-The Economic Times A couple of months ago, the UPA government cleared Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail. It is a politically risky step. But for once, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh showed both spine and spunk biting the bullet. Since then, both Left parties and the BJP have expressed serious reservations over the decision. The general view is that it will affect the lakhs of small, indigenous kirana stores spread across...
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People’s Assembly puts forward a manifesto of demands
-Tehelka On its fifth and the last day, the Assembly demands recognition of ASHA and aanganwadi workers as govt employees The People’s Assembly being held at Jantar Mantar concluded on Friday 30 November with the release of a draft preliminary manifesto. The manifesto consists of resolutions adopted by the Assembly on issues like health, education, land acquisition and Lokpal Bill, among others. “We will intensify our demands with the People’s Manifesto and...
More »The quiet grip of caste -Jean Drèze
-The Hindustan Times Some time ago I visited a dalit hamlet in Rewa district. It was hemmed in on all sides by the fields of upper-caste farmers, who refused to allow any approach road to reach the hamlet. There were short roads inside the hamlet, but they stopped abruptly at the edge of it. The hamlet felt like an island, surrounded by hostile territory. I wondered whether any other country still...
More »dalits, caste Hindus clash in Cuddalore
-The Indian Express Tension prevailed in Cuddalore district on Tuesday after members of a Scheduled Caste Community and caste Hindus clashed this morning. A few huts of dalit families were ransacked and set on fire. Police said trouble began when a girl belonging to a Hindu community was allegedly taunted by a dalit youth in Pacharapalayam village in Cuddalore. The girl’s relatives and others took on the dalit families in the area...
More »Bihar govt to probe in misuse of Rs 5,900-cr NREGA funds
-Rediff.com Bihar Rural Development Minister Nitish Mishra on Monday ordered an inquiry into the allegations that nearly 73 per cent of the funds allotted for implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in 38 districts of Bihar, between 2006 and 2012, have been embezzled by authorities "The department will inquire into the corruption and will conduct physical verification of all facts related to the scheme," Mishra said. The Bihar government...
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