Bhausaheb R Wakchaure, Shiv Sena MP from Shirdi, has introduced a private members Bill (Bill No. 70 of 2011) proposing that information requested under the (Right To Information) RTI can be denied to applicants who do not state the reason they require the information or it is the opinion of the competent authority that reasons given by the applicant are not adequate or are factually incorrect. The proposed Bill will destroy...

Good sections of rural India don’t want NREGA any more, showing the government spending pattern on the scheme. Since a large percentage of the village labourers have moved to the cities, it makes far better sense to develop an unemployment dole for them. The subtext is an accounting arrangement that ensures that like NREGA, the government can keep on rolling out similar entitlement programmes like the proposed Food Security Act, but...

We see malnutrition as a burden on our conscience, and on our exchequer. We also know it is a daunting task to get rid of child malnutrition. But do we know about the economic benefits on the other side? A new FAO report tells us that India can increase its national income by a massive US$ 28 billion by eliminating child malnutrition. Now that is serious economic gain so read...

-IANS   The government on Wednesday said it is determined to pass the Lokpal Bill as it unveiled its agenda for the winter session of parliament that includes a slew of anti-corruption legislations apart from the ambitious food security bill. Apart from Lokpal, other anti-corruption bills slated for consideration and passing in the winter session include whistle blower protection Bill and judicial standards and accountability bill. Talking to mediapersons, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar...

-The Telegraph   The government has listed the Lokpal Bill for discussion and passage during the winter session of Parliament but has failed to line up the land acquisition Bill though an unscheduled introduction is not ruled out. Both bills had gone to House standing committees around the same time after the monsoon session of Parliament, and both hold electoral significance for the Congress. Failure to get the Lokpal Bill passed in the November...