The lone Indian activist on the 2011 TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, Aruna Roy has been more successful than most, when it comes to getting the government’s attention. The Chennai-born former bureaucrat who was an instrumental force behind the revolutionary Right to Information Act has also been credited by the government for “incorporating strong citizen entitlements” in the ambitious National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). A constant...
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A Real Priority by Bhaskar Dutta
The Union government has tabled two bills in the Lok Sabha in the last week of the winter session. Since one of them is the Lok Pal bill, it has hijacked virtually all the public attention. This is a pity for two reasons. First, there is considerable doubt whether the Lok Pal bill — in any form — can really be the magic solution that Team Anna would like us...
More »Record grain output in 2011 facilitates Bill
-PTI The agriculture sector performed exceedingly well in 2011, with record grain production of over 240 million tonnes giving enough leeway for the government to lift a ban on exports of wheat and non-basmati rice and introduce the food security bill in Parliament. Farmers’ long-standing demand for crop loans at a 4% rate of interest was met during the year, although with a rider that the facility would be available to...
More »Bombay HC experience to serve well for Team Anna that never took no for an answer by Dhananjay Mahapatra
India Against Corruption' spearheaded by Anna Hazare achieved spectacular success in harnessing public anger against corruption and converted it into perceived movement to drive home the seriousness behind their demand for Lokpal. Anna's 97-hour-long fast at Jantar Mantar in April forced the polity and political parties to admit the need for urgent legislative measures to assuage the public, who had now found a perfect icon in Anna to vent their frustration...
More »Team Anna questions Standing Committee's credibility
-PTI Two days ahead of Anna Hazare's fast for a strong Lok Pal Bill, his team today stepped up attack on government questioning the "credibility" of the Standing Committee report on the issue saying it has only the support of 12 members. Team Anna also said they will oppose "tooth and nail" the Standing Committee proposals on the ombudsman which they claimed is taking the anti-corruption systems in the country two steps...
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