-The Hindu Liberalisation has eroded the institutional capacity to train young people who might pursue liberal values The other day, a student asked me what exactly the word ‘liberal’ mean. She wanted to know whether ‘liberalisation’ promotes ‘liberal’ values. She had noticed that institutions of higher education, which are supposed to promote liberal values, were finding it difficult to resist ideological and commercial pressures triggered by the process of economic liberalisation. So,...

-DNA Death of tribal kids during monsoon period when their parents don't get work has been a major issue since past many years. Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sumit Mullick on Wednesday held a core committee meeting to review the oNGOing measures to prevent death of infant in the tribal areas. He directed health, women and child development and tribal departments to take necessary precautions for preventing various diseases whcih occur during the monsoon. Additional...

-PTI The court was hearing a PIL alleging that the statutory cess levied from real estate firms for the welfare of construction workers was not being utilised properly. Where has a whopping amount of Rs 20,000 crore, meant for workers’ welfare, gone? Spent on tea parties or vacation of officials? Even the Comptroller and Auditor General doesn’t know, wondered the Supreme Court. These posers were put to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)...

-PTI New Delhi: NGOs whose licences were suspended for non-compliance of government rules have been given a final deadline of 14 June to file their returns for the last five years. They would have to upload their annual returns for the financial years 2010-11 to 2014-15 along with a renewal application under the mandatory Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, a home ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday. The government is estimated to have cancelled the...

-The Hindu How Tiruppur, India’s knitwear hub, is now weaving a green cover for the entire district We moved this tree 15 km on a truck along the stretch between Avinashi and Avinashipalayam.” V. Mahendran points to a hulking tree trunk. “The operation took us nine hours. Even with its branches and most of its canopy chopped off, it weighed more than 40 tonnes.” We are at the Tiruppur Collectorate, and Mahendran,...