The National Advisory Council (NAC) — which has been working hard over the last month to try and narrow down its differences with the Planning Commission and the government on the contentious issue of food security — is meeting here on Saturday to look at an amended proposal. The NAC's food hardliners have finally accepted, after several informal interactions with the Commission and government representatives, that universalisation of food security...

Ahead of the Central government's proposal to table the land acquisition amendment bill during the winter session, representatives of over 300 villages in Delhi are congregating to push the demand of abolishing the archaic rules, which they claim are against farmers. The mahapanchayat, which will be held at Mahipalpur on Sunday would largely talk about how the existing laws, including the Delhi Land Reforms Act, give absolute power to the government...

Businesses and policy-makers need to recognize the tremendous economic value of ecosystems, as well as the social and economic costs of losing such natural resources as forests, freshwater, soils and coral reefs, a new United Nations report released today said. The report by the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), a body hosted by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), seeks to galvanize the world to recognize the economic consequences of failing...

The Central Vigilance Commission has received complaints that put the cumulative value of alleged corruption in projects related to the Commonwealth Games between Rs 5,000 crore and Rs 8,000 crore. Sources said the complaints included payment to non-existent parties, wilful delay in execution of contracts, inflated prices and bungling in purchase of equipment through tendering. “The total misappropriation amount may touch a figure of Rs 5,000-8,000 crore. The commission is still awaiting reports...

More than 200 tax investigators in India have searched the offices of a number of contractors used in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games. The raids in Delhi came as the main opposition party, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), demanded a parliamentary investigation. The Games, which ended last week in Delhi, were marred by spiralling costs and allegations of corruption. The BJP says it has evidence of wrongdoing at government...