-The Indian Express Forest clearance has been given to another mining project in Saranda forest, until recently a Naxal stronghold and part of core area of Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand. A month after the Environment Ministry’s Forest Advisory Committee gave the go-ahead for diversion of 500 hectares of forest land to Jindal Steel & Power Ltd for iron ore mining in fresh unbroken forest land, it has given clearance to SAIL...

-Outlook The rot runs deep and cuts across states As expected, the farm loan waiver scam has hit the spotlight, with the Comptroller and Auditor General’s critical report being released in Parliament. Given the intense political grandstanding on display, many think this report (on the GAPs in the implementation and monitoring of the Rs 52,275-crore scheme) has the potential to be a major political embarrassment for the UPA ahead of the...

Introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011, the UPA government’s Food Security Bill is finally going to be discussed in the current (Budget) Session of Parliament. The proposed legislation is now slated to see many additional amendments from the government, following criticism from the States, NGOs and diverse stake-holders working on access to food and child health. Attempt here is to summarise in a Q & A format the...

-The Times of India A decade after a CAG audit revealed how a scheme to help infants and young children was failing, a fresh report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday says the number of malnourished children exceeds the 40% mark in 10 states as on March, 2011. The audit of the flagship Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) says 49% children in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar (82%), Haryana (43%), Jharkhand (40%), Odisha (50%), Rajasthan...

-DNA Funds meant for health and nutrition of children are being spent on procuring fax machines, photocopiers, gas stoves and cookers. Adding salt to injury is that all these gadgets are lying idle and rusting, due to lack of electricity, telephone lines and for want of gas connections. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) which audited the performance of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme worth Rs. 15,460 crore annuallyhas found shortfall...