-The Telegraph Rights Activists say the provisions can be used to suppress dissent and intimidate political protesters New Delhi: The Centre on Monday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that authorises law-enforcing agencies to collect a wide spectrum of physical and biological samples from people convicted, arrested or merely held in preventive detention, without having to seek a magistrate’s permission. Rights Activists said the provisions could be used to suppress dissent and...

-The Telegraph The social audits take note of issues such as the card holders’ grievances and whether projects have been completed correctly The Centre has linked approval for the states’ rural job scheme budgets to their performance on certain transparency measures, hanging a cloud over funds release under the programme from April 1. The Union rural development ministry on Tuesday wrote to all the states seeking information by Wednesday on the social audits...

-The Hindu Activist of RSV and HRF make field visit for two days Hyderabad: Some 20 chilli farmers had ended their lives in the last two months in Mahabubabad district alone unable to come out of the debt trap, claims a report. The condition of the families of the farmers who had committed suicide is so pathetic that they do not know what to do and where to go. These facts came to...

-Down to Earth The Kala Talab has been filled with fly ash and soil to build residential colonies in the east Rajasthan city on the Chambal, resulting in crocodile deaths Some 50 mugger crocodiles have died in the last one month in a prominent waterbody of Rajasthan’s Kota city as a result of it being filled up for developmental activities, locals and wildlife Activists have alleged. The Kala Talab (‘black pool’) is connected...

-Deccan Chronicle The report revealed that 24 lakh tenant farmers existed in the State while the agriculture department put the figure at 16 lakh Vijayawada: The situation of tenant farmers in Andhra Pradesh is in a dire situation with only 9.6 per cent receiving Crop Cultivating Rights Cards and only three per cent landless tenant farmers getting Rythu Bharosa scheme, said a study conducted by Rythu Swarajya Vedika, which released a report...