Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar on Saturday dismissed the possibility of free foodgrains distribution. “The government already spends Rs. 66,000 crore on foodgrains subsidy. We buy wheat from farmers at Rs. 15 a kg, but sell it to the Antyodaya population at Rs. 2 a kg. How can we sell any cheaper than that?” He was speaking at a meeting of the Maharashtra Pradesh Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Free distribution of foodgrains...

NEW DELHI: Thousands of farmers from western Uttar Pradesh descended on the capital on Thursday and blocked all key roads leading to Parliament. They were protesting against the Mayawati government for carrying out land acquisition for the Yamuna Expressway project. Though traffic movement in central Delhi areas was affected for a few hours, the protest was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported. Traffic movement was affected at Rajghat, Jawaharlal Nehru...

Thousands of farmers from western Uttar Pradesh descended on the capital on Thursday and blocked all key roads leading to Parliament. They were protesting against the Mayawati government for carrying out land acquisition for the Yamuna Expressway project. Though traffic movement in central Delhi areas was affected for a few hours, the protest was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported. Traffic movement was affected at Rajghat, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg,...

In the five years of the Right to Information Act, activists who use it have faced reprisal across the country. OCTOBER 2010 marks the fifth anniversary of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The Act and its implementation have been described in both administrative circles and civil society as “revolutionary” , “a blow for transparency”, “a check on corrupt practices” and “a people's intervention tool with tremendous impact”. Social activists and...

Sunita Laxman Jadhav is a door-to-door saleswoman who sells waiting. She sweeps along muddy village lanes in her nurse’s white sari, calling on newly married couples with an unblushing proposition: Wait two years before getting pregnant, and the government will thank you. It also will pay you. “I want to tell you about our honeymoon package,” began Ms. Jadhav, an auxiliary nurse, during a recent house call on a new bride in...