-The Hindu Opinion polls have gone wrong in the past. Exit polls too. On counting day of Verdict Bihar, several news channels got their math wrong in calling a BJP win, too soon and too early in the morning. From the beginning to the end, Verdict Bihar as it played out on the news channels had twists and turns that define a blockbuster. In the end, the Mahagathbandhan led by Nitish Kumar...

-Economic and Political Weekly The platform known as the JAM Trinity (an acronym for Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar and mobile numbers) may enable a shift from the current Public Distribution System, based on price subsidies, to the direct transfer of benefits. However, it is incorrect to argue that JAM technologies will necessarily lead to the demise of the PDS. State-level experiences of computerisation, recounted here, reveal that the same technologies can...

-PTI Kolkata: The immunisation of children in the city’s slums has been found to be way below at 60 per cent of the target, according to a survey done by an NGO. The Child Rights and You’s sample survey found that though the scenario improved in the past few years, 40 per cent of slum children were yet to be brought under the immunisation cover. The NGO works for the underprivileged children and...

-The Hindu With just 9 lakh more male voters than female voters in the four phases, women are finally in a position to swing the outcome. Fifty years ago, a political party with ambitions of winning in Bihar could safely ignore its women. Not only were far fewer women than men registered to vote, but even fewer actually showed up to vote. In 1967, for instance, female turnout was 41 per cent...

-Livemint.com Raman Singh govt requests Centre for nearly Rs4,000 crore in assistance to carryout relief operations New Delhi: Chhattisgarh has become the sixth state to declare a drought and the fourth so far to seek central aid. The state government said that 25 of its 27 districts have been drought-hit. Earlier, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh declared a drought in 110 of their districts. “Based on a prima facie evaluation, the cabinet...