-The Hindu Mumbai: The Maharashtra government will seek a Rs. 4,300-crore financial assistance package from the Centre for providing succour to over 16,000 drought-affected villages, State Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Eknath Khadse said on Saturday. Mr. Khadse said a memorandum seeking funds, expected to benefit over 60 lakh farmers in the drought-affected region, would be sent to New Delhi on Sunday. The Minister, who had earlier declared over 14,708 villages drought-affected, said the...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The government is looking at taking rich households out of LPG subsidy scheme with the aim of freeing up resources to provide clean kitchen fuel to more poor families and ensure socially responsible use of public money. While no final decision has been taken yet, the issue has certainly emerged as a discussion point within the top levels of the government. "I humbly submit that the time...

-The Indian Express Since appointment of Dalit cook, 100 have left Kagganahalli school in Kolar. Kagganahalli (Karnataka): Every day Radhamma takes out a diary she is required to maintain as part of the mid-day meal scheme in government schools in Karnataka and writes four words, “No one ate today.” Every day for the past five months. Radhamma is a Scheduled Caste, and the condition that she not make food is the only way...

-The Times of India DEHRADUN: A performance audit report prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the 2013 Kedarnath flash floods, which was tabled in the Uttarakhand assembly session at Gairsain on Tuesday, squarely blames the state government of the time for being unprepared and failing to learn from previous natural disasters. The report raps the state government for its slow response which it says actually aggravated the disaster...

-The Hindu Despite its uneven history in India, decentralisation is vital to strengthen participatory democracy, facilitate responsive governance and enable public service delivery. Much has been written on decentralisation in India though, on the ground, there is very little to show despite the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments. The rationale for decentralisation comes from the need to strengthen participatory democracy, facilitate responsive governance, ensure greater accountability and enable public service delivery according to...