Maoists in Assam are making rapid inroads among the Santhals, who were brought to the state 200 years ago and coerced into working in tea plantations. Intelligence agencies say the rebels have propped up a relatively new adivasi (tribal) militant outfit called Santhali Tiger Force (STF). The outfit has begun to spread its influence across five western and northern Assam districts. The indoctrination and the initiation process are taking place at two...
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Anirudh Krishna, Economist interviewed by Archana Masih
What are the poor most concerned about? After meeting families in 175 Indian villages in the last decade, Anirudh Krishna, says the poor's greatest worry is their children's future. With a manner of a school teacher, Professor Krishna, who teaches at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in the US, has led a team meeting poor families to find out why poverty persists. The research also includes...
More »From next year, KVs will reserve 25% seats for poor children by Akshaya Mukul
Kendriya Vidyalayas will no longer be the sole preserve of children of government employees. From the next academic year, 981 KVs will start implementing the Right to Education Act and give 25% reservation to poor children in the neighbourhood. Highly placed sources in the HRD ministry said, "RTE will be implemented in KVs. We are working out the details. We have enough time before the next session begins." To ensure...
More »Centre plans overhaul of mining sector by Sudheer Pal Singh
When former Karnataka Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde recently said that vested interests were controlling the mining industry, he was not exaggerating, considering that India registered over 182,000 cases of illegal mining across 17 states in the last five years alone. The Union government data show that Andhra Pradesh — the single largest contributor to the country’s mineral production of roughly Rs 1,28,000 crore — alone registered a 110 per cent increase...
More »Nutrition scheme for adolescent girls cleared by Aarti Dhar
The Centre on Monday cleared for implementation the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls — known as ‘Sabla' — aimed at enhancing their nutritional and economic status. The scheme will be run along with the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) project in anganwadi centres in 200 select districts, targeting girls in the age group 11-18. The districts will be selected using a set of indicators and will be a...
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