-The Economic Times   The draftland acquisition bill could provide muscle to the farmers' agitations as it has proposed a higher stake for the displaced from the sale of acquired land. Put simply, a farmer would have to be given an additional sum -- the bill proposes 20%-- in the event of the acquired land being resold at a higher price by its developer. This proposal is certain to provide fresh impetus...

The Noida-Greater Noida imbroglio will be instructive for the draft land acquisition bill In The Works...     * Government to acquire land, “public purpose” to be redefined     * Land acquisition only after getting written consent of 80 per cent of landowners     * Monitoring authority to be set up at the Centre and states to ensure compliance     * Payment component split into part-cash-down and remaining in annuity for 33 years     * Post...

Over the last few decades thenon-party volunteer organisations have been much more effective in Indian public space and more articulate in policy debates than the traditional Left parties. This essay, while recognising the manifold achievements of these organisations, reflects on the serious limitations of the activities of the voluntary sector and argues that when they usurp certain roles they can become a threat to representative democracy. [Pranab Bardhan (bardhan@econ.berkeley.edu) is at...

-DNA   Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Friday said that POSCO plant would not come to Gadag district without farmers’ consent. Speaking in Hubli where he arrived for a two-day state BJP executive meet, Yeddyurappa reiterated that only if the seers and farmers arrived at a “consensus” on setting up of the project, he would consider the project’s implementation in the district. “The Rs30,000-crore steel project by Korean major POSCO will...

-IANS   South Korean giant Posco's plan to set up a six million tonnes per annum steel plant in Karnataka is in doldrums with the state government dropping plans to acquire land, in the face of opposition from farmers and religious leaders. "Even if the farmers agree to give land, we will not acquire it in Gadag district," Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa told reporters Thursday. "If Posco is interested in setting...