-CNN-IBN The Union Cabinet on Tuesday cleared three major anti-corruption bills – Citizen's Charter Bill, Judicial Accountability Bill and the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill (Whistleblower's Bill) – in a crucial meeting. The Cabinet, however, met amid reports of clearing four crucial bills, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi's favourite, the National food security Bill. However, a decision on the food security Bill was deferred to next week...

-The Financial Express   The Cabinet is likely to consider the National food security Bill which envisages subsidised foodgrain as legal entitlement for two third of the country's population on Tuesday. Once the Cabinet approves the bill, the food ministry will table in parliament during the current season. As per the food bill, 75% of the rural households will get subsidised grain and at least’ 46% households would be considered as ‘priority’ category, and...

How deluded we are when we think that when an important piece of legislation is introduced, policymakers carefully scrutinise it for some room for improvement. Indian democracy is good at passing progressive-sounding legislation that becomes unpopular later for poor implementation and a consequent feeling of letdown and therefore resentment. Often the problems of poor implementation that surface later stem from small mistakes in design that could have been corrected at...

-The United Nations   Corruption caused by weak governance is leading to unequal land distribution and poor resource management, according to a United Nations report released today, which argues that this lack of transparency is undermining social stability, investment and growth in developing countries. Weak land governance occurs as a result of low levels of transparency, accountability and the rule of law, the report says, which strains “the rules, processes and institutions that...

-The Times of India   Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday said farmer welfare topped the government's list of priorities and that agriculture would undoubtedly be given maximum impetus. Talking to officials about his government's newest initiatives on the eve of the state-level bankers' committee meeting at his camp office, the CM urged them to ensure that all welfare measures for farmers are implemented in a transparent manner. He made it...