-The Indian Express In a chapter titled “Grave Concerns”, the report, seen by The Sunday Express, lists specific complaints by inmates. Here are excerpts from the report. Muzaffarpur/ Patna: Citing sexual exploitation at six short stay homes, physical abuse at 14 shelters, bathrooms with no latches, and inmates being “always locked up”, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), in its report to the Bihar government, said abuse is “prevalent in almost...

-The Hindu Business Line Tested across AP, this technique, though devoid of chemicals, has helped boost productivity and cut production costs In the last fortnight, two announcements to revive the sagging farm sector evoked differing responses. While the announcement by the government to hike minimum support price for selected crops generated political noise, a more nuanced approach by NITI Aayog seeking State governments’ support in reducing cost of crop production was...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre and nine states, including Bengal, to file affidavits within four weeks stating by when they would fill their vacant posts of information commissioners and, in some cases, even chief information commissioners. The bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and Ashok Bhushan were hearing a petition from RTI activist Anjali Bharadwaj, who cited four vacancies in the Central Information Commission and many...

-Press statement by Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan (DRRAA) dated 27th July, 2018   The Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan (DRRAA) is shocked and saddened by the news of the deaths of 3 minor girls in Mandawali, East Delhi due to starvation. As per media reports, the post mortem has confirmed that the children aged 2, 4 and 8 died of starvation. While further details about the circumstances are awaited and the...

-Firstpost.com The recent increases in minimum support prices have attracted two criticisms from two opposite sides. One is that this is less than what farmers deserve, the second is that this is populist and ignores larger macro side effects. The increase in fair remunerative price for sugarcane has also been criticised for not adequately addressing the woes of the sugar sector. Ramesh Chand, member, agriculture, NITI Aayog talks to Firstpost on...