-The Times of India   Honey, they've shrunk the city. Recently released census data shows that between 2001 and 2011, population in Mumbai, Kolkata and two inner districts of Delhi declined, while in Hyderabad and Chennai only a small increase took place. But surrounding regions of these cities showed phenomenal growth indicating a shifting center of gravity in metropolises. DecliNINg populations in some of the metropolises is notable though unsurprising. These cities are...

-The Hindustan Times The government\'s first budget is likely to signal the new administration\'s intention of reforming India\'s fuel pricing regime with monthly hikes of Rs. 10 per cylinder of cooking gas (LPG). Each household will, however, continue to be entitled to 12 subsidised cylinders a year. Currently, a subsidised LPG cylinder costs Rs. 414 in Delhi while the market price - which consumers pay for any demand beyond the quota -...

-PSainath.org   The adivasi women of Edamalakudi, Kerala's remotest panchayat, have formed a headload workers' group, helped light up their villages with solar power, and practice group farming in wild elephant territory. All are Muthavan tribals. Almost all are members of Kerala's extraordinary anti-poverty and gender justice movement - Kudumbashree. They are also neighbours of Chinnathambi, the keeper of the Wilderness Library. When 60 women in Edamalakudi carried about a hundred solar...

-Down to Earth   The Gram Nyayalaya Act was passed in 2008 to make the judicial process participatory, inexpensive and accessible to rural India. But rural courts are still few and far between When a mobile court visited Luhari village in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district a year ago, it was a blessing for people like Birsan Singh. A tea vendor, Birsan would lose his daily income whenever he had to attend court. He...

-The Times of India   MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government is still sitting on scams involving losses of around Rs 4,500 crore of public money, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed. In its report released on Saturday, the CAG has pointed out that state departments had failed to explain and audit queries/observations involving the around Rs 4,500 crore-loss of the public exchequer.   According to the CAG, by June 2013, there were 4,760...