-IPS News UNITED NATIONS- When the U.N.'s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reach their deadline in 2015, there will still be a critical setback: millions of people in the developing world without full access to safe drinking water, proper sanitation and electricity in their homes. Conscious of this shortcoming, the 193-member General Assembly hosted a two-day high-level meeting, which concluded Wednesday, to address three thematic issues: water, sanitation and sustainable energy, specifically in...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Delhi government spent Rs 6.33 lakh on Arvind Kejriwal's oath-taking ceremony at Ramlila Maidan while his predecessor Sheila Dikshit's oath ceremony cost Rs 13.04 lakh. In response to a query by Mumbai-based RTI applicant Anil Galgali, the Delhi government's general administration department said it had spent Rs 6.33 lakh on the Ramlila Maidan ceremony. This, however, does not include expenses by other departments including power,...

-The Times of India NAGPUR: Maharashtra government disclosed that it had incurred a expenditure of Rs 3.71 crore on probe panel of much-hyped Adarsh Housing Society scam in Mumbai. This led to rest the speculations about total amount spent on the scam report drafted by Justice JA Patil and former bureaucrat P Subramaniam. Earlier, it was speculated that the government had spent Rs7 crore on the panel constituted in 2011 by...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: A disability rights bill the government tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Friday has not only angered activists by ignoring many of their recommendations but also split them. Javed Abidi is leading one side that is holding protests across Delhi demanding passage of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2014, arguing that something is better than nothing. "If we oppose this bill, it will be delayed for two...

-The Business Standard Interview with Director General, Independent Evaluation Office, Planning Commission The Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) was created at the Planning Commission in August 2013 to monitor the outcome and effectiveness of various social sector initiatives taken by the UPA government. It began with an evaluation of the Public Distribution System (PDS). Ajay Chhibber, Director General of the IEO, a former assistant secretary general of the UN Development Programme, tells Sanjeeb...