-The Indian Express In Jharkhand, a gap between politics of the tribal movement and electoral politics The recent dissolution of the Jharkhand assembly has brought to the fore the political uncertainty that hounds the state, with no leader or party managing to emerge as a viable representative of the people of Jharkhand. How does one interpret this feature, which many argue is unique to Jharkhand? Why is it that Jharkhand, particularly since...

-The Hindustan Times Gujarat may have a small Muslim population but the state, according to the Planning Commission, contributes significantly to the high incidence of poverty among the community nationally. In the 12th Plan approved by the National Development Council, the plan panel lists Gujarat along with UP, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam as the states accounting for high urban and rural poverty ratio among Muslims. “Poverty ratio for Muslims was 33.9%...

-The Times of India PUNE: Every morning, four-year-old Fatima Makandar dons a neatly ironed yellow and blue uniform, ties her hair with a red ribbon, wears polished black shoes with clean white socks and steps out of her cramped tenement in Upper Indira Nagar in Bibwewadi for View Valley School in Kondhwa. Fatima, a ragpicker's daughter, has crossed a social barrier and is getting good schooling, thanks to the waste picker's...

-Down to Earth Becomes 17th state in country to impose ban on them The Andhra Pradesh government on January 9 banned manufacture, storage, sale, transport and distribution of gutkha, paan masala and similar chewable products that contain tobacco and nicotine. The ban has come into force with immediate effect. With this, Andhra Pradesh becomes the 17th state in India to ban tobacco products (see box). Civil society organisations and anti-tobacco activists have long...

-PTI Bhopal: As many as 11,441 appeals and complaints under Right to Information Act are pending with the Madhya Pradesh Information Commission which is currently functioning without chief and other commissioners. A total of 9,946 appeals and 1,495 complaints are pending against various state government departments for failing to give desired information sought by applicants under the transparency legislation, according to documents, updated till September 2012, accessed under RTI by an activist,...