Budget 2011-12 and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. THREE decades ago, in the early years of the Special Component Plan (SCP) for Scheduled Castes – very recently renamed inappropriately as Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) – Indira Gandhi on her return as Prime Minister wrote two historical D.O. letters dated March 12, 1980, one to Central Ministers and the other to State Chief Ministers, regarding the SCP in the Central...

This article explores the issue of dalits’ inclusion in the media industry. It argues that under-representation of dalits in Indian media leads to an exclusion of news on dalits. [This was presented in the “National Conference on Ethical Issues and Indian Media” held on 26 and 27 November 2010 and in Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu.] [J Balasubramaniam (balumids@gmail.com) is with the Department of Journalism and Science Communication, Madurai Kamaraj University.] The basis...

The 2010 Chameli Devi Jain award for “Outstanding Woman Media Person” was presented to a former Tehelka correspondent from Thiruvananthapuram, Shahina K.K, at a function here on Tuesday for her “demonstrated ability to focus on issues that have deep social consequences impacting lives and concerns of ordinary people.” Ms. Shahina, who has 13 years of experience in print and television media and is presently writing for Open magazine, accepted the award...

Employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is provided on demand. The household holding a valid Job Card has to, under Para 9 of Schedule II of the Act, submit application for work to be entitled to receive employment. Number of days of employment availed by a household under the Act also depends on the availability of other employment opportunities in an area. A worker is free to avail any other employment...

Amendment is aimed at ‘intermediaries,' but it will end up targeting bloggers The draft proposal to amend the Indian IT Act so as to impose restrictions on intermediaries has provoked a huge outcry in the country, especially among its vocal bloggers. While the proposed rules seek to control the ‘intermediaries' such as telecom networks, web-hosting sites and Internet service providers, search engines, online payment, cyber cafes and auction sites, it is the...