-Economic and Political Weekly Health and nutrition indicators have improved, but remain unacceptably low. After a hiatus of a decade, we now have up-to-date information on the health and nutrition status of the population. Preliminary results for 13 states and two union territories of the much awaited National Family Health Survey–4 (NFHS–4) which was conducted in 2015–16—the first after NFHS–3 of 2005–06—have just been released. In a welcome development, NFHS–4, for the...

-Hindustan Times New Delhi: Out of 34 financial advisers representing different ministries and departments who held budget discussions, 50% were women, sources said. Seventeen women officials held discussions with finance secretary RP Watal along with other senior members in his team, according to sources. In 2012-13, there were just eight women financial advisers, and in 2014-15 there were 11. Financial advisers, who typically operate as chief finance officers of their ministries, are responsible for...

-Livemint.com India needs to find better value for money in the health sector According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are three goals a country’s health system must aim for: to improve health, to be responsive to legitimate demands of the population and to ensure no one is at risk of serious financial losses because of ill health. Given this framework, the fourth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) released last week...

-The Hindu Crop insurance has always been a knotty issue with the two previous ones, National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NIAS) of 1999 and the Modified NAIS of 2010 failing to address the concerns. Hyderabad: Agriculture scientists, NGOs and farmer leaders have picked holes in the recently launched Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana (PMFBY) touted as the much-awaited ‘suraksha kavach’ (shield) and panacea for all crop insurance related ills. Crop insurance has always been...

-The Hindu The government aims to sustain high growth and is likely to incorporate a 3-year road map. The NDA Government will present Budget 2016-17 in Parliament on February 29, Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said on Thursday. The Government aims to sustain high growth and may incorporate a two-three year roadmap for economic policies, he said. “We are working hard on Budget that will be presented on February 29 and that...