“Total abolition of child labour central to human development” The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has ordered a survey of child labour in five districts of Uttar Pradesh, where a large number of children are employed in carpet industry and other labour intensive units. The survey will include data on the number of children rescued and action taken for their rehabilitation. The survey directive was given by a jury...

-The Economic Times Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has said he had directed three institutions - NIPFP, NIFM and NCAER - to come out with a defendable assessment of the quantum of black money stashed away by Indians in foreign banks. Replying to the discussion on the adjournment motion moved in the House by BJP veteran LK Advani on "the situation arising out black money deposited illegally in foreign banks", Mukherjee declared...

-The Telegraph   New laws are often brought in without assessing their judicial and financial impact. The result is poor implementation, says Seetha Call it collateral damage. According to newspaper reports, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has written to the Prime Minister asking for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) to be put on hold during the peak season of agricultural operations. With a guaranteed income of Rs 100 a day for at...

-PTI Taking a tough stand, West Bengal government today said it would be compelled to appoint doctors from other states if the state's own doctors continued to refuse to join the rural health services. Determined to shore up the health infrastructure in the state, the government warned that appointment given to those selected for the state health services would be scrapped if they fail to join before December 11. Director of...

Singapore spot market, not production costs, driving Indian petrol price Have you ever wondered why when petrol prices go up or down they do so uniformly across the retail outlets of the three oil marketing companies — Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum? If they are three different companies with their own refineries and distribution systems, then surely their costs and selling prices must be different? Welcome to the strange world...