-The Business Standard Economic Offences Wing starts probe into alleged financial irregularities in a trust run by the Union Minister  The Uttar Pradesh Police's Economic Offences Wing today started collecting documents in connection with its probe into alleged financial irregularities in a trust run by Union Minister Salman Khurshid. "EOW teams are collecting documents at various levels including state, divisional and district headquarters as a part of the investigation," Director General EOW, Subrat...

-The Times of India LUCKNOW: Despite denials of wrongdoing in a trust for disabled people that Union law minister Salman Khurshid and his wife operate, it now appears that there was a letter with the forged signature of a senior UP government official that allowed the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment to release the second tranche of funds in March 2011 — Rs 68 lakh — to the Zakir...

-The Hindu “Give them identity cards, ban begging” The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has recommended issuing identity cards with unique serial numbers for the abandoned and destitute women who make Vrindavan their home. Submitting a rehabilitation plan before the Supreme Court on Monday for the destitute women living under pitiable conditions in Vrindavan, NALSA also demanded a ban on their begging. The proposal says it is first necessary to improve the condition of...

-The Telegraph The Supreme Court has said it wants to end judicial monitoring of social welfare schemes, saying the task should be left to experts and courts “can’t be setting economic policy”. The court had earlier taken umbrage at the government for fixing the poverty line at a measly Rs 32 per day per person in urban areas and suggested free distribution of foodgrain, causing consternation in the government which felt that...

-The Telegraph The Prime Minister today expressed surprise that “concurrent evaluation” of the rural job scheme was “not in good shape” and asked Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia to “apply his mind to making good this deficiency”. Concurrent evaluation is an assessment of a scheme’s impact, strength and weaknesses while it is being implemented, as distinct from the annual CAG audit or a post-mortem. Its objective is to identify problems...