-DNA Union minister for rural development Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday that within one year amendments will be made to 13 central government laws for the effective implementation of new land acquisition law which came into effect from January 1. "From now onwards no land will be acquired or purchased on the basis of 1894 Act in which government was the sole decider and farmer did not have any say," said Jairam...

-The Hindu The chopping off of the palms of two migrant workers is a wake-up call The gruesome incident of the chopping off of the palms of two migrant labourers of Kalahandi district of western Odisha by the labour contractor mafia in December 2013 should serve as a wake-up call. The incident highlights the ruthless extent to which the mafia can go to meet its ends and brings home the fact that...

-The Indian Express With just weeks before the Vote on Account to be tabled in Parliament the expenditure numbers of the government are looking challenging. The fiscal deficit has already touched 94 per cent of the full year target of Rs 5,42,499 crore between April- November 2013 and while the sluggish pace of revenue receipts is evident, movements in expenditure needs to be assessed carefully. Total expenditure has crossed Rs 10,00,000 crore mark...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Gujarat government has hit out at rural development minister Jairam Ramesh over his charge that Modi regime has not been able to full spend central funds it received under the Watershed Programme. In a hard-hitting response, Gujarat government has accused the central minister of using incorrect and half backed data and resorting to 'chicanery', for political purpose. The state government said that Ramesh based cited...

-The Hindustan Times Many ongoing projects including housing and industries will brace for an escalation in costs as the new land law has come into force on Wednesday. The much-touted Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Rehabilitation and Resettlement law-that provides four times hike in rural land price-will apply to all projects where compensations are yet to be given for land acquisition. Industries like the housing or hotels will be forced to...