On Monday evening, when the Group of Ministers (GoM) on corruption, headed by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, meets, it is likely to decide to make a recommendation to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to end all discretionary powers enjoyed by Ministers, informed sources have said. This comes in the wake of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) submitting to the GoM a list of 38 departments in the...

The state government has ruled out giving additional rehabilitation benefits to farmers who accepted compensation for their lands acquired for Karchana and Bara power projects in Allahabad district. In recent weeks, both places witnessed agitations by farmers which have brought work to a halt. Both projects have been allotted to the Jaypee Group. On Monday, Parliamentary Affairs minister Lalji Verma told the Assembly that the projects had been shelved for now. “The farmers...

The ongoing pre-school admissions have forced many a city school into a tight corner. Institutions are being driven to do a tightrope walk between the demands of the Right to Education (RTE) Act and the unending pressure from political parties to admit students of their choice. The RTE aims at creating a level playing field for all children by making it mandatory for schools to admit a percentage of underprivileged...

Activists say the rules undermine the spirit of the law The proposed draft Right to Information (RTI) rules, prepared by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India, have invited more criticism than praise. RTI activists say the rules dilute the very spirit of the RTI Act 2005, instead of strengthening it. The new rules aim to amend the existing ones. DoPT uploaded the rules on its website inviting comments...

India’s rulers have found a new vocation – maligning environmentalists and questioning the very idea of regulating industry for pollution. Thus, faced with criticism of Lavasa, an artificial gated city of the super-rich near Pune, in which his family has invested crores, Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, lashed out at well-known activist Medha Patkar and other “vested interests” for obstructing this “pioneering” project. Lavasa’s promoters built the project without seeking environmental clearance...