-The Times of India Environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan has overruled objections from her officials to break the forest bureaucracy's monopoly over the annual Rs 10,000 crore bamboo trade and declared it a 'minor forest produce' instead of a 'tree' under forest laws. This will allow tribals, instead of forest departments, to harvest and auction bamboo, which is one of the major raw materials for the paper, pulp and board industry, from their...

-The Hindustan Times The Jammu and Kashmir government’s fresh amendments have rendered the most successful institute of public transparency and accountability, state Right to Information Act, powerless, triggering sharp reactions from civil society and political parties.   Surprised state’s chief information commissioner G.R Sofi accused Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led government of making unnecessary changes to make state information commission (SIC) a “toothless body”.   “In first place, there was no reason to come up with...

-Greater Kashmir Srinagar, Aug 30: Jammu and Kashmir Government Thursday did away with the detailed Rules guiding the implementation of Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act- 2009. The move comes at a time when Jammu and Kashmir Government has been making repeated claims about ensuring transparency and accountability in governance by a strong RTI Act. The General Administration Department today notified new RTI Rules 2012 to replace RTI Rules 2010. The new...

-PTI The Punjab government today imposed a complete ban on "journalistic activities" undertaken by the teachers and other employees of state education department. The Government has categorically made it clear that strict disciplinary action would be initiated against such erring teachers and employees under the provisions of the Civil Service rules, an official release said here. The release said that journalistic activities by teachers or other education department employees would not be allowed...

-PTI Procedures for clinical trials in India will be further streamlined and a panel of experts set up to analyse the cause of injury or death and to recommend quantum of compensation to victims, the Government today said. Replying to a Calling Attention Motion on the issue in Rajya Sabha, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government proposed to strengthen the rules by incorporating certain new provisions soon. He...