Editing Manmohan Singh (section)

==== Healthcare and education ====
In 2005, Prime Minister Singh and his government's health ministry started the [[National Rural Health Mission]] (NHRM), which mobilised half a million community health workers. This rural health initiative was praised by the American economist [[Jeffrey Sachs]].<ref name="timepoverty">{{cite magazine|title=The End of Poverty|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1034738,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050317031951/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1034738,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 March 2005|first=Jeffrey D.|last=Sachs|date=6 March 2005|magazine=Time}}</ref> In 2006, his Government implemented the proposal to reserve 27% of seats in All India Institute of Medical Studies (AIIMS), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other central institutions of higher education for Other Backward Classes which led to [[2006 Indian anti-reservation protests]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/from-mandal-commission-to-emergency-5-student-movements-that-shook-governments|title = From Mandal Commission to Emergency: 5 student movements that shook governments}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first = S.L.|last = Rao|url =http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060605/asp/opinion/story_6293323.asp|title = TOO MANY BOSSES – The UPA has a cabinet with many insubordinate ministers|work =The Telegraph|date = 5 June 2006|access-date = 5 June 2006| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060626080730/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060605/asp/opinion/story_6293323.asp| archive-date= 26 June 2006 | url-status= dead | location=Calcutta, India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/students-and-doctors-protest-reservationaffirmative-action-system-india-2006-2008|title=Students and doctors protest reservation/affirmative-action system in India, 2006–2008|access-date=27 August 2012|work=Global Nonviolent Action Database}}</ref>

On 2 July 2009, Singh ministry introduced the [[Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009|Right to Education Act]] (RTE) act. Eight [[Indian Institutes of Technology|IITs]] were opened in the states of [[Andhra Pradesh]], Bihar, [[Gujarat]], Orissa, [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], Madhya Pradesh, [[Rajasthan]] and [[Himachal Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite web|title=LS passes bill to provide IIT for eight states.|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/148456/ls-passes-bill-provide-iit.html|work=Deccan Herald|date=24 March 2011 |access-date=14 June 2013|archive-date=24 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130324032628/http://www.deccanherald.com/content/148456/ls-passes-bill-provide-iit.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Singh government also continued the [[Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan]] program. The program includes the introduction and improvement of mid-day meals and the opening of schools all over India, especially in rural areas, to fight [[illiteracy]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Direct SSA funds for school panels|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/338571/direct-ssa-funds-school-panels.html|access-date=14 June 2013|newspaper=Deccan Herald|archive-date=17 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517212319/http://www.deccanherald.com/content/338571/direct-ssa-funds-school-panels.html|url-status=live}}</ref>