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Development, progress and economic growth of the society and country is proportional to the participation of workforce in these activities. Health of people is therefore of utmost importance. Only a disease free healthy person can contribute effectively in the process of advancement. Unfortunately India accounts for a relatively large share of the world’s disease burden and there is an epidemiological transition from the communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases in the total disease burden of the country. It is therefore important to review the national health profile. The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), the 71st round report on ‘Health in India’, has brought out certain facts which are of serious concern.

Smriti Irani takes on Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. A repeat of 2014. And with that, it’s definite that this time around, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will end her Amethi campaign with more Indira Gandhi saris the worse for wear. One of the stories of this general election is that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is stuck with the sari and the saris she’s seen sporting are those which Indira bought! It also means, no more jeans and salwar-kameez for Priyanka, at least not as long as she remains active politician.

Slowly, subtly, almost imperceptibly, the BJP is changing the issues in the Lok Sabha elections. Vikas or development is no longer the issue. The Government will not tell the people what it achieved during the past five years regarding employment generation, poverty alleviation, de-hoarding black money, suppressing terrorism, improving health care, etc. The Government owes no explanation to the people about these issues. It is for the opposition has to prove its credential of nationalism, of patriotism, of loyalty to the country. The opposition has to convince the people that it does not support Pakistan when it questions the outcome of India’s airstrike at Balakot. The very positing of this question, the people are told, becomes ipso facto a proof of the questioner’s sympathy with our enemy – Pakistan.

Political parties are making a big virtue of crowd-sourcing their manifestos, claiming it is the ultimate way to democratise their promise and performance. They claim this will help them come up with the real manifesto that people want, rather than handing them down something that is arbitrary and unwanted.

With the campaign for 2019 Lok Sabha election slowly and steadily heating up, BJP and Congress have firmed up alliances barring a few hiccups. The BJP, however, seems quicker on this score. It has displayed pragmatism to promptly seal seat-sharing deals in important states like Maharashtra, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. The party’s top brass appears to have implicitly acknowledged it faces anti-incumbency and therefore can’t ride roughshod over allies. And given that today’s BJP is pretty much centred on the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the decisive messaging from the top has ensured that seat sharing isn’t thwarted by regional satraps.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The two dominant groups in Congress in Kerala continue to have a vice-like grip on the candidates list published after protracted negotiations vitiated by hard and no-holds-barred bargaining.

Data-cruncher Sam Pitroda made Chowkidar Narendra Modi’s after-Holi day, revived for no reason the ebbing Balakote-issue, insisting that terror attacks like Pulwama were run of the mill and that the veracity of the Balakote air-strikes are suspect, there not being “proof” of kill as widely reported in the international media. Being “Mahatma Gandhian” to the core, Pitroda sought to distance his views from that of Rahul Gandhi who looks on Pitroda as mentor and guide. Chowkidar Modi pounced at the opportunity to keep alive Balakote till as long as possible, which is till May 23, 2019, going by the election calendar.

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal have emerged as the most important states that are heading towards the bitterest political battle during the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 the outcome of which is likely to decide the fate of government formation in India. Election is going to be held in these three politically most sensitive states in all the seven phases. Stakes of political parties are highest and therefore these represents highest security risks too. Security forces and administration will have very tough time in handling the law and order issues. Both the ruling and opposition alliances are hoping for considerable loss or gain for each other in these states sending 162 members in the Lok Sabha.

In pre-2014 Lok Sabha election, much was talked about Gujarat Model, which would likely to be replicated in Pan India , had BJP come in the power. The buzzword was synergized into Make in India initiative in the election manifesto. The success of Gujarat Model stimulated Modi to ploy a new dimension in the manufacturing dynamism in the country, with an eye on making the country a manufacturing hub in the world and eventually increase employment opportunities.

Binu Pandey is a single mother in Ghaziabad with two school-going children. A video footage of her crying in agony before her superior official in BSNL went viral on the Internet on 13 March 2019. She was in hand-to-mouth existence and had not been able to pay even the school fee for her children as BSNL had not paid the salary for February she was saying amidst her sobs. Recorded and released by some colleague, it stirred the social media and the government and the BSNL faced universal condemnation.