-The Pioneer In a bid to further marginalise the Maoists, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has charted out elaborate plans for the tribal people of Jangalmahal. The State Government has plans to provide more “productive opportunities” to the Advasis in order to bring them into the socio-economic mainstream. These include job creation, developing the Alchiki script, setting up educational institutions and healthcare units and inducting local talent into Sports and cultural activities. “We...

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has asked the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to ask the Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry to raise the controversial matter of Dow Chemical sponsorship for the London Olympics 2012 with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This should be done through the National Olympic Committee in view of the strong public opinion within India. The sponsorship issued has led to outrage among the Bhopal tragedy victims...

Indian athletes are threatening to boycott next summer's London Olympics in an extraordinary stand-off with the head of the 2012 Games, Lord Coe, over his controversial sponsorship deal with a chemical company. Lord Coe is under personal attack for signing the deal with Dow Chemical – under fire in India for its ownership of Union Carbide, whose Indian subsidiary was responsible for the Bhopal industrial disaster, one of the world's worst,...

The contentious revised Sports Development Bill has got a fresh thrust with the Aruna Roy-led civil society group, the National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information (NCPRI), throwing its weight behind the move to bring about transparency and accountability in the running of Sports in the country. The NCPRI statement signed by Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan along with others like Ms. Roy, Nikhil Dey, Shekhar Singh and Anjali Bharadwaj has...

The Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry has moved the Cabinet note on the revised Sports Development Bill for inter-ministerial consultations. The Bill seeks to bring about accountability and transparency in the administering of Sports. Dissent note The Bill, which has drawn support from various quarters including eminent Sportspersons and members of the civil society, is aimed at bringing about efficiency and transparency in the working of the national Sports federations and seeks...