the board, following up on the increase in freight charges announced immediately after the recent round of assembly elections. While biting the bullet in hiking fares, he chose to couch the increase as ranging from a mere two paise per km for second class...

-PTI The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI) will release the White Paper on Agricultural Costing and Pricing methods on Thursday.  The release, first on the subject by ICAI, will be made at the 3-day 'National Cost Convention' beginning here on March 15, said an official.  "The government has assigned us to come out with improved costing and pricing methods in four areas - agricultural pricing, services (including toll charges), healthcare and...