middle and most backward castes are pushing for change in their reservation categ

Because of the benefits that the lowest social categories enjoy now in terms of State policies, reservations castes wish to acquire Scheduled Caste (SC) status, while some SCs want to be included as Sch

Samajwadi Party (SP) government in Uttar Pradesh is in the process of sending its recommendations to t

The view in Samajawadi circles is that these 17 castes, constituting 15 per cent of the total population of U Lok Sabha election results in favour of the SP, and this is why Mayawati was against it.

most backward castes literacy among them is also very low. Few among them have passed intermediate exams. Many Furthermore, they have neither diversified nor modernised their caste-based profes The benefits of government schemes do not reach them because they are not educated. They la the bazaar and modernity have made their traditional vocations redundant. Castes like Bansor, Bansphor and Dharikaar, engaged in making bamboo-based arti remain threatened as their traditional vocation faces extinctio Having failed to develop their identity, these castes have not reached a stage where they can gi

Insuchasituation,whattheyneedisnotashiftincategory,butapoliticsofpresence.Andthatcanco

young women health issues

Indiasparadoxoffasteconomicgrowthacrossseveralyearsandchronicmalnutritioninasignificantsec

Without active intervention to improve their access to appropriate food, the young women are bound to f

What these insights underscore is the need for the political class to make the struggle against malnutritio

absence of scaled-up programmes to build the health of the child and the teenager, and to provide opport cannot really reap the so-called demographic dividend of a large young population.

Supplemental nutrition efforts are also hampered by superstition and rumour about effects on unborn ch hese are communication challenges that the National Rural Health Mission must pursue vigor mportanceofearlychildhoodnutritioncrucially,thefirst1,000daysforlife-longhealth

UPA government should have come up with a Food Security law that provides universal access to nutritio

n their reservation categories Political parties are keen to cash in

s of State policies, reservations and quotas, many Other Backward Class (OBC) SCs want to be included as Scheduled Tribes (ST) since they are not getting the desired benefits of the SC quota.

nding its recommendations to the Centre for including 17 OBC castes in the SC category.

cent of the total population of U.P., are capable of tilting the forthcoming Mayawati was against it.

ssed intermediate exams. Many of these castes are engaged in traditional vocations. ernised their caste-based professions. e they are not educated. They lack political leadership, which adds to their woes ns redundant. d in making bamboo-based articles of daily use like baskets, winnows, etc from pre-modern times,

ached a stage where they can give adequate voice to their political and developmental aspirations

sofpresence.Andthatcancomeonlywithcommunityleadershipandeducation.

malnutritioninasignificantsectionofthepopulation

he young women are bound to face complications during pregnancy continuing the distressing cycle.

he struggle against malnutrition a national priority.

teenager, and to provide opportunities for education and skill-building, India e young population.

mour about effects on unborn children alth Mission must pursue vigorously. The broader task would be to improve universal access to nutrients

forlife-longhealth

ides universal access to nutritious food, and such legislation should have received wide support

of the SC quota.