-The Hindustan Times   A year after its implementation, students and parents from the economically weaker sections of society are still finding it tough to use the Right to Education Act (RTE) effectively. Instances of alleged expulsion, mental harassment and misbehaviour have been reported by students and parents from different corners of the city against some private un-Aided schools. In one incident, a Class III student, Sidhartha (name changed), an economically weaker section...

Any new system for the socio-economic progress of Dalits and other vulnerable sections must not lose sight of Special Component Plan goals. THE Planning Commission's “Approach to the 12th Five Year Plan” deals with the Scheduled Castes (S.C.s) briefly in a portion of Chapter 11 titled “Social and Regional Equity”. It, however, significantly mentions the need to devise a new system that can overcome the difficulties experienced with regard to the...

-The Hindu   A robust new law to regulate mining in India is overdue. The proposed Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill, 2011 is the central government's response to a full-blown crisis in the sector. There are several serious issues that the legislation promises to address, such as sharing of profits with project-affected people, environmental sustainability, competitive bidding to improve returns to States, and transparency in grant of permits. A major...

-The Times of India   The Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Bill, cleared by the cabinet last week, signals that the government`s heart is in the right place. Under its provisions, coal firms must share 26% of their net profits with project area residents, while non-coal miners will have to provide them a sum equal to royalty pAid to state governments. No system is in place at present to properly compensate...

-DNA   Shetkari Sanghatana (SS), along with Prahar and Kisan Mitra, has organised a rally from Amravati to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan’s native place, Kumbhargaon in Satara district, to voice the demands of farmers in the state. The rally will start on October 23 and reach Kumbhargaon on October 27. The campaign aims to awaken the state government to the deteriorating status of farmers in Maharashtra, pressurise it to fulfill the demands of...