-People's Democracy IT seems the Sheila Dixit government of Delhi, backed by powerful elements in the UPA-2 central government, will let nothing stand in the way of water privatisation in the capital. Several earlier attempts going back many years to fully or partially privatise distribution of water, especially the big loan application to the World Bank in 2005, were foiled by vigilant community organisations, public interest groups, trade unions and political...

-PTI As part of its efforts to improve lives of the weaker sections of society, Tripura has given land rights to more than one lakh tribal families under the landmark Schedule Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. Claiming this as 'unique' in the country, an official of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomus District Council said the government was making special efforts to improve lives of...

-Deccan Herald Complaints of discriminatory practices flood the task force The recently formed Right to Education (RTE) task force has received a barrage of complaints related to discriminatory practices by schools in the State. The task force was formed by the Karnataka Child Rights Observatory (KCRO) to redress grievances of parents and children admitted under RTE Act. The letters and calls received from parents and students so far have been an eye-opener for the task...

-The Hindustan Times Amid the din of the discordant notes in Parliament and outside on scams, a significant decision by the Union cabinet went almost unnoticed. Earlier this week, the Cabinet amended the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act (CLPRA), 1986, and renamed it as the Child and Adolescent Labour Prohibition Act (CALPA). When Parliament passes the important amendments, CALPA, along with the Right to Education (RTE) Act, it is likely...

-The Hindu The Planning Commission’s draft 12th Plan for health has attracted much debate and controversy. Critics have been quick to direct their attention at two issues in it — the proposed increase in government health spending from one per cent to 1.58 per cent of GDP, and the “managed care model.” The spending increase was rightly felt to be grossly inadequate to move India towards achieving universal health care. The...