-The Hindu     Imprecise estimates of slums in the 2011 census could affect welfare programmes for least privileged groups The recently published census 2011 report on housing stock, amenities and assets in slums, the first of its kind in the country, reassuringly announced that the number of urban slums has declined and the percentage of households in slums has dropped from 23.5 (2001) to 17.4. On the face of it, this reduction appears...

-PTI On the back foot over the chit fund scam in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress on Thursday raised questions over the role of a senior Chennai-based lawyer who happens to be wife of the Union finance minister. Sudipta Sen, chairman of the scandal-ridden Saradha group, who was arrested two days ago, has said in a purported letter to CBI that politicians, journalists and lawyers had blackmailed him and taken money assuring him...

-The Telegraph Since I belong to the Left, I know I am likely to be prejudiced against Mamata Banerjee. I try to guard against this prejudice. I try not to let my overall political stance colour my judgment of particular events associated with her. For the last several days, therefore, I have tried to ignore the attacks on Communist Party of India (Marxist) offices in West Bengal in the wake of the...

-Down to Earth Inadequate sewage treatment and disposal in the national capital territory is contaminating city's groundwater Delhi residents who depend on groundwater for their drinking water needs be warned. The latest data of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) shows that groundwater samples taken from observation wells in the national capital are getting contaminated because of their unhygienic catchments and untreated sewage, which is discharged in the open and into drains,...

-The Hindu "We are trying to strengthen the humint component " Amid indications of no major headway in last week's blast outside the State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Bangalore, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday again pushed for the controversial National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) that would strengthen intelligence set up of the States. "We are trying to strengthen the ‘humint' (human intelligence) component in our intelligence agencies. That will...