-The Times of India KAYAD, AJMER: Minutes before election dates were announced and the model code of conduct kicked in, CM Vasundhara Raje announced free power to farmers in rural areas in her address at the ‘Vijay Sankalp Sabha’, where the PM also launched his campaign. Her announcement came around 2 pm, just an hour before Election Commission announced the date for the election. The EC had earlier scheduled its announcement for...

-The Telegraph Centre hikes pay, still trails many states New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government on Tuesday decided to increase the honorarium the Centre pays anganwadi workers and accredited social health activists besides those working as auxiliary nurse midwives in a move trade unions saw as an election-eve SOP to cap brewing discontent. The unions have been demanding the regularisation of these workers and helpers who last got a hike in 2011. State governments...

-Down to Earth Can pre-poll SOPs like giving smart phones with internet connectivity to farmers increase farm income? Last week, thousands of farmers and agricultural workers poured into the National Capital to attract and focus the attention of the Central government to their demands. The Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Rally, organised by farmers’ organization, All India Kisan Sabha, and the All India Agriculture Workers Union, broke all records as far as crowd numbers...

-The Hindu Amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act aim to limit overzealousness of enforcement agencies, but they raise important concerns too It is unfortunate that India has not been able to shed the image of a highly corrupt nation even after seven decades of Independence. The average Indian believes that he cannot get even the basic services to which he is entitled under the law without greasing the palms of one...

-The Hindu The outgoing CEA also batted for the lateral entry of talent into the government The compensation payable to the States for revenue loss arising due to GST is just ?5,000 crore, far lower than was estimated, according to Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian. In a candid interview to The Hindu, the outgoing CEA also batted for the lateral entry of talent into the government, saying that it was a “no brainer”...