If Rajiv Gandhi were alive, he would have been delighted to see his view on leakages confirmed by a research study on the public distribution system [How Can Food Subsidies Work Better? Answers from India and the Philippines by Shikha Jha and Bharat Ramaswami (http://www.adb.org/documents/working-papers/2010/economics-wp221.pdf)]. The ADB study showed that the deserving poor in India received only 10 per cent of the benefits from the system. Nearly twice accrues to...
More »SEARCH RESULT
‘Republic of Bellary’ set to lose its independence by Samar Halarnkar
For five years, they controlled the administration in impoverished Bellary, even flattened state boundary markers to excavate iron ore—while insisting they had no mining interests in Karnataka. Now, the reign of the rulers of the “Republic of Bellary”—as the unofficial influence of two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers and a milk federation chief, collectively called the Reddy brothers—appears to be at an end. As the Supreme Court on Friday banned all mining...
More »Another fast from Anna Hazare won't help the Lokpal, the country and civil society leaders by Saubhik Chakrabarti
Anna Hazare has called the cabinet-cleared version of theLokpal bill a "deceit on the nation". That kind of rhetoric pretty much indicates Anna and Co's future plans. If they stick to those kinds of plans (Jantar Mantar protest theatre redux), this group of prominent people would miss a great opportunity - the opportunity to demonstrate their maturity. Yes, the cabinet has cleared a Lokpal bill that differs in important respects with...
More »Tea firms see losses ahead as workers strike by Manish Basu
Two of India’s biggest tea companies, Goodricke Group Ltd and Duncans Industries Ltd, said they may plunge into losses as workers, backed by key political parties, agitate for more pay. The labour unions reject this contention. The two companies are the main plantation owners in West Bengal’s Dooars region and do not have too many gardens elsewhere. Between them they produce about 34 million kg of tea a year; Goodricke is...
More »RTI activists meet, resolve to form body
-The Indian Express A number of RTI activists from Gujarat on Sunday resolved to form an association to address their issues in the wake of the rising number of attacks on them. Around 50 RTI activists from , Surat, Kutiyana and Khambha organised a protest programme under the aegis of Citizens Resource and Actions Initiatives (CRANTI) near Lal Darjawa today. Among the participants were Bhikhu Jethava, father of RTI activist Amit Jethava,...
More »