To many, ecology clearances coming in quick succession first for the 12-million-tonne steel project, including a captive power complex and a minor port that the South Korean Posco is diligently pursuing for close to six years and then for SAIL’s three mining leases at Chiria in Jharkhand appear as history bending revolutions. This is because the ministry of environment and forests, led by environment zealot Jairam Ramesh was till the...

The silence at Cancun on the future of the Kyoto Protocol has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the emission trading business (carbon credits) in India.Experts are interpreting the situation in different ways, with the overall view being that the emission trading business has to stay in one form or the other, if carbon emissions are to be reduced. However, for now, the $2 billion per year market for Indian...

Maharashtra weeded out 2.9 million bogus ration cards last year, launching an identity verification drive to make the system foolproof. Residents had to provide electoral roll numbers, electricity bills and rent receipts to receive a ration card. Migrants had to present an official document confirming their change in residence. That led to the exclusion of many poor, homeless and migrant families as they lacked the necessary papers. This is the kind...

Health is wealth, goes the adage. For confirmation, check how much India loses to illness every year, and compare it with China. While China loses 15,279 healthy years per one lakh population per annum on account of illness and disability, the corresponding figure for India stands at 27,316, around 80% higher. India's performance on this crucial health indicator — which is also a proxy for labour productivity — appears gloomy even...

The Aadhaar or UID project has grave implications for every Indian. It will enable the government to profile every citizen and track their movements and transactions. There is no guarantee that intimate personal information -- pre-existing illnesses, romantic relationships etc -- won't be shared with other agencies, warns Praful Bidwai. An elaborate charade has begun with the rolling out of the first Aadhaar unique identity numbers in a tribal district of Maharashtra by...