Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar’s suggestion to ban Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) during farming season may not get government’s approval. Instead, the MGNREGA guidelines may be amended to increasing synergy between the world’s biggest social security scheme and agriculture sector to improve production. A set of green methodologies could be included in works allowed under the scheme. Pawar had written to Prime Minister on November 28 seeking the ban....
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Hands tied, CBI officials feel Lokpal panel their new Boss by Ritu Sarin
Team Anna complains that the Lokpal has no administrative control over the CBI and its investigation wing but CBI officials feel that the agency now could be subject to the whims of new master — the three-member Lokpal panel. Besides the elevation of the status of its Director — the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice or a Judge appointed by him are now on the selection...
More »Lokpal Bill is in, jury is out
-Express News Service Virtually forced into drafting it, the government today introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that aims to fight corruption via the Lokpal at the centre and Lokayuktas in the states, an unprecedented oversight body whose members are selected, and which is set to be dominated by members of the higher judiciary. The singular theme emerging from the proceedings of the house today was the unease across the political...
More »UP polls ahead, govt clears 4.5% minority quota within OBC 27%
-Express News Service The government today decided to create a 4.5 per cent sub-quota for backward minorities within the 27 per cent quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in jobs and admission to educational institutions. The political significance of the move lies in its timing just ahead of elections in Uttar Pradesh. The sub-quota was one of the Congress’s 2009 poll promises, but it appears in the current context to be targeted...
More »Over 1,500 died in custody: NHRC by Vijaita Singh
As many as 1,574 people were killed in custody in the past year, according to the data released by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 331 deaths being reported in both police and judicial custody. The data was submitted in the ongoing session of the Rajya Sabha in response to MP H K Dua’s query to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The record number of 316...
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