While the Karnataka government's decision to penalize officers if they delay services is laudable, the penalty itself is too low to act as a deterrent. For instance, an officer in Punjab is fined Rs 500 per day, if he exceeds the stipulated time in delivering service to a citizen, but an officer in Karnataka will be fined a meagre Rs 20 per day. The penalty amount is given to the...

-The Business Standard   The new grain pricing policy for 2012-13 rabi marketing season seems a half-hearted attempt to make farmers grow more oilseeds and pulses, which are in short supply. This is apparent from a hefty hike of Rs 650 to Rs 700 a quintal, or around 35 per cent, in the minimum support prices (MSPs) of oilseeds and pulses and a relatively modest increase of Rs 115, or 10 per...

The Centre is preparing to introduce its own version of the Lokpal bill following its assessment that Team Anna’s Jan Lokpal bill does not enjoy as widespread a support among experts as assumed initially. A Parliament standing committee is looking into the bill now. Not all the panel’s recommendations may be accepted but the government has taken heart from the developments during the committee’s talks with various groups. “We have interacted with...

-The Times of India   The compulsions of electoral politics makes political dispensations forget the past, and set out to 'right' the 'wrongs'. Punjab's SAD-BJP government has announced plans to observe the death anniversary of revolutionary poet Sant Ram Udasi at state level, who during his lifetime was subjected to brutal state repression, branded a Naxalite and slapped with cases of sedition. But, now 25 years after his passed away, the state is changing...

-PTI   Rice procurement stood at 9.04 million tonnes in the current kharif marketing season (October-September) so far. According to the official data, 90,46,356 tonnes of rice has been procured by various government agencies by November 4, 2011. Punjab has procured 69,56,290 tonnes, while Haryana and Tamil Nadu have procured 18,09,194 tonnes and 1,76,486 tonnes, respectively in the 2011-12 kharif season so far. Food Corporation of India (FCI), government's nodal procurement agency, along with other...