-The Telegraph Calcutta: A young man who flew in from Delhi for 16 hours just to cast his vote has provided a clue why Bengal has recorded the highest number of votes under the NOTA (none of the above) option among the five poll-bound states. The man in his 30s, who works with a global watchmaker, said he spent Rs 20,000 on air tickets to cast a NOTA vote because not one...
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Decisions of the people, by the people, for the people -Ashish Kothari
-The Hindu People’s objections, from Chhattisgarh to Odisha, against large development projects have brought out the real power of the Forest Rights Act of 2006. Democracy is alive and kicking in India. No, I am not referring to the Assembly elections. It is unfortunate that the term democracy has been reduced to the drama of periodic elections and the subsequent reliance of the electorate on politicians and bureaucrats. When these powerful few...
More »Despite bumper crop, Punjab govt’s wheat procurement target may witness a fall -Anju Agnihotri Chaba & Rakhi Jagga
-The Indian Express Sale of crop in Haryana among reasons for missing 120 Lakh MT initial target by 10-12 lakh MT. Jalandhar: DESPITE EXCELLENT crop and increased yield in nine districts of the total 23, the Punjab government’s wheat procurement target may witness a fall of around 10-12 lakh metric tonnes from its initial target of 120 lakh metric tonnes (lmt), that is 12 million tonnes, this year. According to Punjab Mandi...
More »A drought of action -Jean Drèze
-The Hindu India has a lasting infrastructure of public support that can, in principle, be expanded in drought years to provide relief. But business as usual seems to be the motto Droughts in India used to be times of frantic relief activity. Large-scale public works were organised, often employing more than 1,00,000 workers in a single district. Food distribution was arranged for destitute persons who were unable to work. Arrangements were also...
More »From village cut off for 7 years, voters chorus ‘NOTA’ -Esha Roy
-The Indian Express The villagers’ ire is rooted in being isolated from the rest of the district for seven years. Tindharay: Fifty kilometres from Darjeeling town, roads snaking through tea-laden hills lead to Tindharay. It’s a nondescript village like many in the Darjeeling hills. But Sunday, as North Bengal voted, Tindharay did not do so — or at least not for any political party. The single polling booth in the village, located in...
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