-The Hindu After facing harassment and extortion at the hands of corrupt police and civic body officers over the years, the Capital’s rickshaw pullers can finally heave a sigh of relief. A far-reaching Supreme Court order in a case filed by an NGO has come to their rescue. It has put an end toimpounding and scrapping of their vehicles. However, the battle against officialdom which sees them as "vermin" continues.... Rickshaw-puller Shiv...

-The Hindu The Centre will soon implement Phase II of the Rajiv Awas Yojna with a focus on providing long-term and bankable property rights to slum dwellers, Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Ajay Maken said, soon after taking charge of his new Ministry on Tuesday. Talking to journalists at his office in Nirman Bhavan, Mr. Maken said the Centre will adopt the twin strategy of funding and “mandatory reforms” in...

-Outlook Newly-appointed Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ajay Maken today said the state governments would be asked to issue an executive order to provide property rights to slum dwellers till the Model Bill on the issue is passed. Soon after taking charge of the ministry today, Maken told reporters that a Model Property Rights to Slum Dwellers Bill, 2011 will be passed at the earliest and the states would be...

-The Hindu The question that must be asked, is whether India is willing to compromise on its laws and the safety and rights of its citizens to protect the business interests of reactor suppliers In 2010, under pressure from multinational nuclear suppliers, the Manmohan Singh government pushed through a law to protect them from the consequences of a nuclear accident. The law makes it impossible for victims to sue the supplier, even...

-ANI Tokyo University has offered a scholarship to a student of the Patna-based 'Super 30' coaching institute. 'Super-30' is a highly progressive and innovative educational programme functioning under the auspices of the Ramanujam School of Mathematics. It selects 30 meritorious children from economically backward sections of the society and academically prepares them to join the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Tokyo University Director Hiroshi Yoshino said he would love to invite students of Super...