-The Business Standard   One of Sewa's triumphs is formation of the Mahila SEWA Sahakari Bank In April 10 this year, SEWA, the Self-Employed Women’s Association, which prefers to describe itself as a cooperative or trade union rather than a microfinance institution (MFI) (though it straddles both spheres), with a membership of 1.3 million women, completed 40 years of its existence. This gives us an ideal opportunity to review its historic contribution to...

Contrary to the claims of the UIDAI, fingerprints are a highly inappropriate tool to uniquely identify individuals. Case 1: “There are nine checks on visa nationals arriving into the U.K. [United Kingdom]. The fingerprint matching check is the most recent. It is the least reliable. It is the least effective in terms of delivering against our requirements….” So stated Brodie Clark, the former head of the United Kingdom Border Force, to a...

Regulations covering public health should override personal rights and the country cannot wait any more for a good public health law. The health care industry, including institutions of medical education, hospitals and pharmaceutical businesses, have grown into behemoths that can do considerable harm in the absence of independent and effective regulatory systems. While there are no success stories in the regulation of any kind of industry in India, I will focus...

-PTI Amid widespread complaints of irregularities in the Tatkal scheme, the Central Vigilance Commission is considering launch of an enquiry to ascertain whether Railway officials are involved in malpractices. Official sources said the CVC is likely to launch an enquiry either by its own officials or through the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Railways Ministry to verify reported instances of alleged irregularities in distribution of Tatkal tickets and collusion of some Railway...

-The Hindustan Times Following a steep fall in global crude oil prices, the oil marketing companies have slashed petrol prices by Rs. 2.46 to Rs. 3.22 a litre — the second reduction this month — from Thursday midnight. Now, petrol in Delhi will cost Rs. 67.78 a litre — down by Rs. 2.46 — from Rs. 70.24 a litre. In Mumbai, the price will come down by Rs. 3.10 to Rs. 73.35...