-The Hindu For millions hit by agricultural distress, the escape to construction jobs is grinding to a halt With the Union Budget to be presented on February 1, it is hoped that the Finance Minister will make a significantly higher allocation for investment in infrastructure. It is vital for addressing rural distress. The Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) informed us that ‘landlessness and dependence on manual casual labour for a livelihood...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: A UN report released today has ranked India 131 out of 188 countries worldwide on human development and has cited figures suggesting that about half of India's people face deprivation in education, health and living standards. Inequality, multidimensional poverty and gender gaps appear to be factors holding back India's progress on the human development index (HDI), a measure linked to progress towards a long, healthy life, access to...

-Livemint.com The report compiled by the World Bank group and Unicef says that South Asia has the second highest share at nearly 36%—with over 30% of extremely poor children living in India alone United Nations: India is home to over 30% of almost 385 million children living in extreme poverty, the highest in South Asia, according to a new report by the World Bank Group and Unicef. The report ‘Ending Extreme...

-Economic and Political Weekly Pavitra Mohan (amrit@aajeevika.org) is the Director of Aajeevika Bureau's Health Services and the co-founder of Basic Healthcare Services. Kumaril Agarwal (kumaril_msw@yahoo.com) was a research associate with Aajeevika Bureau during this study. Priyanka Jain (priyanka.jain@aajeevika.org) is with the Centre for Migration and Labour Solutions, Aajeevika Bureau. Remote parts of southern Rajasthan such as Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and Rajsamand are characterised by a predominance of tribal groups and a high...

-Business Standard While the task force did not categorically say which methodology should be adopted, it said it would make its recommendation within six months after consulting all stakeholders including states Keeping the issue of poverty line open, a task force of NITI Aayog has questioned the possibility of substituting the line with the data on deprivation given by the socio economic and caste census (SECC). While the task force did not...