Over the last few decades thenon-party volunteer organisations have been much more effective in Indian public space and more articulate in policy debates than the traditional Left parties. This essay, while recognising the manifold achievements of these organisations, reflects on the serious limitations of the activities of the voluntary sector and argues that when they usurp certain roles they can become a threat to representative democracy. [Pranab Bardhan (bardhan@econ.berkeley.edu) is at...
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Left to protest attacks on farmers in Haroa
-The Hindu A joint committee of krishak sabhas (farmers' organisations) of four Left parties have given a call to their units across the State to observe “Haroa Diwas” on July 14. It would be in protest against the police firing and attacks by armed Trinamool Congress activists on Saturday on farmers and sharecroppers who had returned to their land in the Haroa area of West Bengal's North Paraganas district after having...
More »Forest dept shut out of woods by Vivek Deshpande
Over the last one year, villagers of Ghati in Gadchiroli have kept timber out of the forest department’s reach, saying it belongs to them under the provisions of the FRA, short for Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest-Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act. The FRA recognises their rights only on non-timber minor forest produce but the villagers have interpreted it to include all trees. They say minor forest produces like mahua,...
More »KMSS accused of links with Maoists
-The Hindu CM: adopted Maoist tactics during June 22 protest “Also associated with ULFA front organisations” Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday alleged that the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) led by the arrested RTI activist and farmers' leader, Akhil Gogoi, had links with Maoists. Mr. Akhil Gogoi was arrested in connection with the June 22 incidents in the city during a protest programme seeking halt to eviction of city hill settlers led...
More »Heads roll in NREGA job council, Aiyar, Nikhil De in new list by Sreelatha Menon
The Central Employment Guarantee Council (CEGC), a statutory body under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) which is supposed to have at least one meeting every six months, will finally meet this week after a gap of nine months, with many new faces. The Council had announced a list of members before the exit of former rural development minister C P Joshi last year, but it was not notified. Now,...
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