-Outlook The BJP government needs to understand that "vikas" means growth and development, not growth alone. The new government that came to power with the promise of "vikas" has launched an unrelenting attack on social welfare programmes and Legislations. In October 2014, there was a rumour that NREGA would be restricted to some districts. Though the changes proposed have not been implemented, NREGA is in danger of dying a slow death...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Arvind Kejriwal government's order on Monday against any demolition in Delhi is in tune with the recently extended central Legislation, Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act 2014, which protects all unauthorized colonies, unauthorized constructions and slums that have come up to June 2014 till 2017. The decision comes in the backdrop of the recent slum demolitions in Rangpuri Pahari and Wazirpur. The protest by a few...

-The Hindu In the present state of the economy, when there is excess capacity in manufacturing, adequate stocks of foodgrain and the inflation rate is trending downwards, there is an opportune moment for a public investment-centred fiscal expansion Over the past eight months, the government has issued some strong statements on the economy and taken some bold steps aimed at transforming it. As it prepares to present its first real budget we...

-The Hindu The report of the High-Level Committee for reviewing environmental laws has a misplaced focus on speedy project clearances and wrongly attributes their delays to environmental laws The report of the High-Level Committee (HLC) on a review of environmental laws may no longer be in the news, but its potential for impacting environmental governance in the country has not diminished. That potential will become real soon enough. A note of caution...

-Business Standard The authority will have the powers to regulate waste management and conduct studies regarding environment and ecology The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has invited consultants to redraw the green laws of the country following up on the T S R Subramanian committee report. The consultants to be hired through a bid will help the government draw up an umbrella environmental law, which will subsume the existing Legislations, as recommended...