-The Indian Express Government has an opportunity to enhance use of social audit to monitor schemes In contrast to its rhetoric, the current government’s record on transparency, accountability, and citizen participation has been uninspiring. Even essential laws such as the Lok Pal and the Whistle Blower Protection Act are yet to be operationalised. However, recent developments on social audits, the conduct of which actually finds a place in the BJP’s 2014...

-The Hindu Business Line Most States have not amended APMC Acts; existing mandis lack infrastructure The eNAM portal, launched by the Centre in APRIl 2016, has 45.4 lakh farmers and 417 mandis across the country registered with it. This number is disappointing, given that there are more than 13 crore farmers in India. eNAM, which was envisioned as a unified national electronics agriculture market, faces multiple hurdles. To implement it, each State has to first...

-The Indian Express A five-judge Constitution Bench, which met to examine if the Aadhaar Act violates a person’s right to PRIvacy, realised that the court will have to first answer if right to PRIvacy constitutes a fundamental right under the Constitution before it takes up the main question. New Delhi: The Supreme Court decided Tuesday to set up a nine-judge bench to decide whether right to PRIvacy can be declared a fundamental...

-The Indian Express Aadhaar card PRIvacy issue: The bench comPRIsing of Chief Justice of India JS Khehar, and Justices DY Chandrachud, J Chelameswar, SA Bobde and Abdul Nazeer, passed the order on Tuesday. New Delhi: A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Monday referred the Aadhaar matter to a larger bench to decide whether linking of the pan card with the 12-digit biometric identification number would breach PRIvacy. The bench comPRIsing...

-The Hindu Business Line RBI Deputy Governor says such loans support economic activity, generate income & surplus Mumbai: Given the overexposure of the banking system to large corporates and the consequences thereof in the last few years, Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor SS Mundra said lending to PRIority sector is good business for all the right and justifiable reasons. “The excessive lending to corporate sector was the outcome of what I call...