Several state governments have come out strongly against how the centre has planned the resource mobilisation for the national food security law, a key initiative of the UPA-II government. States including those ruled by the Congress party has complained to the Union food ministry that legal entitlements for subsidised grain to a large section of the population as envisaged in the Bill would put an enormous financial burden on them....

A survey to identify the country’s poor looks set to miss its December 2011 deadline since it has not even started in 20-odd states, including Bengal. The “socio-economic caste census” is being conducted by the rural development ministry, urban housing and poverty alleviation ministry, and the registrar-general of India. One reason that a rural development ministry official cited for the delay is Bharat Electronics Limited’s failure to supply enough low-cost tablet computers...

Says she failed to act against officials who swindled MGNREGS funds, presses for CBI probe The war of words between the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party in the run-up to the Assembly elections has intensified, with a Union Minister blaming Chief Minister Mayawati for failing to act against officials who had allegedly swindled funds of a Central government scheme in seven districts of Uttar Pradesh. Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam...

-The Times of India   Activist Aruna Roy-led National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) has opposed the government's grievance redressal bill saying it was "seriously compromised" and would be ineffective in providing weaker sections of society with any relief in its present form. NCPRI's stinging critique of the bill is significant because Roy is an influential member of the National Advisory Council that functions under UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The government...

-IANS   Suspected encephalitis, which causes irritation and swelling of the brain, has claimed the lives of 85 children in Bihar's Gaya district in the last two-and-a-half months, with two more succumbing to the disease Thursday, an official said. 'Two more children died on Thursday,' an official said. The children reported high fever, followed by bouts of unconsciousness and convulsions. Most of the children belong to poor families. The first encephalitis-related death in the...