As the Congress scion Rahul Gandhi campaigns in Mayawati' s bastion asking UP's downtrodden to think big, a planning commission panel has shown the UPA government how to walk the talk. A working group on welfare of the Schedule Castes (SCs) has asked the government to set up a National Bank for Inclusive Development to support businessmen from the backward sections. The move is to encourage Dalits and other weaker sections with...

-The Hindu   Under the banner of the All-India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, a number of Dalits and tribals took out a rally from Ramlila Maidan to Jantar Mantar here on Monday demanding that members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and minorities be given reservation in the Lokpal Committee. Addressing the rally, Confederation chairman Udit Raj said he was for a strong Lokpal Bill. Expressing confidence that the Lokpal...

-The Hindu   A host of political and religious leaders shared the dais at a public meeting organised by the Popular Front of India at the Ramlila Maidan here on Sunday. They demanded greater representation for Muslims in Parliament and Assemblies, besides reservation in government and private sector jobs. They wanted Muslims and other downtrodden sections of society to join hands in fighting social inequality and injustice. The meeting was organised to mark...

-The Economic Times   The standing committee vetting the Lokpal Bill has reached a consensus on making the proposed anti-graft ombudsman a constitutional body. The suggestion to upgrade the status of Lokpal to a constitutional body had first come from Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP from Amethi Rahul Gandhi.  At its meeting on Thursday, all members of the standing committee, headed by Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, were unanimous that Lokpal...

-IBNS   A group of about 35 women economists from different countries of Europe, UK, US, Australia and India, have written an open letter to Prime Ministers and Presidents of South Asian nations, including India, which are facing acute sanitation crisis. From India, Jayati Ghosh, Professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Bina Agarwal, Director, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University and Isher Judge Ahluwalia, Chairperson Board of Governors, Indian...