-The Hindu PSUs fare better; only 16 corporates, big and small, have shown some interest in the endeavour. The Narendra Modi government has been facing accusations of being “corporate-friendly,” but it seems to be a one-way street when it comes to the corporates loosening their purse strings to contribute to the Swachh Vidyalaya (Clean School) campaign. According to the progress report card of the Swachh Vidyalaya, Swachh Bharat (Clean School, Clean India) campaign,...

-The Hindu Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey speak about the MKSS experience and their campaign for citizen-centric accountability. The Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan was founded in Bhim on May 1, 1990 with the aim of organising people at the grassroots. By addressing issues of minimum wage and land and reading out official records, thereby exposing the enormous corruption in the system, it mobilised peasants and workers in rural Rajasthan. A dharna held...

Due to delay in the appointment of Chief Information Commissioner, the number of pending cases at the Central Information Commission (CIC) have gone up by nearly 1/3rd during the last 9 months. As per information furnished by the website of CIC (accessed on 29 May, 2015), the number of pending cases for disposal was 29,937 as on 22 August 2014, which after 9 months increased to 39,464 as on 22 May,...

-PTI MUMBAI: Although India is set to become water scarce country by 2025 due to demand-supply mis-match, the water sector is expected to see investment of USD 13 billion from overseas players in the next few years, a new study has said. "India's demand for water is expected to exceed all current sources of supply and the country is set to become water scarce country by 2025. "With increasing household income and increasing...

-The Times of India BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa State Pollution Control Board on Sunday decided to seal 60 hotels in Puri for allegedly violating pollution norms laid down by the National Green Tribunal. OSPCB regional officer (Bhubaneswar) Hadibandhu Panigrahi said the board was asked by the NGT to slap closure notice on the hotels on May 5. "Despite repeated reminders, the hotels have not applied for the mandatory 'consent to operate' (CTO)," he...