Govt drafts new law to guarantee land titles
To bring uniformity across the country and replace the existing deeds system that’s fraught with litigation due to inaccuracies in property records, the rural development ministry has drafted a model law to usher in a system of conclusive property titles with title guarantees through registration of immovable property
Vice President Ansari for CAG audit of NGOs, societies, trusts
Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari strongly favours bringing NGOs, autonomous organisations, societies and trusts within the purview of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India to ensure better “transparency and accountability” in the spending of public funds
Centre should step in to check riots, says panel
Touching upon several significant areas, a panel reviewing relations and the balance of power between the Centre and state governments has made over 200 recommendations including radical ones like amending Articles 355 and 356 to enable the Centre to bring specific trouble-torn areas under its rule, for a limited period
MPLADS constitutionally valid, says SC
A five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutional validity of the MPLAD scheme under which MPs are allocated Rs 2 crore annually to develop their constituencies
National Advisory Council to be revived
The NAC, responsible for major pro-poor legislations and schemes, is back on track with Sonia Gandhi as its head
India stays at 134 on UN's Human Development Index
India has showed no progress in its ranking among countries on the Human Development Index, according to the latest Human Development Report for the year 2007, released by the United Nations Development Programme. But India’s average annual growth rate for literacy, life expectancy and income are moving up slowly
'No more places of worship on public land': SC
The Supreme Court of India has directed that there shall be no fresh construction of places of worship in public places in the country. The restriction will apply to all religions
Govt to extend midday meal scheme to madrasas in Delhi
Students enrolled in madrasas across Delhi will now be covered under the midday meal scheme. The move is part of the Madrasa Modernisation Scheme aimed at mainstreaming children who attend these seminaries and helping them procure jobs later
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/, September 2009
Women recruited to stop power theft in villages
Unable to check rampant power and line theft, the Ministry of Power has turned to self-help groups and women panchayat groups to meter and monitor all connections. Village-level franchisees of women have been set up in several states including Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand
Budget 2009-10: Focus on 'inclusive' growth
In its Budget 2009-10, the government has proposed a multi-pronged strategy to integrate agriculture and rural activities, aimed at pleasing both farmers and rural labour. Another major decision involves the convergence of the NREGS with other agriculture-related schemes in a bid to increase farm productivity, which has taken a hit in 2008-09