As a country grappling with political and infrastructural problems, there are very few issues that do not evoke extreme, often diametrically opposite, reactions in India. Population control Bills, vaccination policy, farmer income initiatives, river water sharing mechanisms or surrogacy laws—there is no dearth of topics that have triggered controversy, and …
Accusing the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of having "miserably failed' to contain the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, fruits and vegetables, the Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday sought the resignation of the Congress-led coalition government. Stating that the price rise had made life hell for the common man, JD(U) …
Finding resentment against special economic zones (SEZs) in many parts of the country, including within its own organisation, the CPI(M) has decided to press the UPA government to change the SEZ Act to stop its misuse. West Bengal Chief Minister and Politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said: "The SEZ Act …
The latest spark in the tenuous ties between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, already at war over the sharing of the Cauvery waters, is a proposal resurrected from the archives by Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi to tap the Hogenakkal waters for quenching the dry western districts of Dharmapuri and …
it was the biggest feature of the union budget, and was played to the maximum effect. Waiver of small and marginal farmers' loans amounting to Rs 60,000 crore triggered a virtual stampede among political parties to claim credit for it; the ruling United Progressive Alliance (upa) termed the decision
It was perhaps a first for Palaniappan Chidambaram. He had a most unusual effect on Lok Sabha MPs last week. Minutes after he delivered his Budget speech, MPs across party lines were on the phone, cancelling weekend parties and making arrangements to head home. It was almost as if he …
Buoyed by the popular reaction to the farm debt waiver and debt relief scheme announced in the budget, the Congress has planned a series of rallies in State capitals and district headquarters. It will begin with a massive show of strength on the Ramlila grounds here on March 9. At …
This Budget asks and answers some rather big questions. Begin by asking the man in the street, and he will say that he is happy with Mr Chidambaram's Budget. And so the finance minister has dared politicians to criticize the farm loan waiver, and he might as well dare others …
Rs 60k-crore farm loan waiver, I-T exemption limit raised. P Chidambaram unveiled a Budget cleverly designed to win him many popularity contests. There were concessions on the income tax, reductions in customs and excise duties, and the mother of all farm loan waivers. While playing to multiple galleries, the finance …
in december 2007, the Chhattisgarh government estimated that the state had 2.14 million people below poverty line (bpl) families in the state. A month later, while launching a new food assistance programme, the government pegged the figure at 3.4 million. Opposition parties grabbed the chance to question the ruling bjp …
ngos have come to the assistance of female candidates contesting Kenya's general elections by helping them deal better with the media. Only18 of the 222 legislators in the country's last parliament were women, and only nine of these won their seats: the others were nominated to parliament. The initiative is …
ABHIJIT VINAYAK BANERJEE I was trying to think what I would do if I were a chicken-owner and it looked like the flu had arrived in the village. I would worry, of course, about money: how would we make ends meet? If I had an unfriendly neighbour, I would start …
Three of the most controversial ingredients in politics - race, gender and age - are conspiring to make this year's US presidential election one of the most engrossing ever. But there is another factor that many Americans will hopefully be taking just as seriously because of its future impact on …
Climate change is the biggest science issue in the world, and the biggest science issue in the upcoming US election. Who is the front runner? If you look at the parties, it's a no-brainer: the Democrats snatched control of both houses of Congress in 2006, and have so far made …
tribal villagers in West Bengal's West Midnapore district chopped down around 6,600 young eucalyptus trees on a six-hectare state forest department plantation recently. The residents claim the land in the district's Chandra forest range is theirs and they want it back. Forest department officials rubbish the claims and are preparing …
after nine hours of debate on the India- usa nuclear deal in the Rajya Sabha, the position of the Left and the opposition parties remained the same. They made it clear that their stand had not changed since July 2005, when the deal was announced first. On December 9, cpi …
Sometimes, a fortnight can mirror a year. With the year-end approaching, a flashback is usually in order. But recent events have made completely clear to me where we are and where we are headed. This year, the world's who's who landed up. Our leaders basked in the floodlight of economic …
The latest upa-Left meeting on India-us nuclear deal on October 22 did not head anywhere. The deal continues to remain in limbo: being either termed "dead' or in "deep freeze'. Both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the upa chairperson Sonia Gandhi say that the pact is virtually off. But the …
