-The Economic Times The government is set to reintroduce the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha next Monday with two official amendments. The amendments include dropping the Lokayuktas chapter from the bill, resulting in change of its nomenclature to just 'Lokpal Bill', and simplifying the process for removal of chairperson and members of the Lokpal. The twin amendments to the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha last December, were...

-PTI Charging the government with showing apathy towards the grievances of farmers, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj on Saturday insisted that the proposed Food Security Bill should be formulated after discussing the issues with those involved in the agriculture sector. “Government wants to bring a Bill which aims to provide food security to the people. Then a person who does not get food can go to court. Such a...

A Delhi court has ordered a first information report (FIR) and criminal investigations into allegations that the agriculture ministry had allegedly paid trumped-up bills worth nearly Rs. 14 lakh as legal fees to its standing counsel. The court said there was evidence to suggest a nexus between the counsel and ministry officials to cause loss to “public exchequer” through “fraud” and “misappropriation of funds”. The complaint, moved by the All India Federation...

-The Economic Times The story of rotting foodgrains and hunger rocked the Lok Sabha yet again on Wednesday morning, prompting the government to say it was ready for consultations with political parties to find a long-term solution to the problem of storage facilities. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee gave this assurance when an angry Opposition sought greater availability of jute sacks for wheat before the monsoon. BJP and its ally JD(U) have been...

With the elderly likely to constitute a quarter of India's population by 2050, there is need for a publicly-funded, universal scheme that will overcome destitution among the aged India's social security system is woefully inadequate, when compared even to those in third world economies with no higher per capita incomes. Some States in India have fairly comprehensive social security schemes — notably Kerala, also West Bengal and Tamil Nadu — but...