-Down to Earth blog Simply put, the sand mafias originated because the sand business is low investment, low risk and high returns, notwithstanding few roadblocks like Ms Durga Shakti Nagpal or the media taking up her cause as a cause celebre! For they know well that with raw material (sand) in easy reach and end user (realty sector) little bothered wherefrom or legality of the ware, business as usual, no matter, shall...

-The Hindu     Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka submits 100-page report to government Ashok Khemka, the Haryana IAS officer who cancelled a land deal mutation between Robert Vadra and real estate giant DLF Universal Ltd last October, has told the Haryana government that Mr. Vadra falsified documents and executed a series of sham transactions for 3.53 acres land in Shikohpur village of Gurgaon, thereby pocketing a hefty premium on a commercial colony licence...

-The Hindu Maganlal Barela's wife says he loved his daughters, whom he is accused of killing, the most KANERIA VILLAGE (MP): The fragrance of lantana is overpowering as you approach the home of Maganlal Barela, who is on death row for hacking his five daughters to death on June 11, 2010. Supreme Court stayed his execution late on Wednesday night, just hours before the appointed time on Thursday. The mud huts of Maganlal,...

-The Hindu Per capita entitlements under the food security bill will not cover beneficiaries as comprehensively as household entitlements The government hopes to secure in this session of Parliament, approval for the National Food Security Bill (NFSB) so that it can replace the food security ordinance. The NFSB, on which the ordinance is based, guarantees supplementary nutrition services through anganwadis for all children under six, midday meals for schoolchildren, and, very importantly, maternity...

-The Times of India JAIPUR: Social activist Aruna Roy and Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan activist Nikhil Dey have announced a daylong protest on August 6 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the proposed amendment of RTI Act to keep political parties out of its ambit. Roy demanded that all political parties spell out their stand in public on the proposed amendment before the commencement of monsoon session on August 6. "None...