The government has begun discussions with Dalit entrepreneurs on what can be done to promote business ventures set up by members of their community. As a part of its discussions with various groups before it finalizes the 12th Plan for 2012-17, the Planning Commission has sought suggestions from the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dicci), a business group, on what can be done to spur Dalit capitalism, how these...

The Supreme Court has paved the way for start of trial in the Palmolein oil import scam. CVC J Thomas is an accused in the case. The apex court disposed the petition filed by K Karunakaran after his death. With this the interim order staying the trial also becomes ineffective. K Karunakaran, who was four times chief minister of Kerala, died in December last year. The case relates to the alleged loss of...

When Manmohan Singh wrote to the Sonia Gandhi-led NAC on December 31, rejecting its recommendations to increase minimum wages paid under the NREGS, he had referred to a “consensual view” that emerged from ministries involved. Gandhi had written to the PM in November that workers under NREGS were being paid less than the minimum wage  in some states. “This is a totally unacceptable situation and needs to be corrected at...

A Supreme Court judgment projects the historical thesis that India is largely a country of old immigrants and that pre-Dravidian aborigines, ancestors of the present Adivasis, rather than Dravidians, were the original inhabitants of India. If North America is predominantly made up of new immigrants, India is largely a country of old immigrants, which explains its tremendous diversity. It follows that tolerance and equal respect for all communities and sects are...

Differences within the ruling government alliance over food management came to the fore on Tuesday with home minister P Chidambaram questioning agriculture minister Sharad Pawar's pitch for resuming export of sugar. A meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss measures to calm soaring food prices saw sugar become a key focus area with Pawar plumping for freeing its export, citing an expected bumper crop this year. As soon...