-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The total period of trial in corruption cases will not exceed four years with a special judge initially required to wind up proceedings in two years itself. Thereafter the trial can be extended, subject to six-month extension, states the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2015 currently before the Rajya Sabha. The bill also stipulates recording of reasons for any delay in trial beyond two years and includes...

-The Hindu Business Line A CAG audit shows that the Centre and State governments have been criminally remiss over disaster management The unprecedented and continuing rains that have broken a 100-year record and have wreaked havoc in Chennai for over a week, highlight both elaborate rescue and relief efforts as well as gaps in the existing policy on disaster planning. It is true that swift deployment of the armed forces to evacuate...

-The Hindu Business Line Girls start self-help groups in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi and Sultanpur districts to address sanitation issues Combining Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with sanitation programmes is a model that is working well in villages of Amethi and Sultanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh. While the old concept of SHGs was thrift and economic empowerment of women, the more recent formation of young women’s SHGs has strengthened the movement for toilets and sanitary napkins....

-Hindustan Times Revolution imminent… genetically modified seeds produced by MNCs cause farmer suicides. Incendiary, out-of-context sound-bites juxtaposed between heartrending visuals distort rural poverty from a complex issue that each Indian must help resolve to a simplistic, accusatory Peepli Live feature. Instead of quixotic and strident anti-growth agendas offered as panacea, a coordinated and consistent approach to poverty reduction is needed. Poverty reduction needs development. The linkage between economic growth and poverty reduction is...

-MoneyControl.com CNBC-TV18's Archana Shukla reports that with India in the throes of one of the most severe droughts in recent times, the numbers of drought-hit districts is only expected to rise in the coming weeks. Tamil Nadu may be drowning, but nine other states in the country are thirsting for a drop of water and have approached the central government for emergency drought relief. CNBC-TV18's Archana Shukla reports that with India in...