Outcome of the Kolkata Group Workshop held on February 18 and 19, 2011 At the ninth Kolkata Group workshop, chaired by Professor Amartya Sen, 45 participants from different walks of life, including social scientists, policy makers and development experts, convened to assess the dimensions of social equity in India, especially as related to poverty, elementary education, and health. The participants assessed that the benefits of economic growth over the past two decades,...

It isn't called God's own country for nothing — going by life expectancy statistics, Kerala will be the best place in India to be born in, followed by Delhi. An average Indian, in 2021, will live four years more than today. But Keralas average will exceed India's by about six years. According to the Union health ministry's latest projections, the life expectancy at birth (LEB) the average number of years...

Indian health officials have struggled to allay domestic concerns about dengue fever even as the country scrambles to finish construction projects in time for the Commonwealth Games, which will take place here in less than a month. India is expecting 8,000 athletes and team officials from 71 countries and territories for the games, which bring together nations that were formerly part of the British Commonwealth. Delays and allegations of corruption have...

How fresh and healthy are the vegetables that you consume daily? Not much, according to the Union health ministry. In a bid to make them look garden fresh and ensure that they grow faster to reach markets, farmers are using chemicals at random that threaten to cause serious health hazards to consumers. Expressing concern, minister of state for health Dinesh Trivedi has said, "Eating vegetables -- a must for good...

The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the Union government’s flagship scheme to improve healthcare services in rural areas, is likely to be extended by three years to 2015, two senior health officials said. NRHM, which completes five years of implementation on Monday, seeks to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates, prevent disease, control population and ensure gender balance in rural India, according to the government website. It was launched in 2005 as...