The recent Cabinet nod to the National Food Security Bill triggered a flurry of criticism in the mainstream media, focusing mainly on the financial implications. The cost of the Bill obviously needs careful scrutiny and public debate, but it’s a little sad to see so much concern with the cost, and so little interest in what the Bill can do to improve people’s lives. The barrage of attacks was predictable —...

-PTI   Kerala High Court stayed the government decision to takeover about 85.21 acres of tribal land occupied by Suzlon Energy Ltd at ecologically sensitive Attapady hills in Palakkad district.  The order was issued by Justice P N Ravindran while admitting a writ petition by Suzlon challenging the government decision to takeover the land, allegedly belonging to the tribals, and the two wind mills set up in the land.  According to the company, resumption...

-The Times of India   Ignoring objections raised by theBoard of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the government said there were reasonable grounds for bringing the organisation under the Right to Information Act. In a seven-page written statement submitted before the Central Information Commission, thesports ministry said although there was no direct funding of BCCI, it got "substantial indirect funding" from the government in the form of revenue foregone like "concessions...

Foreign direct investment in education has been stuttering in India more than a decade after it was allowed, apparently because education is a not-for-profit sector where surplus revenue has to be ploughed back into expanding the institution. India’s education sector has witnessed significant expansion since the government approved FDI in April 2000, thus providing a huge opportunity for investment. Yet FDI remained zero in the first three years, increased till 2008-09...

-PTI The government has finally accepted the resignation of Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), almost six years after he quit the job. The acceptance of resignation came 45 days after Kejriwal deposited over Rs 9 lakh as dues to settle the issue. "The government has finally accepted my resignation from the Income Tax Department. I received the letter today," Kejriwal told PTI. He had quit the IRS...