-The Telegraph The Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council has suggested revamping the way tribal and Dalit welfare programmes are now implemented, saying these have failed to make much difference to their lives. Council member N.C. Saxena told The Telegraph that the funds allotted for Dalit and tribal welfare schemes are now mostly spent on wider projects, diluting the benefits, which accrue to all rather than specifically to Dalits and tribals. The council examined...

-The Times of India The government is moving rapidly to enable cash transfers through the Aadhar platform with 51 districts to be covered by January 1, 2013, and half the country four months later — a bid to rollout an initiative aimed at streamlining subsidies while also earning votes. The plan is to put money directly into bank accounts of beneficiaries of government schemes like Scholarships, cheap food under the Public Distribution...

-Pratirodh.com The fanfare with which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi launched a service delivery scheme in Rajasthan based on the Aadhaar (foundation) unique identity (UID), and celebrated the issue of the first Aadhaar number topping the 200-million mark, should make the Indian National Congress a very worried party indeed—assuming it has a good survival instinct and basic grasp of practical politics.    To put it starkly, the Congress and...

-ANI Tokyo University has offered a Scholarship to a student of the Patna-based 'Super 30' coaching institute. 'Super-30' is a highly progressive and innovative educational programme functioning under the auspices of the Ramanujam School of Mathematics. It selects 30 meritorious children from economically backward sections of the society and academically prepares them to join the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Tokyo University Director Hiroshi Yoshino said he would love to invite students of Super...

-Outlook Out in our streets, disabled people feel the pain everyday The Gaping Holes     India yet to get a cohesive, standardised sign language     Barrier-free infrastructure yet to be implemented in public areas like bus stations, railway stations, schools, cinema halls     Lack of basic, inclusive civic facilities: no audio-enabled traffic signals, pavements with ramps, few disability-friendly toilets, negligible penalties     Poor functional entertainment accessibility, like no subtitling on local language TV channels     Reservation...