-The Indian Express In all its versions, the food security bill places an unbearable fiscal burden, further distorts agriculture The design of policy in the revised version of the food security law proposed by the food ministry — cabinet approval for which was deferred on Monday — will make a bad idea worse. It is even less concerned about the imperatives of fiscal sustainability and the needs of the Indian population. Providing...

-The Hindu In a small town in Karnataka, government-school students are working to ensure that their schools meet the infrastructure norms of the RTE Act. Can this model be replicated elsewhere in the country? Kishore Mahadevaiah, a Std VII student, is describing his ideal school. “The school should be very clean and neat. In every class, there should be teaching and learning materials and sports materials and qualified teachers. And there should...

-The Telegraph A government panel has recommended mandatory registration of all lease agreements and power of attorney documents to ensure revenue augmentation. At present, only lease agreements for a year and more need to be compulsorily registered. Registration of power of attorney documents is optional. If the proposal is accepted, it will mean that some of the ubiquitous 11-month rent agreements will lose their sheen. Some landlords prefer the 11-month tenure as registration...

-The Indian Express Forest clearance has been given to another mining project in Saranda forest, until recently a Naxal stronghold and part of core area of Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand. A month after the Environment Ministry’s Forest Advisory Committee gave the go-ahead for diversion of 500 hectares of forest land to Jindal Steel & Power Ltd for iron ore mining in fresh unbroken forest land, it has given clearance to SAIL...

-The Hindustan Times The government seems to have tied itself in a knot over its proposed move to reduce the age of consent for sex from 18 to 16 years in the new criminal laws (amendment) bill that will replace the February 3 ordinance on rape laws. The draft bill incorporating the fresh changes is likely to come up for cabinet approval this week. Sources said the women and child development (WCD) ministry...