-The Hindu     The promise of near-universal coverage is now nowhere in sight. And the UPA's seemingly fretful efforts to get the measure through do not appear to be convincing The nation is watching with trepidation the play of politics over the National Food Security Bill, which envisages food security for 67 per cent of the population by providing 5 kg of rice, wheat or coarse cereals per person per month at subsidised...

-The Telegraph Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said today that New Delhi had turned down the state's request for 300 companies of central forces for the panchayat elections. Mamata said the Centre's inability to spare forces was the reason that held her back from making such a request that was necessitated by a court ruling. But sources in the state election commission said the state had done "too little, too late" and the...

-The Business Standard Ranchi: Jharkhand could qualify for more funds than the Rs 1,500-crore earmarked as labour budget under MGNREGS, if the state pulled up its socks and honoured deadlines while executing the Centre's flagship scheme this fiscal. The word came from Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh who reviewed the job programme and action plans for Saranda and Sarju areas among other things at the Project Building in Ranchi today. "Of the...

-The Business Standard Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on the launch of the second phase of the Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana, ahead of the Centre's proposed food security legislation. Edited excerpts of an interview with Sanjay Jog: * What are the key features of the second phase of the Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana (MAY), launched from this month? This will benefit 35 million people, including 5.5 mn below the poverty line...

-The Hindu Despite attempts at reform, frequent transfers of civil servants by loyalty-seeking politicians continue. Only a guarantee of tenure can end the menace. In April this year, the Haryana government transferred senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka for the second time in six months, or for the 44th time in his 22-year career. The use of transfers and postings in States as a means of harassing officers who are inconvenient because of...