Offer An Article

Pandemic Latest News

Punjab

Share SAFAR tech to help fight against pollution: Delhi to Centre

The Delhi government has appealed to the Centre to share System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) technology in the fight against pollution, as the national capital grapples with a deterioration in its air quality.  Ahead of Diwali, air quality in numerous parts of Delhi has been ranked as “very poor” with …

Share SAFAR tech to help fight against pollution: Delhi to Centre Read More »

Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana: More hospitals enlisted

The state government in Punjab has enlisted an additional 125 privately run hospitals to bolster its health scheme, the Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana.  The state-specific initiative, which builds upon the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, aims to provide health insurance to more than three quarters of the state’s population. It was launched on August 20th this …

Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana: More hospitals enlisted Read More »

India’s best states for child welfare

Kerala is the best-performing state in India when it comes to child welfare, whilst Madhya Pradesh is the worst. This is according to the Child Well-being Index, a joint report by World Vision India and IFMR LEAD, unveiled yesterday  Kerala secured the top spot with an overall score of 0.76, followed by Tamil Nadu and …

India’s best states for child welfare Read More »

Punjab launches blockbuster health insurance scheme

Punjab is aiming to extend health insurance to more than three-quarters of the state’s population in the form of a blockbuster scheme, the Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana.  The scheme was launched on August 20th to coincide with the 75th birthday of Rajiv Gandhi, who served as Prime Minister from 1984 until his assassination …

Punjab launches blockbuster health insurance scheme Read More »

Haryana cracks down on online e-cigarette sales

Haryana authorities are taking steps to block websites selling e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) devices, which are prohibited in the state. The move came following a Times of India exposé which revealed that sales of e-cigarettes were ongoing in Haryana and Punjab as well as the union territory of Chandigarh despite all …

Haryana cracks down on online e-cigarette sales Read More »

Death in the sewers: Manual scavenging continues to kill

In the first six months of 2019, at least fifty people died because of manual scavenging – in just eight states.  This is according to data collected from the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) from Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. The fatalities offer a snapshot of a much …

Death in the sewers: Manual scavenging continues to kill Read More »

The scourge of drug addiction in Punjab

The impact of drug addiction in Punjab is much higher than the rest of India, new research suggests. A mental health survey of twelve states surveyed 2,895 individuals from 719 households across four districts in Punjab. Of these households, 2.48 percent were home to at least one person who used illicit substances. By comparison, the …

The scourge of drug addiction in Punjab Read More »

E-cigarette industry appeals against potential ban

The e-cigarette industry has appealed against the proposed ban on the devices, calling on regulation instead of outright prohibition.  With the Centre in position to initiate a blanket ban on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) by classifying them under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the Trade Representatives of ENDS in India (TRENDS), an association of …

E-cigarette industry appeals against potential ban Read More »

Raising the retirement age of doctors

Punjab has announced it may raise the age at which government doctors may retire in a bid to address the state’s shortage of doctors. The doctor-patient ratio in Punjab was actually ranked as one of the best in India in September last year. The Times of India reported that Punjab had one medico for every …

Raising the retirement age of doctors Read More »

Crackdown on e-cigarettes and similar devices

Authorities in Rajasthan are moving against e-cigarettes in the state following the decision of the state government to ban the devices. Coinciding with last week’s observance of World No Tobacco Day, it was announced that e-cigarettes, or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), would be prohibited in the northern state. The rules prohibit the devices from …

Crackdown on e-cigarettes and similar devices Read More »