Majority of the PAC members decline to sign it The fate of the report of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Goa Assembly headed by the Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar (BJP), which has reportedly indicted the government agencies and blamed the nexus of politicians in power and bureaucrats for illegal mining, will be decided by Speaker Pratapsinh Rane on Friday, the last day of the brief session of...
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How little can a person live on? by Utsa Patnaik
The Planning Commission's laughable estimates of the ‘poverty line' follow from a mistake in method that it made 30 years ago and has clung to ever since. The affidavit that the Planning Commission recently submitted before the Supreme Court stating that a person is to be considered ‘poor' only if his or her monthly spending is below Rs.781 (Rs.26 a day) in the rural areas and Rs.965 (Rs.32 a day) in...
More »Out of the bank, into the money-lender's trap by Yogesh Pawar
"Will you come in now?" screams 50-year-old Tanhibai Kale of Ganeshpur village in Jhari Jhamni tehsil of Yavatmal, the heart of Vidarbha's suicide country. LIGhtening streaks across the darkened skies, followed by loud thunder. Her drenched nine-year-old grandson Nandu comes in from the downpour and tries to slink in but not before getting two slaps. "Next, you'll fall ill and we'll have to go looking for money to treat you,"...
More »On birth certificate, 7-yr-old has three fathers — the ‘rapists’ of his mother by Milind Ghatwai
The seven-year-old may not have a dad, but in the space meant for ‘father’s name’ on his birth certificate, there are three names — of the three men who allegedly raped his mother when she was 15. Admitting that it was a shocking case of insensitivity, Sub-divisional Magistrate (Dindori) Kameshwar Choube has said he would personally determine if the certificate was genuine, how it had been issued and take appropriate action. Choube...
More »Govt mulls comparative study to check ‘misuse’ of RTI
-The Pioneer The Government may go for a comparative study of RTI in different countries in order to check its misuse. The Government will table Public Procurement Policy Bill and a Bill on electoral reforms to check corruption in the public arena. “Undoubtedly, RTI is being misused…Even judges feel that it is hampering the work of courts in matters of decisions and appointments of judges…We can have comparative study on it,” said...
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