Protected areas (PAs) have long been criticized as creations of and for an elite few, where associated costs, but few benefits, are borne by marginalized rural communities.
Demographic factors have reappeared in the economic development debate with the emergence of the concept of the "demographic dividend'. With many developing countries experiencing a rapid decline in fertility, there has been overwhelming optimism that a demographic bonus will take these countries to greater economic heights. At the same time, there are pessimists doubting the ability of these countries to take advantage of the demographic dividend. This paper looks at the concept critically in the context of India.
JAGIROAD - The Jagiroad branch of Assam Science Society observed the World Environment Day on June 5 in the premises of Jagiroad College with a daylong programme, which began with the plantation of saplings in the college campus. An open quiz competition was also organised on the occasion where all the students from local schools and colleges took part.
We thought wide-scale food shortages were behind us. Just a few years ago, most countries - with the exception of some in Africa - were looking as if they would be capable of adequately feeding their people, and the rich world was trying to figure out what to do with its food mountains. How things have changed. Droughts, high oil prices, changing diets, the rush to grow biofuels and other factors have caused shortages of most of the major food crops. On every continent there is concern over high food prices, and in some places even rioting. (Editorial)
The Pune Municipal Corporation has confirmed that there has been an increase of 30 girls being registered at birth per 1,000 boys over the last five years. This reverses the downward slide of girls born per 1,000 boys as the number had dipped to 841 in 2002, making it a skewed sex ratio for the city.
In an astounding revelation, top state economist YK Alagh has calculated that Gujarat's land will become 70 per cent urban by the middle of the next decade. Addressing the annual convocation of Dharmasinh Desai University, Nadiad, on Saturday, Prof Alagh said, "Already, there are 2,018 villages in Gujarat which should be stopped being categorized as rural, yet they are governed by village panchayats.' He stressed on urban planning in these villages.
Dhaka to rank 4th among largest cities by 2025 New Age Desk Dhaka, now ranking 15th with 11.9 million people, will be the fourth largest city in the world by 2025 when the population would reach 22 million, predicted Forbes.com. The number of urban dwellers is expected to hit 5 billion globally by 2025
