-Scroll.in Mining companies stand to benefit from one of the amendments being pushed through without proper public consultation. India’s mining law enables the government to recover 100% of the value of minerals extracted illegally. Based on this provision, in August 2017, the Supreme Court of India ordered the recovery of Rs 17,576 crore from mining companies that had extracted iron ore and manganese in Odisha in violation of environmental laws. If the Modi...

-The Hindu The World Bank’s decision to halt its annual ‘Doing Business’ report on data authenticity issues has major implications On Thursday, the World Bank halted its annual publication, ‘Doing Business’ report, as it detected irregularities of data for a few countries. A World Bank Press release of August 27 said: “The integrity and impartiality of our data and analysis is paramount and so we are immediately taking the following actions. We...

-The Indian Express Nearly 30 years ago, the Lalu Prasad government in Bihar introduced the step of menstrual leave for working women — revolutionary both for the state (which lags on most Development indices), and for its time (when women formed a small portion of working staff). Zomato’s decision to grant menstrual leave to its women employees has sparked a polarised discussion on whether such a policy will sow seeds of discrimination...

-The Pioneer Ranchi (Jharkhand): The employees engaged under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) continued their pen down strike on 29th day in the State. Around 5000 MGNREGA workers are on strike demanding regularization of the services and better pay package. State Rural Development minister Alamgir Alam who is presently home quarantine after some of his cabinet colleagues tested corona positive, on several occasions had urged the workers to return...

-Livemint.com/ howindialives.com The recovery of India’s foreign trade from the pandemic is patchy. But it’s better in exports than in imports On 15 Aug, standing on the Red Fort ramparts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his government’s economic vision of self-sufficiency, adding that India would aim to become the supplier to the world. A day earlier, India had reported its latest trade numbers, and for the second successive month, India’s goods exports...