The government on Thursday introduced a legislation that would protect whistleblowers and provide severe punishment to those who expose the identity of, or try to victimise, such people. The Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill, 2010 also provides for setting up a regular mechanism to encourage disclosure of information on corruption or wilful misuse of power by public servants, which cause “demonstrable losses” to the government. The...

Does political corruption in India take place because there are always some civil servants who are willing to collaborate in it? Or, is the lure of post-retirement assignments a major reason for spinelessness of the senior civil servants? The affirmative answer to these questions has come from none other than bureaucrats themselves. Recently, they made these facts and many others -- usually, a subject of whisper in corridors of power...

Allaying fears of minority groups about the Right to Education Act, HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday said the government has no intention to interfere with minority rights which are guaranteed under the Article 30 of the Constitution. Speaking at a meeting on RTE organised by Jamiat-Ulama-e-Hind, Sibal said his ministry will issue regulations to deal with minority fears on RTE and if need, the RTE Act will even be...

The proposal that the poor be given direct cash subsidy under the food security law when grain is not available may not go through with many members of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) denouncing the move. Top sources confirmed that the Planning Commission's suggestion did not find favour with some members of the council who argued that a push should be given to "more government procurement" and overhauling the...

They express shock at reports that it has been finalised Discussions still on to decide the final shape of Bill Recommendations made to NAC “non-negotiable” Even as the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) is holding consultations with a cross-section of civil society groups to evolve consensus on the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, so that their suggestions can be incorporated in the final text, before it is brought...