-The Hindustan Times Underprivileged people of Muktsar district, the home turf of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, received a lion's share for construction of houses in 2011 in the run-up to the assembly elections, it has emerged. Funds to the tune of over Rs. 40 crore were pumped into Muktsar district alone from the social infrastructure fund (SIF) to help economically weaker sections (EWS) construct or repair their houses, while five districts,...

-The Times of India Union law minister Salman Khurshid on Sunday fiercely quarreled with reporters of a TV channel, disputing their claim that his NGO Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust had embezzled public funds meant for the disabled. The minister countered the allegation that his trust made fake claims of having organized camps for distribution of equipment among the differently abled. A spirited Khurshid, with wife Louise by his side, attributed motives to...

-The Economic Times The RTI Act is undoubtedly a historic landmark and has energised sections of our population like nothing else before. But despite its careful crafting and a well-defined machinery to back it, getting those bits of information, which vested interests within the government wish to hide, are an extremely arduous task. Therefore, I was not surprised when my RTI, seeking simple information regarding the number of foreign trips undertaken...

-Outlook The bill providing 50 per cent reservation for women in urban local bodies in Odisha was passed by the state assembly today. Opposition Congress and BJP raised a din and did not participate in the proceedings in the passage of the bill. The house had debated the Odisha Right to Public Service Bill, 2012 last night but there was no discussion on two other bills - The Odisha Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill,...

-The Hindustan Times Lawyer and education activist Ashok Aggarwal has spent over a decade challenging private schools that violate laws, cheat parents and deny students – especially the poor -- an opportunity to study. But two years after the Right to Education Act came into effect requiring private schools to set aside 25% free seats for students from economically weaker sections (EWS), Aggarwal isn’t worrying about the law’s implementation.   “Most top schools...