-The Hindu Many States have been improving their Public Distribution System over the last five years On Tuesday, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh criticising the National Food Security Bill (NFSB) for not being expansive enough. What Mr. Modi omitted to mention is that the same complaint could be made of the existing Public Distribution System (PDS) in his own state. The most significant difference between the PDS...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has come out in support of the demand that SCs/STs be deemed to be poor with the exclusion of government employees and tax payers among them, adding a new twist to the debate on the identification of poor. Responding to the issue raised by social justice minister Selja, Ramesh told TOI, "I am for dalits and tribals being considered poor with...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: In what raises questions over the government's seriousness in conducting legislative business, a study by PRS Legislative Research has found that though 30 bills were slotted for discussion in the Lok Sabha over 78 hours this monsoon, the 16-working-days session left scope for discussing them over just 36 hours. The calculation goes like this: the Lok Sabha sits for an average five hours daily - from...

-PTI The Government will kick-start a number of new infrastructure projects including 8 new airports and two new sea-ports in the coming months to boost sluggish economic growth, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Thursday. With economic growth slowing to a decade low of 5 per cent, the Congress-led UPA government has further opened the economy to foreign direct investment and now wants to use investments for returning to high growth...

-The Hindu 40 families of Ragimaruru village have been bonded labourers for decades Hassan (Karnataka): While the rest of the country celebrates Independence Day, the much-vaunted freedom has no meaning for around 40 families of Ragimaruru village in Arakalgudu taluk, who have been bonded labourers for years. They work every day for a day's off can attract the wrath of their masters. And, there are no specified working hours. They have to report...