-The Hindu Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on Wednesday demanded an independent inquiry into the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, which has pointed out serious lapses and wrongdoings in the Rs. 52,000-crore farm debt waiver scheme. Ms. Karat was talking to journalists at the party office here, before resuming her programme of “Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha,” which began from Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on March 4. She said...
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UPA’s addition to health budget falls short of requirements-Kirthi Rao and Vidya Krishnan
-Live Mint Critics say inadequate funding is also a reflection of the govt abdicating its responsibility in providing healthcare facilities The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s ‘health for all’ slogan could remain just that as the addition in the budget for health in the next financial year is Rs.7,000 crore, which experts said falls far short of the amount needed to start making universal health coverage (UHC) a reality. Some critics say...
More »Fund diversion, lack of infrastructure plaguing ICDS, says CAG report
-The Hindu Business Line Diversion of funds, lack of buildings, toilets, medicine kit, weighing machines and staff shortage at all levels are plaguing the Government’s flagship Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), says a CAG report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. The report found that Rs 57.82 crore had been diverted to activities not permitted under the scheme in five of the 13 States during 2009-11. Also, Rs 70.11 crore meant for the...
More »Learning outcome an important goal-Yamini Aiyar
-Live Mint Building an outcomes-focused delivery system is a particular challenge in India For once, I am optimistic about elementary education in India. Not because we have witnessed improvements in learning levels. In fact, the opposite is true. The latest Annual Status of Education Report highlights the deepening crisis of poor learning levels. In 2008, just under 50% of standard III students could read a standard I text. In 2012, this dropped...
More »Amartya Sen bats for universal food coverage-Prasanna Mohanty
-Governance Now Questions current growth vision when 40 percent children are malnourished Batting for universal coverage of food entitlement, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen called for strengthening the draft food security bill, particularly the provisions relating to children’s entitlement. He said the supreme court orders on mid-day meals and integrated child development services (ICDS) had made important contribution to the health and nutrition of children. The bill, he felt, should not dilute these...
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