-The Telegraph State govt to also provide an advance relief of Rs 3,500 to over 30 lakh affected farmer families that will cost the state exchequer about Rs 1,200 crore Ranchi: The Jharkhand government on Saturday declared about two-thirds area of the state as drought-hit, announced payment of interim relief to the affected farmer families and also decided to seek financial assistance from the Centre for tackling the situation. “In the review meeting...

-Newsclick.in The initiatives by Odisha and Rajasthan governments have prompted political leaders from other states to raise demands for similar action from their state governments. Kolkata: The recent decisions by two state governments – Odisha and Rajasthan – abolishing contractual engagement of people for government jobs have come as a morale booster for trade unions. The unions have been agitating for several years demanding contract workers' regularisation. The General Administration and Public...

-The Hindu It is our duty to ‘caution government’ when its policies have potential to affect the rights of tribal people, says Harsh Chouhan, Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes It is the duty of the commission to “caution the government” when its policies have the potential to affect the well-being and rights of tribal people, Harsh Chouhan, Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), told The Hindu...

-The Hindu Any state intervention inspired by Islamophobic views will only help deepen majoritarianism The Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to undertake a survey of madrasas has raised serious concerns not just over the fate of these institutions but also on the future of Muslim identity. Other BJP-ruled States have also expressed concerns about madrasas. In May, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the word ‘madrasa’ should cease to exist. In September,...

-The Tribune Status of paddy straw management in Haryana was 'significantly better than that in Punjab,' Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday said that the incidents of stubble burning had started increasing rapidly, especially in Punjab, accusing the state government of not taking adequate steps to prevent them. Punjab “has not been able to take coordinated actions to contain stubble burning in the state” and coverage...