-The Hindu Former PM Manmohan Singh says change undermines federal polity New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday remarked that the Centre ought to have consulted the State governments before introducing additional terms of reference for the 15th Finance Commission seeking to create separate funds for Defence and Internal Security. Asserting that unilateralism was not good for a federal polity and cooperative federalism, Mr. Singh said the best course would have...

-The Hindu United Nations-led Conference to Combat Desertification assures ‘neutrality’ by 2030. New Delhi: A two-week long United Nations-led Conference to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) ended with a commitment to achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030. Such neutrality is defined by the U.N. as ensuring that enough land is available across the world to ensure a sustainable future. The Delhi Declaration, a consensus document, agreed upon by more than 100 countries “welcomed” the proposed...

-The Times of India NEW Delhi: The information technology ministry does not appear to be in favour of linking Aadhaar with social media accounts as the measure has the potential to clash with earlier court judgments on privacy and use of the biometric identification card, top officials in the ministry said. The officials, requesting anonymity, said that the measure has to be carefully thought out before any decision to allow any linkage...

-The Hindu National Capital Region Planning Board also released regional plans for 7 districts The National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) on Friday released the functional plan for micro and household enterprises in the NCR that aims to boost micro, small and household enterprises, and approved regional plans for seven districts. Addressing the NCRPB Board meeting, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister of State (independent charge) Hardeep Singh Puri told NCR states to...

-PTI Earlier in July, the Centre changed the terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission and mandated the panel to suggest ways for allocation of non-lapsable funds for defence and internal security. New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said the government should have taken chief ministers' views before changing the terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission, adding that unilateralism is not good for federal policy and...