Category: News

Cementing future health problems?

Health Issues India || FEBRUARY 1, 2019 BY NICHOLAS PARRY

For many Indian labourers there is no option but to work in often unclean, unsafe environments. They risk long-term health implications to stave off the potential for immediate health issues due to poverty and malnourishment. More and more case studies spotlight the dangerous work that is undertaken by many Indians simply in order to survive.

Recent reports have shown the high levels of conditions such as silicosis in India’s mining communities or asbestosis among ship breakers. These diseases are being found to be far more prevalent among the poor who work in these environments, a group that is far less likely to be able to afford proper healthcare to address these conditions. Read more

Forest Rights Act: Politicians, adivasi groups ask Centre if it wants to ‘sacrifice’ the law

Scroll.in || Scroll staff|| 05:05 pm

Leaders of the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a former member of the Adivasi Congress, along with two organisations working for adivasi and forest dwellers’ rights, have written a letter to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, wondering if the Centre has decided to “sacrifice” the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

The signatories also include the All India Forum of Forest Movements and Campaign for Survival and Dignity. They told Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram that in the last three hearings in the Supreme Court on petitions seeking to have the The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, struck down, the Centre’s counsel did not say anything in defence of the law. “Has it been decided that this Act should be sacrificed, perhaps to appease big corporates or other vested interests?” the signatories asked. Read more

Illegal mining in Aravalli: Govt machinery ‘rotten’ in Rajasthan, says Supreme Court

The entire government machinery is “rotten” in Rajasthan and the officials are “hand in glove” with those who have been indulging in illegal mining in Aravalli area of the state, the Supreme Court said on Monday.

Expressing anguish over destruction of flora and fauna in the area, the apex court came down heavily on the Rajasthan government after it cited the recent Assembly elections and the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as the reasons for not completing ground truthing exercise to ascertain the area where illegal mining had allegedly been conducted.

A bench comprising justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta directed the chief secretary of the state to appear before it for an explanation. Read more

What farmers have to say about Modi government’s income support scheme

ET Bureau|Updated: Feb 04, 2019, 08.38 PM IST

Farming is just not worth it for many of the millions dependent on it. But they are left with little choice. This stark reality, along with a worrying paucity of jobs, will weigh heavily on the upcoming general elections. Growth in agriculture trails that of the economy and agriculture’s share in the national output has declined drastically over time — from around 50% in the early 1950s to 17% in 2017-18.

But the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party hopes to endear itself to the agrarian community with its latest salvo. In a widely anticipated move, interim finance minister Piyush Goyal, in his budget speech on February 1, said 120 million farmers with less than five acres each, who account for over 85% of India’s farm holdings, would get Rs 6,000 each annually. Read more

Can India afford welfarism based on handouts

By TK Arun ET Bureau| Updated: Feb 03, 2019, 06.16 AM IST

A spectre is haunting India. A spectre of never-ending handouts, which would bring some relief to the really hard-up, remove the incentive to strive for the rest and starve the economy of the funds it needs for investing in productivity boosting human capability and physical infrastructure.

Time was when politicians promised voters a cycle, computer or TV set, won their favour and made commissions on wholesale purchases of the said gifts, and proceeded to live happily at least for the rest of the term. Then came the recurring expenditure on heavily subsidised food. Read more

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