-Hard News While Narendra Modi's apologists will selectively quote from the latest CAG audit report on state finances that revenue earning has registered an upswing, they will compulsively forget that "the fiscal deficit of Rs 11,027 crore in 2011-12 was met out from a net borrowing of Rs 15,083 crore". The CAG has remarked that "an increase of 41 per cent in the market borrowing in 2011-12 over previous year for...

-The Telegraph Ranchi: Touching lives of many a rural artisan across the state, now Jharcraft is all set to strike a chord with craftswomen of Deoghar, Kharsawan and Ranchi district with new silk ventures. In a bid to tap the potential of sericulture in the hinterland, Jharcraft will soon set up three silk farms for the first time. It has already acquired five acres each at Jasidih industrial area in Deoghar and...

KEY TRENDS   • According to National Sample Survey report no. 583: Persons with Disabilities in India, the percentage of persons with disability who received aid/help from Government was 21.8 percent, 1.8 percent received aid/help from organisation other than Government and another 76.4 percent did not receive aid/ help *8   • As per National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4), the Under-five Mortality Rate (U5MR) was 57.2 per 1,000 live births (for the non-STs it was 38.5)...

-The Telegraph JALNA AND AHMEDNAGAR: Sakharam Misal is frank. Water, he says, is big business. In Jalna district, which has run out of water, the man in his late 50s is among the most sought after. He runs a water tanker business and sells water to the thirsty millions. Misal's cellphone keeps ringing with desperate calls for water. His tankers are booked in advance and the waiting list stretches over a week. Drought,...

-The Hindu Jaipur: Slum dwellers in Jaipur will shortly get the benefit of a slew of schemes with the selection of the Rajasthan Capital in the National Urban Livelihood Mission. The Rajiv Awas Yojana will also be implemented here from next month for construction of houses for them. Jaipur Mayor Jyoti Khandelwal announced at a discourse on "Urban poverty and strengthening of civil society voices" here on Thursday that special measures would...