-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: As polls to five state assemblies draw near, cash counters in political parties can look forward to a busy period if historical patterns are anything to go by. An analysis of donations shows that national parties typically collect more than 100 crore each during such periods. According to the data from think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms, six parties together received almost 2,500 crore in donations at the time...

-Outlook New Delhi: To ensure success of its new food laws, government today allowed construction of intermediary godowns under employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA and has allocated Rs 450 crore for creating 15 lakh tonne of storage capacity across the country by March-end. The decision has been taken in view of slow progress in the construction of intermediary godowns by state governments at a time when the government is in a hurry to...

-India Today   The UPA government and the Congress leadership might be patting themselves on the back talking big about the recently passed Food Security Bill, but their promises look far from delivery given the existing state of Public Distribution System (PDS). In a sting operation carried out by Headlines Today special investigation team, hidden cameras caught the pilferage of grain meant for distribution among the national capital's poor people under the PDS....

-The Indian Express Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat - all ruled by non-Congress parties - will be the biggest beneficiaries of the new food security Act, according to data made available to Congress spokespersons for propagation. Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Jharkhand will be the next biggest beneficiaries. The Act passed last month promises subsidised food grains and is touted as the big ticket reform measure by the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha...

-Outlook The faecal matter hits the rotary blades, politically-but we're still staring at a sanitation disaster "Indians defecate everywhere. They defecate mostly besides the railway tracks. But they also defecate on the beaches; they defecate on the hills; they defecate on the river banks; they defecate on the streets; they never look for cover." -V.S. Naipaul An Area of Darkness, 1964 Not...