-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: It is not only the opposition parties but cooking gas distributors also want the UPA Government to delay the implementation of direct benefit transfer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) scheme. They fear there would be problems and errors in meeting the stiff timelines as authorities rush to transfer cash directly to the bank accounts of 14 crore consumers before general election next year. "The government is in...

The UPA Government’s proposed bid to amend the Right to Information (RTI) Act, in order to avoid compliance with the June 3 CIC order bringing records of political parties within RTI’s ambit, is sparking widespread citizen criticism and mobilisation. (Pl read the links below for more info on RTI and the bid to amend it)   An online petition put out by the National Campaign for the People’s Right to Information has...

-The Hindu Allahabad: With her legs crossed and hands folded, 10-year-old Shivani sits quietly on her bed at the Kamla Nehru Regional Cancer Centre's (RCC) Jawahar ward, named after the country's first Prime Minister. "I want to grow up to be a doctor. I like playing the doctor and using needles (injections)," she replied to this correspondent's query. Shivani's father Suresh Kesharwani, mother Bimla and elder brother Rohit (17) look on anxiously. Shivani...

-DNA UPA Government's credibility is in question as instead of approaching court to oppose the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) order bringing them under the ambit of the RTI Act, they decided to amend the Act itself, said activist Aruna Roy on Monday and asked government to hold wide ranging discussions before going ahead with their plan. Roy, who was also the member of Congress president Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council, said government's...

-Down to Earth Government claims a huge drop in poverty numbers but critical indicators-health, malnutrition and wages-continue to be grim. So how did the poor fare better? After a long, long time there was good news to splash as media led with the report of a record 21.9 per cent drop in poverty levels. The July 24 newspaper headlines were celebratory as they reported the Planning Commission's findings that poverty rates...