-The Hindustan Times Home secretary RK Singh has told a Parliamentary panel that the “lack of commitment” on part of some Naxal-affected states was a key problem in acting against the rebels. Singh did not take any names at the meeting of the House panel. Home minister P Chidambaram when asked about Singh's remarks; said he wasn't aware of what Singh had told the panel. But Singh did not make any secret...

With some States defaulting on payment of their share of funds for providing meals to children in government schools, adversely affecting the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the Centre has now asked all States to consider adopting Andhra Pradesh's model ‘Green Channel Scheme.' The A.P. model makes funds available throughout the year. “All States and Union Territories may take the lead from Andhra Pradesh and streamline the release of funds,”...

-The Telegraph The Supreme Court has thrown out a review petition by Dara Singh, who is serving a life term for the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons. “… we have carefully gone through the review petition and the connected papers. We find no merit in the review petition and the same is accordingly dismissed,” Justices P. Sathasivam and B.S. Chauhan said in their April 24...

The man selected by the Maoist captors of Chhattisgarh collector Alex Paul Menon to mediate with the government today said the abduction was part of a “war” over resources but voiced hope that the officer would be freed. “The abduction is situational, it depends on what is happening there,” B.D. Sharma said, drawing attention to what the rebels brand as state-sponsored atrocities on tribals. The comments, four days after the rebels snatched...

-The Telegraph Reclaimed from Maoists, the natural reserves of Saranda are up against unscrupulous adversaries. At least four mining firms have been extracting iron ore and manganese against their sanctioned capacities in this West Singhbhum region since 2008 right under the nose of the mines department and Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB). The startling fact came to light this January after the two laggard state offices replied to separate RTI petitions filed...