Social Issues
Education, health, poverty, gender and welfare schemes
Dongria Kondh of Niyamgiri: Where forests, food and faith shape daily life
A detailed account highlights the Dongria Kondh, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) inhabiting the Niyamgiri Hills in Odisha's Rayagada and Kalaha...
Centre bans 16 fixed dose combination drugs, including antibiotics, painkillers, skin meds
The Union government banned 16 fixed dose combination (FDC) drugs with immediate nationwide effect, prohibiting their manufacture, sale, distribution, and su...
₹47,000 crore push for Odisha as PM Modi signals strong tribal outreach
Development projects totalling approximately ₹47,600 crore have been launched and announced for Odisha, centred on a ₹25,016 crore coal gasification facility...
Hum do, hamare 1.9: What India’s falling fertility rates reveal
India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has dropped to 1.9 children per woman, falling below the population replacement level of 2.1 for the first time, according...
Kerala Revised Budget: ₹50 crore earmarked for establishing Tribal University in Wayanad
The Kerala state government's revised budget for 2026-27 earmarks Rs 50 crore for establishing a Tribal University in Wayanad district. The proposed institut...
TVK govt to conduct Social Justice Survey after caste enumeration in national census, says TN Governor
Tamil Nadu's state government announced it will conduct a dedicated Social Justice Survey after caste enumeration is completed as part of the ongoing nationa...
FSSAI issues notices to Bikanervala, Marico, Param Dairy on consumer complaints, law violation
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued notices to over 15 food businesses, including Bikanervala, Marico Ltd, and Param Dairy, for a...
Over 70 lakh employed under PM-VBRY so far, say PM; transfers Rs 2,400-cr sops for 15 lakh jobs
The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) has benefited over 70 lakh people since its launch on August 15, 2025. The Union government disburse...
Census 2027: The pressures of counting India
Enumerators conducting the house-listing phase of Census 2027 (Phase I, April–September 2026) are reporting significant field challenges including extreme he...
EU passes law allowing offshore deportation centres
On June 17, 2026, the European Parliament approved the EU Return Regulation with 418 votes in favour, 218 against, and 30 abstentions — replacing the existin...
Walking a fundamental right, footpath must for all roads: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court declared the right to walk on a demarcated footpath a fundamental right, holding it to be integral to the constitutional right to free move...
Tata Motors to increase CV prices from July 2026 by upto 2.5%
Tata Motors, India's largest commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturer by volume, announced price increases of up to 2.5% on its commercial vehicle range effectiv...
NFHS-6 reveals progress amid nutrition challenges
The sixth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6), covering 2023–24, has been released and reveals a mixed picture: measurable progress on most c...
Kerala’s health machinery goes all out to keep Nipah in check
A 43-year-old man from Ramanattukara Municipality (Division 5), Kozhikode district, Kerala, tested positive for Nipah virus — confirmed by the National Insti...
Modi to transfer PM-KISAN installment worth Rs 18,880 cr to 9.44 cr farmers on June 20
The 23rd installment under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme was released on June 20, 2026, disbursing Rs 18,880 crore directly to over 9.44 crore ...
Centre may issue nearly 3 crore more ration cards after states delete ineligible entries: Joshi
The Union Ministry of Food and Public Distribution announced that nearly 3 crore additional ration cards may be issued to eligible beneficiaries under the Na...
Primed to treat: On Kerala and Nipah
Kerala has successfully contained multiple Nipah virus (NiV) outbreaks since 2018 — in Kozhikode (2018, 2021, 2023) and Ernakulam (2019) — offering a replica...
329 million children in India exposed to extreme heat: UNICEF report
A UN agency report released in June 2026 reveals that approximately 329 million children in India — representing 92% of the country's child population — are ...
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Amends Drugs Rules, 1945; Exemption for Sale of Cough Syrups in Small Villages Withdrawn
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified the Drugs (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026, which removes the word "Syrup" from Serial No. 13, Entry 7 of...
Heatwaves and ozone together increase India’s cardiac deaths: study
A peer-reviewed study has found that the simultaneous occurrence of heatwaves and elevated surface ozone levels significantly increases the number of cardiac...