-Deccan Herald Just recall the scene in parliament when the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was passed in 2005. In Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee put forth the motion – “Those in favour, say aye” – a unanimous chorus rose from the packed Lok Sabha. “Those against, say no,” – there was dead silence. “I think the ayes have it!” he said – and a seminal, landmark legislation became a reality. As then...

-Business Standard India's agriculture growth, measured in terms of gross value added at constant prices, slipped into negative territory in the October-December quarter (first time in FY16) because of a low kharif harvest. However, on full-year basis, the government estimates gross value added in agriculture and allied activities would rise 1.1 per cent, from negative 0.2 per cent in 2014-15, on account of good performance of livestock, horticulture, fisheries and dairy sector. But...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: In a move that will benefit over 27 crore children across the country, the health ministry has expanded its deworming programme to convert it into a national initiative seeking to cover as many as 536 districts over the next one year. The programme was earlier limited to 277 districts in 11 high-burden States, and covered nine crore children in 2015. The government has decided to ramp...

-The Financial Express With almost all ration cards in the country digitised and 40% seeded with Aadhaar, several States have now installed electronic point of sale (ePOS) devices at their fair price shops (FPSs). With almost all ration cards in the country digitised and 40% seeded with Aadhaar, several States have now installed electronic point of sale (ePOS) devices at their fair price shops (FPSs). The ePOS devices that track the...

-The Indian Express We have turned our back to the intense food and drinking water distress across States India has transformed spectacularly in innumerable ways in the last two decades. One of the least noted changes is in the way the country — governments, the press and people — respond to drought and food scarcities. Back in the late-1980s, many States across India were reeling under back-to-back droughts for three consecutive years, not...