-The Indian Express   Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh Friday hinted at introducing the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Bill, 2011, in the current session of Parliament by cutting short the period of public consultation on it. “The revised draft Bill was sent for inter-ministerial consultation on August 12. I hope to get Cabinet approval by the first week of September,” he said, hoping to introduce the Bill in the current...

The country’s first legislation on land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement is out as a first draft. Here is a sharp critique of the bill THE GOVERNMENT has made public the new Draft National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation & Resettlement Bill, 2011, which FW has run in these columns over three days. This is what I think of it. In terms of the definition of public purpose, the Bill is more colonial...

Vicky Nanjappa goes through Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde's explosive report on illegal mining in the state and reveals damning figures of corruption. A jaw-dropping Rs 12,228 crore worth of iron ore was illegally exported in a a span of four years (2006-2010), says Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santhosh Hegde in his report released a couple of days back which led to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's exit. According to the report, which...

-The Indian Express   More than a month after senior Congress leader Vidya Stokes raised her concerns about apples from the state receiving a severe beating in Indian markets, following bulk imPorts from foreign countries, especially China, Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta admitted that China has dumped its apples at some Ports, including Kolkata and Mumbai. Its arrival at the time when the home produce has just hit the market has created an...

After sliding a mile backward into a morass, Karnataka'smining sector has just been shoved a metre forward. Since it has taken an almighty effort by the judiciary and a quasi-judicial body, the Lokayukta, to accomplish even this much, what hope is there for a sector that is vital for Karnataka's and India'sindustrial development?? Will the sector - represented by mining firms, traders, transporters, government agencies - slide back deep into...