-The Telegraph A jump in the Centre's annual social welfare spending from Rs 7,500 crore in 1991 to Rs 3 lakh crore now has failed to make much difference on the ground because panchayati raj institutions are being kept away from implementation of the schemes, a committee has found. The committee headed by senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, in its report released on the eve of National Panchayat Day, pitched for...

The man selected by the Maoist captors of Chhattisgarh collector Alex Paul Menon to mediate with the government today said the abduction was part of a “war” over resources but voiced hope that the officer would be freed. “The abduction is situational, it depends on what is happening there,” B.D. Sharma said, drawing attention to what the rebels brand as state-sponsored atrocities on tribals. The comments, four days after the rebels snatched...

BHOPAL: In the midst of a hostage crisis, Chhattisgarh government has proposed names of two retired IAS officers S K Mishra and Mrs Nirmala Buch as mediators to negotiate with the Maoists for the safe release of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon, who is in rebel captivity since April 21.  Chief Minister Raman Singh told reporters in Raipur "We have proposed the names of Mishra and Mrs Buch as mediators....

Madhya Pradesh is betting cash incentives will curb population growth and improve the ‘life cycle’ of the girl child, but experts question the efficacy of such policies in addressing deep-rooted social prejudices Visitors trudging down the dusty village road are greeted by a giant billboard featuring a smiling Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, hugging two young girls. The tagline in Hindi reads: Gaon ki beti, kisse chhoti...