-The Hindu Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) is the first of its kind bank in India, meant for women. However, the bank is neither completely run by women, and nor is it exclusively for women. The first CMD of Bharatiya Mahila Bank, Usha Ananthasubramanian, explains to The Hindu the concept of the Bank which is just about two months old. Edited excerpts from the interview: * How is Bharatiya Mahila Bank different from the...

-The Hindu Business Line The South Asian population has been growing at the rate of 1.5 per cent per annum, and agricultural production at 2.5 per cent per annum has been keeping pace with the demographic trends, thereby creating the necessary provision for food. Yet, the inherent problems of distribution have loomed large for South Asia. India's National Food Security Act, 2013, emphasises defining certain target groups and highlights the importance...

-National Academy of Agricultural Sciences After almost 67 years of Independence, malnutrition continues to plague India. Even while vast segments of resource-poor people suffer from undernutrition, particularly micronutrient deficiencies (hidden hunger), there is a growing incidence of obesity and chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer etc. Both the ends of this grim spectrum are at least partly due to changing food habits, loss of millets from the diet being one...

-Live Mint UPA govt hasn't succeeded in improving learning outcomes in India's schools, says the report New Delhi: Despite levying a tax to fund education and enacting a law to ensure Access to education for all children between the ages of 6 and 14, the government hasn't succeeded in improving learning outcomes in India's schools, according to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) published on Wednesday. The quality of learning-as measured...

-Economic and Political Weekly The continuing deaths of infants and children due to malnutrition in Attappady, the only tribal block in Kerala, reflects the state government's apathy towards addressing issues germane to the tribals residing in the region. Manikandan A.D (alungal09@gmail.com) is a PhD candidate at School of International Relations and Politics, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, and ICSSR Institutional Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), Nizamiah...