-The Indian Express The Planning Commission has criticised the railways for failing to attract private sector participation in its multi-crore infrastructure projects and has called for overhauling its management to allow “relevant experts” to be part of its decision making process. In its comments to a recent Cabinet note moved by the railways to promote participatory models for rail connectivity and capacity augmentation, the commission argued that for the past two years...

-The Times of India The budget session of Parliament could again be stormy with NDA and Left parties coming together to oppose FDI in retail. BJP, CPI and JD(U) on Tuesday said the government may have got the bill passed in Lok Sabha but it should not feel victorious as they would not let it pass in Rajya Sabha. BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi even said that if NDA came to power, it...

-The Indian Express Stepping in to resolve the row between the National Highways Authority of India and the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) over forest clearance to linear projects, the Prime Minister’s Office Tuesday worked out a formula to end the embarrassing stand-off between two arms of the central government. A meeting called by the PMO decided the MoEF will submit a clarification delinking environmental clearance from forest clearance for linear...

-Outlook Flagging concerns about missing children, National Human Rights Commission today called for stricter implementation of laws concerning minors. Addressing a conference on missing children, NHRC Chairperson Justice K G Balakrishnan said the society should help law enforcement agencies in tackling the issue. "...Where are these missing children going? Either these children are being used by anti-social groups or organ rackets. Are they alive? Some children were found in extreme traumatic conditions. All...

-Pratirodh Bureau With the mercury plummeting, thousands of homeless people continue to bear the harsh winter in the absence of sufficient night shelters in Jaipur city.   A survey released by the People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), which voluntarily monitors the condition of night shelters, claims that 40% of these shelters have improper bedding facility. Also, many poor are still spending night in the open due to sufficient shelters.   Here is the survey...