-The Business Standard   Much depends on a strong implementation FRAmework but the imposition of a cap by the Planning Commission could lead to arbitrary exclusions. Himanshu Assistant Professor of Economics, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University The methodology, which is based on the FRAmework suggested by the Saxena Committee, uses indicators that have been refined using a large-scale pilot survey There are over 400 million poor (the number varies depending on which estimate you...

-The Hindu   Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice who had a “very FRAnk, intense and productive” discussion with social activist Anna Hazare on the Lokpal Bill are amazed that he after, giving them an impression of being “satisfied” with the interaction, said “something else” to the media. The meeting ended with the Committee asking Team Anna to send its Jan Lokpal Bill to it for further discussion so that...

-IANS   A Bihar court Thursday dismissed the discharge petitions filed by former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra, among 11 accused, in a scam related to FRAudulent withdrawal of Rs.47 lakh from the state treasury to purchase fodder for public distribution, court officials said. A designated Central Bureau of Investigation court dismissed the discharge petitions after hearing the arguments in the case. After the arguments were completed in the first week...

WHEN ITANAGAR businessman and chairman of the Sango Lamte Foundation Payi Gyadi embarked on his crusade against dishonesty, he did not bargain for this. Four FIRs, one attempt to FRAme him by planting weapons in his car, and countless ‘offers’ to reach a ‘compromise or die’. His crime: exposing that the current Arunachal Pradesh Health Minister Atum Welly’s son and daughter had got government jobs based on fake certificates. It all...

The Mamata Banerjee government wants the Centre to include in the draft National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill provisions of the Bengal’s land ceiling law, which caps holdings by industry at 24.88 acres. State cabinet sources also said the government would not accept any special economic zone (SEZ) and ask the Centre make its position clear on such enclaves, which typically require large tracts, in the bill. The recommendations were...