Taking on board citizens' concerns over corruption and quality of governance, the 12th Five Year Plan proposes re-designing of government programmes even as it targets 9-9.5% economic growth with focus on health and education. Aiming at 100% adult literacy, the next Plan (2012-17) proposes to increase expenditure on health from 1.3% to at least 2-2.5% of GDP. The full Planning Commission meeting today presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was given...

Has the battle between good and bad been lost again? Can we remain silent at the insidious adventures of some elements trying to scare away public-spirited people? The national capital is an excessively pampered city. Mindboggling amounts of money have been poured into it for improving infrastructure. This exercise has undeniably yielded dividends. Supreme among the additions to the average citizen's comfort is the metro built by Sridharan who, incidentally, is...

Kolkata Consulate: His candidacy 'could offer a possible out from the Hasina-Zia zero-sum game' Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner known in particular for his microfinance initiatives in Bangladesh, appeared to have been aware of the risks and consequences of a move he made to enter the country's politics. He told Henry Jardine, the U.S. Consul General in Kolkata, that he was aware of the “potentially bruising response” it would...

“No element of truth in the entire malicious campaign” Civil society member on the joint drafting committee on the Lokpal Bill, Arvind Kejriwal, on Thursday ruled out the resignation of co-chairman Shanti Bhushan from the panel in the wake of the Noida farm plot allotment issue. He said they would remain focussed on drafting an effective Lokpal Bill. “There is no element of truth in the entire malicious campaign,” Mr. Kejriwal...

The Sirohi police have decided not to register FIRs over irregularities committed in Mahatma Gandhi National Rrural Employment Guarantee Schemes (MGNREGS) unless the complaint is backed by an audit report. Superintendent of police for Sirohi, Vipul Chaturvedi passed a written order to this effect for all police station in-charges in the district during a law and order meeting held on March 13, 2011. "Cases shall not be registered against people who...