A rethink of UPA's nuclear push is ruled out. The riotous protests and death at Jaitapur or the disaster at Fukushimi might slow the rollout of nuclear power plants but it won't derail UPA's plans of a nuclear thrust to the Indian economy, sources in the government told TOI. The Fukushima impact on Indian shores has been to force the nuclear establishment to do a bit of closed door review but...
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A Table for Nine Billion by Aprille Muscara
As the World Bank and International Monetary Fund convene for their annual Spring Meetings here, soaring food prices are high on the agenda, prompting some analysts to fast-forward to 2050 and the question of how to nourish the mid-century's estimated world population of 8.9 billion people – the majority of whom will live in developing countries. "More poor people are suffering and more people could become poor because of high and...
More »Mixed report card on NREGS by Alok Ray
The scheme has reduced rural migration and promoted financial inclusion, but needs to create more durable assets. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) – the only government social welfare scheme named after the other Gandhi, not belonging to Nehru-Gandhi family – has recently completed five years. The performance of the scheme, considered a major pillar of UPA government's strategy of inclusive growth, has been a matter of debate. The...
More »Can India prevent 200 children dying every hour? by Poonam Khetrapal-Singh
It is estimated that India lost 1.8 million children under five in 2008. That is more than 200 child deaths every hour, each day, or more than three deaths every minute. Out of about 25 million babies born every year in India, one million die. Most who survive do not get to grow up and develop well. About 48 per cent are stunted (sub-normal height) and 43 per cent are...
More »Delhi among leaders in cheap farm loans by Pradeep Thakur
Delhi and Chandigarh may hardly have any land left for agriculture but when it comes to availing cheap farm loans, they beat top agricultural states of the country. Residents of the two cities took agricultural loans worth over Rs 32,400 crore in 2009-10 – more than UP, West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand put together. The four agrarian states collectively got less than Rs 31,000 crore in 2009-10. Delhi alone has, since 2007-08,...
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