-The Hindu But it has been offset by substantial increase in urban areas of the district Chennai: The population of the Scheduled Caste (SC) in the rural Kanyakumari district has witnessed a negative growth of 29.3 per cent, but it has been offset by a substantial increase of 35.3 per cent in the urban population. It is the only district in the State that has registered negative growth in rural SC population, as...

-The Hindu Madurai: Fast urbanisation, unmindful quarrying, real estate boom, fragmentation of land and agriculture becoming highly unreliable are some of the major reasons cited that have led to the reduction in area under cultivation in Madurai district. According to statistics available with the district administration, the net area cultivated in the district which was 1.48 lakh hectares in 2000-01 had come down to 1.36 lakh hectares in 2010-11. However, the number...

-PTI The Home Ministry has sought opinion of the state governments on the move to protect a threatened witness or any person involved in the justice system The government is mulling to introduce a Witness Protection programme based on best international models for guaranteeing anonymity to those who depose in courts against powerful accused in criminal cases. The Home Ministry has sought opinion of the state governments on the move to protect a...

-The Hindu Khunti (Jharkhand): On the night of April 30, worshippers in the Raja Rani temple in Naurhi village in Adki block near Ranchi were singing, chanting and celebrating the new temple in their village when a group of CPI (Maoists) entered the temple and shot Dilip Acharya, the oldest of the three brothers who built the temple, dead as he lay asleep on the floor. The men then addressed...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: Whistleblowers, victims, experts and witnesses testifying against or reporting private sector corruption have no cover under Indian laws, a United Nations' report on the country's compliance with the UN Convention Against Corruption has found. India had ratified the pact in May 2011. UN's Office on Drugs and Crime reviewed India's compliance with the aspects of the UNCAC that deal with curbing corruption in the private sector....