-Outlook Maharashtra government today declared as drought-affected more than 6000 villages in Aurangabad, Pune and Nashik districts of the state. "A total of 6,250 villages, having crop yield less than fifty paise are drought-affected," Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation Dr Patangrao Kadam said, adding various measures like organising fodder camps and pressing water tankers into service to cater to villagers are being launched. Kadam said as many as 2,894 villages in Aurangabad district...

-Live Mint Bill will be put before cabinet in next few weeks; legislation is expected to address Rehabilitation, resettlement  New Delhi: The government moved a step closer to put in place a new land acquisition policy, after a ministerial panel overcame differences and struck a compromise. The Bill will now be put before the Union cabinet for its approval in the next few weeks. If indeed the government sticks to the proposed...

-The Indian Express The group of ministers (GoM) headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today cleared the much-delayed Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Bill, after approving some relaxations which addressed the concerns expressed by several ministries. “The Bill is finalised. We have finalised the draft. Each and every issue on which there were different views, we succeeded in bringing some understanding,” Pawar told reporters after the meeting. Sources said the minutes of...

-The Times of India If you have a domestic help below the age of 14 years, then the authorities may soon visit your house and send her to school. The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the central and state governments to conduct a countrywide drive to identify children below 14 years engaged as domestic helps and send them to school to fulfill the mandate of the Right to Education Act for their...

-The Hindustan Times The central government will provide financial assistance to states to fight Japanese Encephalitis, which has already claimed close to 1,000 lives, including 400 in western Uttar Pradesh alone. A cabinet committee on Thursday is expected to approve Rs. 4,000-crore assistance plan, which includes Rs. 2,000 crore for providing safe drinking water and sanitation and Rs. 1,300 crore to other ministries. The plan includes funding for expanding the encephalitis...