Maharashtra’s image as a progressive state has taken a beating with recent figures rating it third amongst major states, after Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as regards the population below poverty line. An economic survey released by the state government said the poverty estimates provided by the Planning Commission reveal poverty ratio in the state is 30.7%, 3.2% more than the all-India (27.5%) figure. “Maharashtra had 3.17 crore persons below poverty line after...

Riding on high sales of its snacks brands like Lays and Uncle Chipps, Pepsico has engaged 12,000 farmers across the country for contract farming of potato. "There are 12,000 farmers doing contract farming of potato for us involving 16,000 acres of land," Executive Vice-president of Pepsico Holdings (agro-business) Nischint Bhatia said. He said that out of the 12,000 farmers, 6,500 of them are in west bengal working 2,600 acres. Bhatia...

Impressing upon political parties to take note of discrimination against women from the Dalit and backward communities, scores of women panchayat council representatives on Friday demanded quota within quota in the Women's Reservation Bill. They were participating in a day-long conclave organised by ActionAid India here. Over 50 of them were from Bihar, west bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. “Yes, in theory women are equal to men. But even stepping out of...

The Gender Hygiene Programme is attempting to change attitude towards menstrual hygiene It involves SHGs manufacturing inexpensive sanitary towels from cotton and tissue paper When women in rural areas are asked to spend Rs.15 on a packet of nine sanitary napkins, they respond by saying they would rather continue to use rags and spend the money on their husbands or children. But the Gender Hygiene Programme (GHP) launched here three years ago is...

Why is India's most socially developed state - and one of the developing world's most advanced regions - an economic laggard? This question about Kerala, known all over the world for its lush landscapes, sun-drenched beaches and idyllic backwaters, has been a subject of intense debate among economists and social scientists. Kerala defies all stereotypes of a "socially backward" Indian state - swathes of people living in abject poverty, men outnumbering...