-Business Standard Budget of NITI Aayog may go up by 18.20% in 2015-16 In a classic case of back to basics, the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), which since 2010 has been part of the erstwhile Planning Commission, will henceforth be an arm of the department of agriculture, as NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog is up for a rejig. NRAA's budget in 2014-15 was about Rs 31.50 crore, while...
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Amendments to anti-graft law soft on private sector, fall short of UN convention -Pradeep Thakur
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The NDA government, which came riding on a huge anti-corruption wave wiping out Congress last year, has dropped crucial amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act that would have ensured India ratifying the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). Sources said the government has not considered incorporating Article 12 and 16 of the UNCAC in the proposed amendments to the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act likely to...
More »New Shame: Modern Slavery Thriving in India
Far from being dead and gone, slavery exists in many forms and is flourishing. A disturbing report on modern slavery compiles facts and figures and documents data about new forms of slavery all over the world. Even more disturbing is the fact that India figures in very high on slavery index. It says that almost 61% of those living in modern slavery are in 5 countries: India, China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan...
More »In the mood for data sharing -Pankaj KP Shreyaskar
-The Hindu Business Line The Open Government Data initiative is gaining ground, but it needs to be in step with the Central Information Commission Open government data (OGD) is fashionable. Governments and public institutions in Europe and other parts of the globe are making increasing numbers of datasets available to the public by means of national, regional, local or thematic portals, in keeping with their political commitments towards open government and open...
More »Aadhaar to be must for passports -Bharti Jain
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Prior police verification for issue of fresh passports may soon be a thing of the past, with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) proposing to rely on aadhaar card for identification of the applicant and on the National Crime Records Bureau's (NCRB) database for validation of his/her criminal antecedents. With the applicant's self-declaration on aspects like citizenship, criminal antecedents, criminal proceedings, summons/warrants etc also thrown...
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