-The Hindu Experts and activists say the complex problem cannot be prevented merely by monetary handouts meant to retain girls in school Kolkata: Dipali, Manju and Sahanara (names changed) were all beneficiaries of West Bengal’s most talked about conditional cash transfer scheme, Kanyashree. However, despite being beneficiaries of the scheme, which according to the State Government has 56.09 lakh beneficiaries so far, these three young women were trafficked between 2016-18. Of the three trafficking...

-The Indian Express Indian statistical system can withstand political pressures. Legislation and public scrutiny can strengthen it further. One unfortunate fallout of the recent controversy regarding the non-publication of the labour force survey report by the National Sample Survey Organisation has been the questions raised on the autonomy and independence of the Indian official statistical system. As reported in this newspaper, the possibility of junking the survey report in favour of...

-Business Standard Say petition against Forest Rights Act does not help wildlife conservation and should be withdrawn More than 30 of India’s top ecologists, scientists and wildlife conservationists and have demanded that the petitioners withdraw their case against the Forest Rights Act and the government ensure the February 13 order of the Supreme Court for eviction of about 1.89 million tribal and forest-dwelling families be withdrawn. They have called the Supreme Court order...

-The Hindu Jaipur: As part of a nationwide campaign, representatives of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) Sangharsh Morcha and the Rajasthan Unorganised Labour Union on Thursday filed complaints for registration of First Information Reports (FIR) in more than 10 police stations in five districts of the State for non-payment of wages to labourers engaged under the Centre's flagship scheme. The complainants said that the government’s failure to pay wages and...

-The Indian Express The state has reported 13.13 lakh hectare of chana acreage as compared to 19.77 lakh hectare last year. The acreage had come down this year due to moisture stress from the drought. Pune: Gram growers in the drought-hit district of Marathwada are facing reduced yield and low prices. Low demand and offloading stock by government agencies have dimmed the prices of good realisation for farmers this year. Farmers in...