-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Madras high court on Friday stayed the government order cancelling Greenpeace India's registration, observing that the Tamil Nadu Registrar of Societies (RoS) had not followed principles of natural justice. The Tamil Nadu RoS had cancelled the registration of Greenpeace India -- the environmental NGO that has been campaigning against air pollution and the unsustainable use of natural resources in India -- earlier this month. After getting...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: In a major decision that could adversely affect social sector schemes, funding pattern of 17 centrally-sponsored schemes have been brought down to 60:40 between the Centre and states.  This includes Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid-Day Meal scheme, Swachch Bharat Abhiyan, National Rural Drinking Water Programme, Integrated Child Protection Scheme, Krishi Unnati Yojna, Housing for All, Smart City Mission, National Health Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban...

-The Hindu Despite its uneven history in India, decentralisation is vital to strengthen participatory democracy, facilitate responsive governance and enable public service delivery. Much has been written on decentralisation in India though, on the ground, there is very little to show despite the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments. The rationale for decentralisation comes from the need to strengthen participatory democracy, facilitate responsive governance, ensure greater accountability and enable public service delivery according to...

-The Hindu Business Line New Delhi: A NITI Aayog sub-group has suggested increasing the flexi-fund component of centrally-sponsored schemes (CSS) to 25 per cent from the current 10. This would give more flexibility to States to spend on development and social welfare schemes, said Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Convenor of the NITI Aayog’s sub-group of Chief Ministers on ‘Rationalisation of Centrally-sponsored Schemes’, after submitting the report to Prime...

-DNA Wondering about the plight of the rural population facing successive droughts which has to buy pulses, South Asia Network for Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) laments how no benefit of the price hike is reaching actual pulse farmers. While most link the current tur (pigeon pea) dal crisis with raging market prices, storage issues, hoarding and economics, a new study highlighting the making of the crisis - by South Asia Network...