-The Economist An absence of optimism plays a large role in keeping people trapped in poverty THE idea that an infusion of hope can make a big difference to the lives of wretchedly poor people sounds like something dreamed up by a well-meaning activist or a tub-thumping politician. Yet this was the central thrust of a lecture at Harvard University on May 3rd by Esther Duflo, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute...

-PTI Cartoons making fun of leaders like BR Ambedkar finding their way into textbooks came under all-round attack in Lok Sabha on Monday, prompting government to promise an inquiry into the role of NCERT officials and ensure there are no recurrences. Members cutting across party lines expressed concern over such material in school textbooks with BJP and TDP utilising the occasion to demand HRD Minister Kapil Sibal's resignation. Most of the members...

-The Times of India The UP government on Friday Scrapped former CM Mayawati's projects for Dalits and those named after their icons. The money allocated for such projects would be diverted to fulfill poll promises like Rs 1,000 monthly allowance for unemployed youth, pension to farmers above 65 besides laptops and PC tablets for students. Sources said the attempt was to ensure that welfare schemes benefit every section of the society and not...

The chattering classes of urban India are engaged in animated discussions about Didi, scams, policy paralysis , faltering reforms and declining growth. Meanwhile, the farming classes, who haven't seen much reform since the Green Revolution 50 years ago, continue to combine bits of modern technology with their ingenious capacity for 'jugaad' in transforming traditional agriculture. Here are a few examples. The tractor displaced the bullock in ploughing and other farm operations....

-The Deccan Chronicle In a late-night decision on Friday, the Akhilesh Yadav government has decided to remove the reservation system from promotion. The Supreme Court has already upheld the Allahabad high court’s verdict to quash provision of reservation Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) officers and employees in promotions. The state Cabinet, by circulation, approved an ordinance to repeal the existing rule related to reservation in promotions. A formal proposal will...