-The Economic Times Finance Minister P Chidambaram has warned corporate bigwigs against wilful defaults, reminding promoters that it was their duty to bring in additional capital if their companies got into trouble. "We cannot have an affluent promoter and a sick company," he said, in an apparent reference to the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines, owned by the flamboyant Vijay Mallya. Banks are stuck with nearly Rs 7,000 crore worth of loans they...

-PTI Government plans to increase pension for disabled, widow and senior citizens besides making changes in the eligibility criteria for pension payment, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said today. The current pension of Rs 300 per month for widows and physically handicapped, Rs 200 for senior citizen and Rs 500 to persons above 80 years "is inadequate. It has to be increased," he informed Rajya Sabha during Question Hour. "We are considering (raising...

-Live Mint Experts say private banks achieve lending obligations by buying out loans from non-banking entities Most private banks in India have not been able to meet the needs of farmers although they are expanding their rural and semi-urban branch network. This is why the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is insisting that at least one-fourth of the branches of the new banks that will be given a licence must be located...

-The Hindu In a small town in Karnataka, government-school students are working to ensure that their schools meet the infrastructure norms of the RTE Act. Can this model be replicated elsewhere in the country? Kishore Mahadevaiah, a Std VII student, is describing his ideal school. “The school should be very clean and neat. In every class, there should be teaching and learning materials and sports materials and qualified teachers. And there should...

-The Indian Express Raipur: Bastar saw a major Development recently with thousands of tribals joining a rally organised by the CPI and Aadivasi Mahasabha last fortnight. Demanding implementation of the Schedule VI of the Constitution in Bastar, tribals began their padyatra from Chhattisgarh’s southernmost tip in Konta on March 1 and ended it at the division headquarters on March 15. They said that the administration always ignored their requirements and the...