A day after partymen raised a stink over the UPA’s alleged policy paralysis at the Congress working committee meeting, the government moved to make amendments to the pension bill — one of the reforms measures that had been hit by coalition politics — at Thursday’s cabinet meeting. A cabinet note mentioned that the government had decided to address the concerns of all stakeholders and to build a broad consensus on...

With the Central government unsure of getting the Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operations) Bill, 2010, through the Rajya Sabha, the Human Resource Development Ministry is now trying to allow “backdoor” entry to foreign institutions. The Ministry has asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) to identify possibilities within the existing laws of regulating and allowing the foreign educational institutions. The two possible ways of going about it are allowing these...

The 28th of May, marked as “World Hunger Day,” has come and gone but for Pannu Bai Bhil, every day is hunger day. How does someone dealing with chronic hunger view a day marking her plight? Let those of us who overeat at least take stock of a hungry India pitted against bumper crops, number crunching, technologies for profit, markets, and growth rates. The solution for hunger lies in proper...

-The Telegraph The Lokpal bill faces further delay with the Rajya Sabha today referring it to a 15-member select committee by voice vote, but not before the Opposition accused the government of playing “games” and trying to bypass House business rules. The select committee, to be made up by members from various parties, is to hand in its report by the last week of the monsoon session. The BJP, CPM and the Bahujan...

-The Hindustan Times A day after a parliamentary panel sought to end state intervention in land acquisition for industry — both private and PPP, two cabinet ministers expressed their disagreement with its main recommendation. “State governments must have a role in land acquisition process — more so at a time when industrialisation and urbanisation have become inevitable and desirable,” minister for rural development Jairam Ramesh said. “Country has not yet reached...