Governance

Launched under a 2017 Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of India and Sri Lanka, the scheme envisages 600 houses – one “model village” of 24 homes per district across Sri Lanka.

As thousands of Afghans are loaded onto trucks for forced return, the crisis reflects not just the failure of diplomacy but also the erosion of trust between two interdependent nations. Unless talks resume on a more equal footing, analysts warn, South Asia may face yet another cycle of displacement, resentment and instability.

According to the report, the gap in learning outcomes between wealthier and poorer students is widening – even as the nation slips in its global standings.

The Aswesuma scheme, introduced in 2023, aims to replace a decades-old programme with a new model that ostensibly uses multidimensional deprivation scores rather than just income thresholds.

The NCAER survey points to stagnation in India’s labour markets, reflecting the cautious stance of employers amid policy and trade uncertainty. Over 70 per cent of firms expect no change in their hiring plans for the next six months.

Provincial leaders in Nepal have accused the interim government of Prime Minister Sushila Karki of sidelining them with a “unilateral” budget freeze, crippling preparations for crucial March elections.

If the Maldivian government delivers as pledged, Olhuvelifushi could become a model island for infrastructure upgrade, climate adaptation and community uplift in the Indian Ocean region.