In India, the fight against corruption easily becomes an alibi to undermine democratic processes and institutions. In the spurt of enthusiasm for Anna Hazare’s fast and the subsequent surrender to it by the government, what has been overlooked is the need for someone/thing like the Lok Pal to fight corruption. The simple point is that there exist within the Constitution enough processes and institutions to safeguard against corruption. The Indian...

The watchdog risks becoming “a sinecure for retired persons” This May, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is due to appear before the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Geneva for its re-accreditation as an ‘A' grade institution. Ahead of this process, a consortium of non-governmental organisations released a report here on Wednesday on the compliance of the NHRC with the ‘Paris...

Despite the hype over the NREGA scheme , a survey has found out that about 52 per cent of the poor and needy households in the backward region of Bundelkhand in Uttar Pradesh did not get a single day of NREGS employment during the last year. The average actual NREGA employment provided to per needy household during the previous 12 months was about 21 days in Chitrakoot district, 19 days in...

“National organisations of health research should come together to provide effective stewardship” Proportion of published papers increased from 0·4 % in 1988 to 1·8 % in 2008 Only 1/4 public health research reports rated as being of adequate quality Expressing concern over the scarcity of research on the routine health-information system in both reports and published papers, which is crucial to track the response of the health system to the health needs of...

Ever since Malkangiri collector R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra MoHAn Majhi were released by the Maoists, development work has taken a beating in the "cut-off" area under Kudumulgumma block of Malkangiri district. Maoists had abducted Krishna and Majhi at gun-point from near Bodopoda, located within the "cut-off" area, while they were returning after inspecting a development work there on February 16. The Red rebels had released the collector on...