-Hindustan Times New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has decided to deduct salaries of officials if they fail to provide services included in the citizen charter within the prescribed time limit. Previously, an applicant was allowed to claim compensation for delays but the government has proposed to make the process automatic and mandatory by amending the ‘Delhi (Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Services) Act 2011’. There are a...

-Down to Earth The rate at which informal housing is being destroyed probably far exceeds the rate at which formal housing is being constructed Troubled by the degradation of environment on and around railway tracks, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently directed Delhi government to relocate all illegal settlements along tracks in Delhi. The tribunal reasoned that the residents of these settlements practise open defecation and litter on the tracks. Housing of the...

-The Hindu Denies PMO's comments saying the report was the personal opinion of an employee Moody’s Analytics has denied that its report expressing concern over what it called the belligerent provocation of various Indian minorities and warning Prime Minister Narendra Modi that unless he steps in to rein in the members of the BJP, India runs the risk of losing domestic and global credibility, was the personal opinion of an analyst...

-Hindustan Times Small and marginal farmers comprise 85% of the land holdings in India. Social protection is a survival tool for the rural poor, who have no easy access to wage labour. India recognised the need for social protection early on and introduced a slew of social protection programmes like the National Rural Livelihoods Mission. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) provides 100 days of assured labour wages...

-The Hindu Despite its uneven history in India, decentralisation is vital to strengthen participatory democracy, facilitate responsive governance and enable public service delivery. Much has been written on decentralisation in India though, on the ground, there is very little to show despite the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments. The rationale for decentralisation comes from the need to strengthen participatory democracy, facilitate responsive governance, ensure greater accountability and enable public service delivery according to...