-Hindustan Times It was a showpiece legislation when it was launched by the UPA government in 2009. The Right to Education, many hoped, would ensure a decent level of primary education to those who cannot afford expensive private education. The scheme started with much fanfare, but in a few years, reports started coming out that while enrolment in schools has shot up (almost 99% now), the quality of education has not...
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Don’t say ‘diversion’ of forest land, say ‘reforestation’, says Prakash Javadekar -Jay Mazoomdaar
-The Indian Express Environment ministry clears 229 projects in a month, up from 217 in a quarter. Wary of the perception that his ministry is clearing too many projects too fast, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has asked ministry officials to replace the word ‘diversion’ of forest land with ‘reforestation’ in all communications. An intra-ministry communication issued on July 16 by Javadekar’s private secretary Vinay Srivastava stated: “Hon’ble minister has desired that henceforth...
More »Congress, CPI (M), JD(U) for 'total withdrawal' of Land Bill proposed by Centre
-PTI Sources in Congress said that it had sought restoration of the consent of 80 per cent of land owners to be obtained for private projects and that of 70 per cent for PPP ones. Congress, CPI-M and JD-U have sought a "total withdrawal" of proposed changes by the NDA government in the 2013 Land Act and inclusion of some additional measures to further strengthen the law in favour of farmers. In...
More »Rural Ministry plan: Roll back Land Bill’s key problem clauses -Maneesh Chhibber & Ruhi Tewari
-The Indian Express According to the note, the “revised stand” would be the basis for a presentation to be made by the ministry before the Joint Committee of Parliament on the land bill. Taking a major step back on amendments to the land bill, the government proposes to bring back the consent and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) clauses and drop its contentious move to exempt five broad categories of projects from...
More »SC/ST atrocities Act to be made more stringent -Subodh Ghildiyal
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: "Touching a Dalit or tribal woman in a sexual manner without consent" or "acts/gestures of sexual nature" against them would invite the stringent provisions of the Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act (POA). The Centre has decided to amend the POA along the lines of UPA's ordinance, with the objective of strengthening the special law by including more crimes under the head of "atrocities". In an important addition,...
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