-The Hindu Popularly quoted figure of 28% is not accurate; here’s why Chennai: Go digital or else. Since demonetisation, the government has been sending out this stern message to citizens who are still wedded to cash transactions. But to go digital, a key prerequisite is access to the Internet. How many Indians have it? Official statistics suggest that the number is as high as 28% of the population. But as with most statistics, digging...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Aditya Nath Yogi government has resolved to improve the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh but two important pillars of the justice delivery system — the police and the judiciary —are in a dilapidated condition in the state. There is over 47% vacancy of judges in Allahabad high court and more than 55% vacancy in the sanctioned strength of the police force in...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: As the government moves to set up a more empowered panel for OBCs amid agitations from strong communities to secure "backward" status, experts are warning that the Centre should prevent growing attempts to abuse the fruits of Mandal Commission. PS Krishnan, domain expert and a champion of OBC reservations, told TOI, "The government should prevent the efforts of well-established advanced communities to get into the list...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Indian government is mulling monetary incentives to private doctors who provide correct treatment to patients with tuberculosis and financial and nutritional support to patients under new strategies to eliminate TB as a public health problem by 2025. The Union health ministry's "national strategic plan for tuberculosis elimination 2017-2025" also seeks to enhance investments in diagnostic tools and treatment to help cut the country's new TB cases from...

-PTI NEW DELHI: Finance minister Arun Jaitley today ruled out farm loan waivers by the Centre but said states can utilise their own resources in this regard. He clarified that the Centre will not adopt a selective approach by helping one state and not the others. "This issue (loan waiver) has cropped up in several states. The Centre has its policies for agriculture sector under which we provide interest subvention and other...