The central government claims that allowing foreign direct investment into India’s retail sector will benefit small farmers, expand employment and lower food inflation. What has been the experience in India with organised retail so far and what has been the global experience with FDI? Sukhpal Singh (sukhpal@iegindia.org) is currently at the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi. After being under relentless attack for a week, the United Progressiv Alliance government was forced to...

The wait to know whether your child's school admission is confirmed just got longer. Many city schools have put admission on hold, thanks to the confusion prevailing over some provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The landmark law, which guarantees every child education, has also made it mandatory for all schools, including private institutions, to set apart 25% of their seats for the under-privileged. Though it was passed in...

The most-debated aspect of the bill is its recommendation for substantial payouts to people living in mining areas, including a profit-sharing clause that seeks to have companies pay out 26% of their net profit The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) bill, which seeks to replace a decades-old mining law, has been introduced in the Lok Sabha, an official in Parliament said on Monday. The government has drafted the new bill...

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Bill, which seeks to replace a decades-old mining law, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, but may become law only by next year as a parliamentary committee is now expected to examine it over the next few months, a mines ministry official said. “The standing committee will be looking at the Bill. They might take two-three months to examine it,” said...

Tamil Nadu’s free laptop distribution scheme, involving what is said to be the largest government order for computing equipment in India, hangs in the balance as all but one vendor, hit by the hard disk shortage created by recent floods in Thailand, have refused to sign on to the state administration’s delivery schedule. “Out of six vendors only one has signed an agreement and we have given a purchase order,” an...