-The Hindu The idea of attacking poverty by increasing mobile connectivity in a country that ranks 55 in the Global Hunger Index is just fantasy Interviewer: What would you regard as the most outstanding and significant event of the last decade? Siddhartha: The… war in Vietnam, sir. Interviewer: More significant than landing on the moon? Siddhartha: I think so, sir. — “Pratidwandi” (The Adversary), 1970 The most fundamental debate for our youth is the choice between Android,...

-The Hindu Digital infrastructure may not be of much help in addressing governance and development concerns unless it is integrated into the wider structural and institutional reforms Digital India is the flavour of the season, and not without any reason. Digital technologies have permeated into more and more aspects of our private and public life spaces. A lot of us increasingly depend on them to order groceries, book a taxi ride or train...

The Skill India Mission was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 15 July, 2015 with much fanfare. However, a new report from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) informs us that among persons aged 15 years and above, only 2.4 percent had technical degrees, diplomas or certificates in 2011-12. Based on the 68th round of National Sample Survey (NSS), the report says that the proportion...

-The Times of India BERLIN: India on Thursday submitted its 'climate action plan' to a UN body at Bonn in Germany, telling the world that the country would fight the climate change by taking energy efficiency route and reducing its 'emission intensity' (carbon emission per unit of GDP) substantially as well as increasing the share of clean energy by huge 40% in its total energy mix by the year 2030. The country,...

-RisingKashmir.com   Farmers unaware of soil tests, production takes hit: Experts   Srinagar: Despite having five laborites in Valley, the Agriculture department has failed to conduct the soil tests of agriculture lands of the farmers for better yield. Soil testing methods were started in India in 1955-56 but the state is yet to introduce it among farmers affecting the states’ agriculture production. Farmers complained that they are unaware of the soil testing methods which could...