-The United Nations Sustainable cities are an aspiration as the number of slum dwellers continues to rise and the rate of urbanization skyrockets, a senior United Nations official today said, ahead of an upcoming UN forum that will focus on creating cities and towns more economically, socially and politically accessible. "One of the main aspects in urbanization is to diminish the level of inequality because it presents a new set of social...

-The Hindustan Times The passage of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) made 2013 a landmark year for the right to food in India. It was a small but significant step in the battle against hunger. If the year was witness to the emergence of a political consensus, nationally, on the right to food, the next year will need to be characterised more by action and not just intent. The principal challenge in...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses of the Centre, Atomic Energy Regulatory Body (AERB) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) on a petition alleging that the regulatory body gave clearance to Kudankulam nuclear power plant ignoring the court-asserted safety aspects of the plant. A bench of Justices K S Radhakrishnan and A K Sikri issued notices to the respondents on an appeal filed...

-Outlook The state elections rolled out smoothly, but it's money power which ruled on the ground As we celebrate the smooth working of a massive electoral exercise-simplistically dubbed by many as the semi-final to the greatest show on earth, General Elections 2014-a realisation has dawned that the role of ‘money power' is reaching alarming proportions. Sure, elections are more fool-proof today than in the past, and most (rightly) salute the EC...

-Down to Earth CAG audit may be sought if states fail to disclose correct information, says secretary for drinking water and sanitation The secretary of Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) has set up a high-level committee to look into the huge discrepancy between its data on toilets built under its sanitation programme and what exists on ground. The discrepancy came to light following the 2011 Census findings that...