On the basis of fact finding report from the Union rural development secretary B K Sinha on rampant corruption and irregularities in operation of rural job schemes in several districts in Jharkhand under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA), the Centre has discontinued in releasing funds to seven districts in the state in the current financial year 2011-12. MGNREGA commissioner in Jharkhand A K Singh confirmed that seven districts –...

A recent study finds that selective abortion of girls, especially for pregnancies after a firstborn girl, has increased substantially in India. CENSUS 2011, which brought out several positive features with regard to education, literacy and fertility rates, also confirmed the disturbing trend that had been reported for the first time in the 1991 Census – the increasing gap between the figures for male and female children in the 0-6 age...

The Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti on Tuesday contested Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's claim that no force was being used to acquire land for the proposed steel project of Posco as his government was for peaceful industrialisation. “The Chief Minister is telling lies,” said Prashant Paikray, spokesperson of the Samiti, which has been strongly opposing establishment of the mega steel plant that would affect the lives and livelihoods of thousands of...

-PTI   Seer of Haridwar-based Matri Sadan Ashram, Swami Nigamanand, who was on fast for nearly four months demanding immediate stopping of quarrying in Ganga and shifting of Himalaya stone crusher from Kumbh mela area, on Monday died in a hospital near here. District Magistrate of Haridwar R Meenakshisundaram said Swami Nigamanand (36) died at the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences at Jolly Grant this afternoon. Nigamanand had begun his fast on February...

-The Telegraph   Excerpts from the draft of the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill, 2011, which was circulated among MLAs on Monday. Whereas it is expedient to provide for taking over of the land covered by the lease granted to Tata Motors Limited for the sole purpose of Small Car Manufacturing project and letters of allotment issued to the Vendors as recommended by Tata Motors Limited in view of non-commissioning and...