Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made a strong pitch for bringing to an end the policy of implementing Centrally-sponsored schemes in states, saying the Centre should confine itself to broad policy making. "You (Centre) develop policy and broad roadmap. Leave the decision on schemes for states. Stop Centrally-sponsored schemes. You give us task...you decide a target and help and monitor us but why going into minute details?," Kumar asked. Speaking at a...

Food security scenario has been very grim in Orissa. It is getting grimmer day-by-day, thanks to the high food price inflation on the one hand and climatic aberrations like droughts, floods or untimely rains on the other. These extremes hurt the State most, as it has the maximum poor populace in the country. Data details the enormity. Around 9 per cent households face grave food security in the State. The proportion...

Record high food prices are putting added pressure on the United Nations agency that helps feed nearly 100 million of the world’s poorest people, with officials warning of a potential “perfect storm” combination of soaring costs, weather emergencies and political instability. “We are on red alert and we are continually assessing needs and reassessing plans and stand ready to assist,” UN World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Josette Sheeran told the...

Members of eight major central trade unions and independent workers'/employees' federations will march to Parliament on February 23 to protest against what they call the “indifferent and don't care attitude” of the Manmohan Singh government to the “steep rise in the prices of essential commodities, rampant violation in implementation of labour laws, plight of unorganised workers, and reckless contractorisation of employees.” The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), trade union wing...

I was awakened early one morning recently by someone who said he was enormously enjoying my on-going debate on economic growth in India. I was very pleased that I had given someone some joy, but I also wondered what on earth he could be talking about, since I have not been involved in any such debate. As it happens, I am getting a steady stream of telephone calls and electronic...