-The Hindu   In a bid to break the impasse over foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, the government made a vain attempt on Wednesday night to persuade the Opposition to tone down the wording of its motion. But it was told in categorical terms that the demand for a rollback of the decision was non-negotiable. The Opposition stance was conveyed by the Working President of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and...

-Express News Service   The Sonia Gandhi-chaired National Advisory Council (NAC) on Tuesday asked a working group under it to work out implementation mechanisms and financial implications of a comprehensive social security package to make the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 more inclusive. The direction came during a meeting where a working group on ‘Social Security for Unorganized Workers’ presented its draft suggestions for a “comprehensive social security package, that includes Health...

-The Telegraph   The Sonia-Gandhi headed National Advisory Council will prod the government to bring a law to protect unorganised retail sector workers as it brings foreign direct investment into multi-brand retail. Sonia, the council chairperson and the Congress chief, showed the green flag to the government on FDI in retail. The NAC in 2005 had drafted the unorganised sector workers’ social security bill that proposed a national authority to oversee the implementation of...

The High Level Expert Group on Universal Health Coverage for India on Sunday held a brainstorming session here to address concerns raised by the World Bank over some of the recommendations in its report for the 12th Five Year Plan. Among the issues raised were marginalisation of the private sector and the “elimination of intermediation by insurance companies.” The expert group, which will revert to the Planning Commission on Monday with...

The Planning Commission has received a sweeping set of recommendations that proposes free health care and medicines for diverse needs to all Indian citizens, irrespective of economic means. Whether or to what extent the proposals — described as “even bigger” than the UPA’s blockbuster job scheme — will be accepted will depend on the political and executive leadership. If the government throws its weight behind the initiative, it will effectively mean...