Although life expectancy at birth for both the sexes has improved over the last quarter of a century, a recent report points out that ‘non-communicable diseases’ (NCDs) now account for a larger proportion of total deaths vis-à-vis ‘communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional disease' (CMNNDs). The report entitled India: Health of the Nation’s States - The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative, which has been prepared after two years of intense collaborative...

-The Indian Express A statement by Bebaak Collective, an intervener in support of the triple talaq plea by Shayara Bano, states that it is opposed to making violation of civil contract of marriage a criminal act. New Delhi: Protesting the proposed criminalisation of instant triple talaq in the Centre’s Bill on the issue, various women’s groups have asked the government to hold wider consultations before passing the legislation, as it affects...

-The Telegraph Bhubaneswar: The Naveen Patnaik government is planning to provide edible oil, salt and finger millet - considered one of the most nutritious cereals - to the poor at subisidised rates under the food SECurity scheme. It plans to implement a food SECurity scheme on line of the National Food SECurity (NFS) programme. "Work is on to prepare a detailed plan to this effect. We will bring it in the coming annual...

-Livemint.com Overall, while the government is trying to reform the fertilizer subsidy payment mechanism, the challenge is to make sure the new system works before implementation Union minister for chemicals and fertilizers Ananth Kumar’s ambitious plan to clear the fertilizer subsidy backlog before the implementation of the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme next fiscal year (FY19) has come as surprise to many. The huge subsidy backlog (estimated at Rs35,000 crore as of FY17)...

-Hindustan Times Farm distress is not confined to Gujarat alone. The economic viability of farming is increasingly coming under stress. Uncertain rainfall and price fluctuations can make things even worse in bad years What is the biggest political economy takeaway from the 2017 Gujarat elections? The schism between India and Bharat is for real. The BJP’s victory is only due to its dominance in urban areas. The Congress has won a majority...