-Live Mint Panel to review Sachar committee proposals says conditions of Muslims not changed perceptibly since 2006 New Delhi: In a politically uncomfortable revelation ahead of the general election, the interim report of a high-level panel says that a determined policy thrust by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has done little to improve the social and economic enfranchisement of India's Muslim minority. The interim report of the panel appointed by...

-PTI Hailstorms have had a wider impact on crops, since a large quantity of crops including wheat, grapes, mustard and vegetables have been damaged in Maharashtra Mumbai: Crop in more than eight lakh hectares in Maharashtra has been damaged by untimely rain and hailstorm in some parts of the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said here today. "I have spoken to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in...

-Down to Earth Demand farm income commission; urge political parties to make it an election issue A number of farmers' organisations got together on Thursday to demand a minimum living income equivalent to that of agricultural scientists for all farm households in the country and asked political parties to make it a part of their poll manifesto. Citing NSSO findings, they said the average monthly income of farm households in the country...

-The Hindu Funds from Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan are pumped into ‘schools' in Bastar that don't exist On the day the Chhattisgarh government issued a statement emphasising how the Prime Minister's adviser, T.K.A. Nair, praised the efforts to educate children, 32 students of Koynapada primary school in Darbha block in Bastar district did not attend school. In fact, they could not as the school does not exist. An official confirmed that the disappearance...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Days after senior lawyer Fali Nariman declined to be part of the Lokpal search committee, more embarrassment was headed the government's way with former Supreme Court judge K T Thomas turning down its offer to head the panel. Thomas wrote to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) declining consent and raising doubts over the two-layered procedure to finalize the chairman and members of the anti-corruption watchdog. Noting...