-Express News Service Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday said that a national-level task force would be set up to frame guidelines to protect the interest of severely disabled children. Disability activists had last week raised objections to a clause in the Right to Education Act that gives the option of home-based schooling for children with severe disabilities. In a meeting with activists on Tuesday, Sibal assured that all...

-The Economic Times   A bill seeking to make 'irretrievable breakdown of marriage' as a ground for divorce appeared to be in trouble with MPs from within the ruling side as well as the Opposition attacking the changes.  The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, which was taken up passage in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, was seen to be loaded against women by a significant section of the House. In the face of concerns...

Depletion of groundwater and its increasing pollution could be leading to a silent, nationwide public health crisis as aquifers in many stretches across India are becoming unfit for drinking, according to the government's own figures. Data submitted in Parliament by the water resources ministry on Monday shows groundwater in pockets of 158 out of the 639 districts has gone saline. It says in pockets across 267 districts, groundwater contains excess fluoride;...

A campaign to help the elderly spend the evening of their lives with dignity and without want is being launched by Pension Parishad with a dharna in Delhi from May 7th to May 11th 2012 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. The idea is straight and simple, and is something whose time has come. Just read on and reach the venue for more information and interviews with the campaign participants.   “One...

The implementation of Right to Education Act may have got a shot in the arm with the recent Supreme Court ruling upholding the 25% reservation in unaided private schools for children from lower income group families but inAndhra Pradesh (and possibly other states in the country), the Act might soon figure among the many well-intentioned government schemes that do not impact, leave alone benefit, its target group. At best, the...