-Live Mint   Cleaning the Ganga will require high-level political will that is sustained over many years, or even decades The recent flurry of attention and elevated commitment to rejuvenation of the Ganga is most welcome. Nowhere in the world has the cleaning and conservation of a major river, lake, or bay occurred without high-level political will that is sustained over many years, often decades. This will be particularly crucial considering the staggering...

There has been a phenomenal rise in the percentage of elderly who are abused by their own family members, and although most of the victims are aware of police helplines, they seldom adopt such solutions. What can be the explanation behind such social behaviour? Based on a survey conducted in 12 cities across 8 states with a sample size of 1,200 elders covering both metro (Tier I) and non- metro (Tier...

-The Hindustan Times The government\'s first budget is likely to signal the new administration\'s intention of reforming India\'s fuel pricing regime with monthly hikes of Rs. 10 per cylinder of cooking gas (LPG). Each household will, however, continue to be entitled to 12 subsidised cylinders a year. Currently, a subsidised LPG cylinder costs Rs. 414 in Delhi while the market price - which consumers pay for any demand beyond the quota -...

-The Indian Express   The Himalayas need special policy attention, given their strategic importance and unique vulnerabilities   The fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted increased global warming, with a 1.5-2.0 degree rise in surface temperature by the end of the 21st century. This will not only make coastal regions vulnerable to sea-level rise but also make the sensitive Himalayan ecosystem more vulnerable. The increase in temperature will...

-The Times of India   MUMBAI: The landscape of school education has for long promised a variety of options. Almost half-a-dozen school boards-local, national and international-offer Indian students a choice of academic algorithms for careers ahead. But of them all, CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education), which was largely designed for those who moved home and could not be loyal to a state board, is picking up popularity across the nation. In 1996-97,...