Recent events in south Asia have led to an unexpected reversal in the narrative of microfinance, long presented as a development success. Despite charges of poor treatment of clients, exaggeration of the impact on the poorest as well as the risks of credit bubbles, the sector can play a non-negligible role in reaching financial services to low-income households. In regulating the sector, there is need for caution in setting interest...
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IPS officers failing to submit IPRs to be denied promotion
-PTI Toughening its stand on IPS officers who fail to submit their immovable property returns (IPRs) by January 31, next year, government has decided to deny promotion to them. The decision to deny vigilance clearance to those IPS officers who do not submit their IPRs has been taken by the home ministry after it was found that the property returns of 713 officers for the year 2010 (as on 1.1.2011) had not...
More »Scourge sting puts govt on toes by Sumi Sukanya
The state government has finally swung into action to fight the outbreak of encepha-litis, but not before the death of 85 children. Health department principal secretary Amarjeet Sinha today said plans were afoot to set up paediatric Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANNMCH), Gaya and Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), Muzaffarpur in the wake of the huge number of suspected Japanese encephalitis...
More »Reforming the Press Council by AG Noorani
The new Chairman of the Press Council of India, Markandey Katju, wants to make it an instrument of mediation in addition to adjudication. THE appointment of Justice Markandey Katju, a former judge of the Supreme Court, as Chairman of the Press Council of India is about the best thing that has happened to that body in a long while. It is no exaggeration to say that the PCI commands little prestige...
More »State tests ground to tweak land clause by Sreecheta Das
The Mamata Banerjee government has begun to explore the possibility of modifying a land-ceiling clause to accommodate some concerns of industry. If the proposals are accepted, more industries will be exempt from the land-ceiling rule and transfer of land acquired for setting up industry would be allowed without diluting the new government’s hands-off policy. The land and land reforms department has sent a letter to four departments — commerce and industries, urban...
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