Team Anna on Thursday echoed concerns raised by Aruna Roy-led National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) on the government's grievance redressal bill. Criticizing the structure for redressal created in the government bill as highly centralized that would collapse under the weight of complaints, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said the selection process was "faulty". Activists have suggested that complaints be dealt with at the district level itself. Under the current...

-The Telegraph   Sharad Pawar’s hometown Baramati was shut down today by farmers demanding higher remunerative prices for sugarcane. The protest by the farmers has sent a strong political message to the ruling Congress-NCP government. Baramati is the seat of Maharashtra’s powerful and influential sugar belt that controls the state politics. Shops and establishments were closed down as hundreds of sugarcane farmers camping here for the fourth consecutive day intensified their protest and organised rasta...

At BANCON (annual bankers' conference) 2011 in Chennai, financial institutions explored avenues for greater participation in agriculture and rural development. There are a few areas in need of additional attention and investment. Green Revolution technologies are scale-neutral but not resource-neutral. Inputs are needed for output; therefore market-purchased inputs become important in providing soil and plant healthcare for higher yields. Social scientists point out that small and marginal farmers will be excluded...

It has to be but a means to development, not an end in itself Is India doing marvellously well, or is it failing terribly? Depending on whom you speak to, you could pick up either of those answers with some frequency. One story, very popular among a minority but a large enough group—of Indians who are doing very well (and among the media that cater largely to them)—runs something like...

-The Hindu   Demanding that the government engage in a dialogue with Irom Sharmila who has been on a Hunger strike since 11 years demanding repealing of AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), many civil rights groups, activists and student groups on Friday evening held a protest march at the Marine Drive here as a part of the ‘Irom Sharmila Solidarity Campaign'. “She [Irom Sharmila] is the symbol of non-violence. You [the government]...