-IndiaSpend.com About 8% of 804 industrial projects – with a planned investment of Rs 421,062 crore ($67.91 billion) – across India are in limbo because of land-acquisition problems, according to data released by the finance ministry. The data complement a 2014 Comptroller and Auditor General report that says 38% of land acquired for special economic zones has not been used. The leading causes for stalled plans were unfavourable market conditions (98 projects) –...
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Delhi Govt to Form Its Own Education Board
-Outlook New Delhi: Promising a revamp of Delhi's education system, the state government today said it will form its own education board on the lines of CBSE and NCERT, come out with new syllabus and also amend existing education laws. In a first-of-its kind interaction under one roof, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisosia today met principals of all the government schools at Tyagraj Stadium here. The announcement came...
More »Govt's indiscriminate crackdown on NGOs will affect the 'marginalised' -Samar Halarnkar
-Hindustan Times They are called cafeteria sessions. At lunch time, Greenpeace fund-raisers wander among hundreds, sometimes thousands, of young men and women packing the cafeterias of Indian companies. It’s not a good idea to name these companies. Greenpeace’s activities include forest preservation, renewable-energy promotion and fighting on behalf of local communities. These appear to be popular causes among young professionals. Donations of Rs 300 to Rs 500 constitute about 80% of...
More »Land, development and democracy -Mihir Shah
-The Hindu India cannot continue with a pattern of industry that yields so few jobs but has such a large ecological footprint. Neither can it be excited by the urban nightmares that its cities are today. The land law debate must be the occasion to talk about these key national agendas The current debate on the land law is important because it affords us a chance to reflect more deeply on the...
More »Revamping public procurement -Mukul G Asher, Tarun Sharma & Shahana Sheikh
-The Hindu A properly designed and implemented procurement law is long overdue. It can improve financial management, and bring large financial and governance benefits Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s 2015-16 budget speech signalled the government’s commitment to formally legalise India’s public procurement system as a part of its continuing reforms in public financial management. Following this, the Ministry of Finance is seeking suggestions to refine the Public Procurement Bill of 2012, introduced by...
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