How do you quantify happiness in a diverse nation like ours? Growth levels, value-based structural changes, what can affect it? Life is Elsewhere?     Bhutan’s GNH: Based on the Buddhist doctrine of harmony with environment and fellow beings besides material comfort     UNDP Human Development Report: Ranks nations on quality of life—adjusted real income, life expectancy, education etc     World Values Survey: Started in 1995, it explores impact of social and political changes...

-The Telegraph   The Union cabinet today accepted a parliamentary panel’s suggestion that a fine of Rs 1 crore, not Rs 50 lakh, would deter institutions from charging capitation fees. The suggestion was part of a report the panel submitted on a proposed law to check unfair practices in universities and technical and medical institutions. The Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical Educational Institutions, Medical Educational Institutions and Universities Bill, 2010 — introduced in...

-IANS   The government on Wednesday said it is determined to pass the Lokpal bill as it unveiled its agenda for the winter session of parliament that includes a slew of anti-corruption Legislations apart from the ambitious food security bill. Apart from Lokpal, other anti-corruption bills slated for consideration and passing in the winter session include whistle blower protection bill and judicial standards and accountability bill. Talking to mediapersons, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar...

Information obtained under Right To Information Act is increasingly becoming the basis of public interest petitions seeking judicial redress of grievances. The Supreme Court on Monday disapproved of this modus operandi and said from now, it would not entertain PILs solely based on RTI information. "Petitioners banking on information obtained through RTI Act must approach the concerned ministry, bring the facts to its notice and demand justice. If the ministry does...

Several state governments have come out strongly against how the centre has planned the resource mobilisation for the national food security law, a key initiative of the UPA-II government. States including those ruled by the Congress party has complained to the Union food ministry that legal entitlements for subsidised grain to a large section of the population as envisaged in the Bill would put an enormous financial burden on them....