-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Supreme Court today ticked off the government for "dilly dallying" on an affordable drug pricing policy, following a petition that said the delay was aimed at pushing through suggestions of the powerful manufacturers' lobby. A bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and Gopala Gowda asked the Centre to respond within six weeks. The All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN) had filed the application saying the government was delaying a...

-Outlook Maharashtra witnessed 37 farmer suicides -- the highest among all states -- due to agrarian reasons till March this calendar year, Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar informed Parliament today. Seven farmers in Karnataka committed suicides for the same reason till June this fiscal year while the number for Andhra Pradesh is 3 till July this calendar year and Kerala just one, Pawar told Lok Sabha. No such incidents has been reported from other...

-DNA With the union cabinet approving a proposal to amend the RTI Act to keep political parties out of its purview, the controversy about six national political parties having been declared "public authorities" by the CIC has taken a rather serious turn. Political parties, acting though Parliament, are on the verge of undoing a law that Parliament itself had given to the nation. The argument that the law should apply to...

-The Indian Express As the Parliament session begins, it would be interesting to see how the food Bill debate pans out and what the stands parties take say about them. Both the main ideological opponents of the ruling Congress - the BJP and Left - have sounded a discordant note. However, their objections are more perfunctory in nature than anything else. The Left, which had so vehemently pushed the job scheme MNREGS as...

-The Hindu Per capita entitlements under the food security bill will not cover beneficiaries as comprehensively as household entitlements The government hopes to secure in this session of Parliament, approval for the National Food Security Bill (NFSB) so that it can replace the food security ordinance. The NFSB, on which the ordinance is based, guarantees supplementary nutrition services through anganwadis for all children under six, midday meals for schoolchildren, and, very importantly, maternity...