The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) recently in New Delhi, India gathered more than 900 participants for an international conference to examine ways that agriculture can enhance the health and nutritional status of poor people in developing worlds. Scholars, Politicians and activists during the conference tried to exploit the nexus between agriculture, nutrition and health. Most people would say that agriculture is for growing food, and on one level, they are...

Budget 2011-12 and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. THREE decades ago, in the early years of the Special Component Plan (SCP) for Scheduled Castes – very recently renamed inappropriately as Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) – Indira Gandhi on her return as Prime Minister wrote two historical D.O. letters dated March 12, 1980, one to Central Ministers and the other to State Chief Ministers, regarding the SCP in the Central...

Appreciating the efforts of the government in containing polio and HIV, software czar and philanthropist Bill Gates on Tuesday discussed issues relating to immunisation and pentavalent vaccine production with Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here. Mr. Gates and his wife Melinda called on Mr. Azad and discussed matters relating to the immunisation programme, pentavalent vaccine, polio vaccination efforts, HIV control and capacity building, senior officials said. The Microsoft founder appreciated the...

It is a lesson in misplaced enthusiasm. While the Centre has been busy tom-tomming its efforts to send more children to school, enrolment in primary classes across the country has, in actuality, dropped since 2007. Between 2008-09 and 2009-10, enrolment in classes I to IV in Indian schools dropped by over 2.6 million. The biggest setback was witnessed in Uttar Pradesh, where admissions plummeted by over a million in the last...

Recognising the work of writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi, the Human Resource Development Ministry has appointed her as National Research Professor for a second term of five years from February 2011. Mahasweta Devi will be entitled to an honorarium of Rs.75,000 a month in accordance with the existing terms and conditions under the National Research Professorship Scheme. Mahashweta Devi was appointed as a National Research Professor in February 2006. Thereafter, Mahashweta Devi...