-The Times of India Amid talk of stimulating growth with sops to industry, the Centre has chided the private sector for performing abysmally on making the workforce inclusive by boosting dalit presence in its ranks. The industry in 2006 promised voluntary affirmative action to persuade the UPA-1 government to drop plans to enforce reservation in private sector through a legislation. Reviewing the updated results of affirmative action provided by the industry, Union social...

-The Times of India The Cabinet on Thursday will consider a Bill providing for time-bound delivery of services like pensions, passports, caste certificates, ration cards and tax refunds with a penalty of Rs 250 a day subject to a maximum of Rs 50,000 for default. The right of citizens for time-bound delivery of goods and services and redressal of grievances Bill is to be enacted under the concurrent list, which means all...

-Live Mint An investigation found DCGI cleared drugs without conducting mandatory clinical trials After five rounds of consultations in six months, a committee tasked with making recommendations on cleaning up India’s drugs-approval process and ending the cosy relationship between doctors, pharmaceutical companies and government officials had no suggestions to offer by way of a crackdown. It has, instead, suggested setting up 20 sub-committees. The report submitted to the health ministry in November is...

-The Times of India Under pressure to energize the economy ahead of the 2014 election, the Manmohan Singh government is reaching across political divides to rescue mining projects in opposition-ruled states of Goa, Odisha and Karnataka. With third quarter growth sinking to 4.5% and the economic survey pointing to a mining and quarrying slowdown as a reason for poor industrial growth, the Centre has decided to ask the Supreme Court to relax...

-The Telegraph Public sector oil marketing companies yesterday raised the prices of diesel sold to bulk consumers like the railway and defence by Rs 1.20 a litre despite protests in Parliament last week. At the same time, oil companies reduced the price of domestic non-subsidised cooking gas by Rs 38 for a 14.2 kg cylinder. Following the revision, cooking gas will be sold at Rs 933 a cylinder in Calcutta and neighbouring areas...