A controversial bill which aims to set up an anti-corruption watchdog has been introduced in the lower house of the Indian parliament. Activists have criticised the Lokpal Bill for failing to include the prime minister and senior judiciary within the remit of a new ombudsman. Activist Anna Hazare has calLED the bill a "cruel joke". He said he would go on hunger strike from 16 August. India has recently been hit by a...

-The Hindu   The Coalition for GM-Free India has expressed concern over the way field trials for genetically modified crops and seed production were being allowed in the State. At a national meet here, the Coalition wanted the government to disallow these trials as was done by States like Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Chhattisgarh. Cautioning against any move to revoke the requirement of State's no objection certificate (NOC) for any...

The ministry of rural development has written to all the states warning them not to go slow or suspend works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act at any point of time in the year. The communication reminding the provisions of the right to work Act comes in the wake of reports that some states are going slow in execution of works under the UPA's flagship social sector programme,...

The recent estimates of employment and unemployment from the 66th round (2009-10) of the National Sample Survey (NSS) belie any hopes that the growth of the Indian economy between 2004-05 and 2009-10 has been inclusive. Employment has expanded by only a million jobs during this period. Not only is this lowest ever growth recorded in any such period, the fact that it occurred during the period of highest growth in...

-Express News Service   The state government, on Tuesday, seaLED documents related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in four blocks of Sonbhadra following reports of anomalies in implementation of the scheme in the district. The action was taken on the report on misappropriation of scheme funds submitted by Central investigation team early this year. The Central team was headed by GN Sharma, consultant, Union Ministry of Rural Development. On Monday,...