JANGU, 40, a Dalit labourer in Paraspur village in Gonda district, 120 km northeast of Lucknow, displays his job card in complete disbelief. “My job card was made three years ago and shows three payments. But I was never given any work, so how was the payment made?” he asks, puzzled. The first entry shows a payment of Rs 1,400 but he received a paltry Rs 100. He never went...

-The Economic Times   The Centre came down heavily on states that are opposing foreign investment in multibrand retail for not making their point when the policy was being formulated and said those opposed had the powers to stop companies from opening stores in their boundaries.  Some state governments, including Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, have opposed the government's proposal to allow 51% foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail and blasted the Centre...

The state has done precious little to improve the lot of agriculture workers. Agricultural wage workers (AWW) earn their livelihood by working for wages in the agriculture sector. In India, AWWs are the second largest group of all workers, after owner-cultivators or farmers. Of the workforce of 402 million, AWWs are at least 110 million. Wage work in the agriculture sector has always been considered a low-status occupation in India, as agriculture...

The anti-corruption movement has enabled the Indian middle class to feel smug about itself. Its members have gone through a vast range of emotions during the last two decades, from self-hatred to self-righteousness. Liberalisation of the economy has created for this class an excitement of many kinds. It has meant the freedom to pursue the quest for wealth without guilt and, at the same time, it has meant feeling set...

Comply with High Court order on retirement benefits: Bench If there is change of ownership of a company, the existing employees cannot be forced to work under a different management without their consent and in that event, those workmen are entitled to retirement/retrenchment compensation under the Industrial Disputes Act, the Supreme Court has held. Giving this ruling on Friday, a Bench of Justices P. Sathasivam and J. Chelameswar accepted the contention of...