KEY TRENDS   • Maternal Mortality Ratio for India was 370 in 2000, 286 in 2005, 210 in 2010, 158 in 2015 and 145 in 2017. Therefore, the MMRatio for the country decreased by almost 61 percent between 2000 and 2017 *14    • As per the NSS 71st round, among rural females aged 5-29 years, the main reasons for dropping out/ discontinuance were: engagement in domestic activities, not interested in education, financial constraints and marriage. Among rural males aged...

Pratyush Sinha retired as India’s central vigilance commissioner on Monday. During his tenure Sinha, a 1969 Bihar cadre IAS officer, conducted several high-profile investigations such as the ones into the allocation of 2G mobile phone spectrum and preparations for the Commonwealth Games (CWG), among others. In an interview conducted in mid-August, Sinha spoke about issues ranging from the whistle-blower’s Act to the collapse of governance. Edited excerpts: What are the...

The Supreme Court today made several suggestions for making use of foodgrain said to be rotting in godowns and fighting hunger in the country. The rebuke to food minister Sharad Pawar — “it was an order, not a suggestion to distribute free grain to the poor” — overshadowed some of the other proposals which, if implemented, will force the central government to increase food allocation to the states. The bench of Justices...

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the expansion of the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Livestock Health and Disease Control’ by adding four new components and enlarging the scope of the existing Foot and Mouth Disease Control Programme from 54 Districts to 221 districts. The new components to be added are: (i) National Animal Disease Reporting System (ii) National Control Programme on Peste des Petits Ruminants, (iii) National Control Programme on Brucellosis and (iv) Establishment and...

Technological interventions, innovative and fool-proof delivery mechanisms, constant reviews and fixing responsibility at each level ensure that an effective delivery system is in place. The Public Distribution System in Tamil Nadu is a success story, in its coverage as well as its pricing. Each family, whether below the poverty line or not, is entitled to 20 kg of rice at Re. 1 a kg. The State Government opted for universal coverage...