This meant targets set for primary school admissions, assured income for every family and roads, water, housing and electricity. And yearly spending of over Rs 1,20,000 crore (Rs 1,200 billion), up from Rs 36,000 crore (Rs 360 billion) in the last year of the National Democratic Alliance government.
A district collector's experiment in Tamil Nadu is showing the way for more rural BPOs even in times of recession.
Sanskara Eye Care's model of charging fee from only 20 per cent of the patients is sufficient to make each hospital self-sustaining in three to five years. But is not the only source of its sustenance. In the US, children are donating their pocket money towards eye surgery in these hospitals. It is $30 for a surgery, says founder R V Ramani.
If there is one state where environmental issues spill over into active politics and can rewrite the destiny of political parties, it is Goa. And history threatens to repeat itself in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections for two seats, over a government ordinance concerning a Supreme Court order on the demolition of illegal structures built by hotels.
Rented housing and fixed rents, like it's in developed countries, could be one way to ensure that everyone in cities has a roof over his head.
He asked the CMs to give priority to income-generating schemes like housing and tone up implementation of ongoing programmes to enable them to spend the originally allocated funds and the additional allocation of Rs 20,000 crore. He referred specifically to the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, National Urban Renewal Mission, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Indira Awas Yojana, Acceleration Irrigation Benefit Programme and National Social Assistance Programme.
Telemedicine sure helps private enterprise. If it also helps the cause of health care, then why not?
The ambitious plans of another charity of the Satyam founder, the Health Management Research Institute, in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh government, are under scrutiny.
Despite its success, EMRI is as much under a cloud today as its founder Ramalinga Raju, with a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court questioning the way he got 12 state governments to implement it and reimburse 95 per cent of its expenses. The key issue is that the states entrusted Rs 18 billion annually (if 10,000 vans are to run in all the states by next year) to a private company without going through a transparent selection procedure.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit says in an interview that the Centre can continue to handle the city's law and order situation but should reform the police system.
British Telecom's sustainability index aims to rank Indian companies according to their corporate social responsibility initiatives, says Sreelatha Menon.
The policy also asks for a suitable accreditation machinery to recognise institutions, professionals and services related to safety, health and environment at workplace.
Jean Dreze, who is also member of the Central Employment Guarantee Council, Ritika Khera and Anirban Kar - all from the Delhi School of Economics -- have pointed out that though bank payment of wages is seen as a magic solution to delayed payment and non-payment of wages under the Rs 25,000-crore (Rs 250-billion) scheme, making bank payments mandatory is a step taken without necessary precautions.
'Sweetheart' and 'darling' have been Sheila Dikshit's favourite words for decades -- they go well with her trademark warm, grandmotherly smile. And now, the capital has reciprocated. Dikshit has become the 'darling of Delhi'.On December 8, she became the only chief minister of Delhi to enter into a third successive term. In the 123-year history of the Congress, she is the third chief minister to have this record.
At least seven Bills initiated by the labour ministry are awaiting Parliament's nod, but just one - the Unorganised Sector Workers Social Security Bill - has been listed for the House session beginning on Wednesday.
India's diamond cutting and polishing industry fails to see logic in adhering to the ban on trade in diamonds used for funding conflicts.
"Some powers of the state police have to be taken over by the proposed central agency to function. This will require changes in state laws and also some central laws. If we go for a constitutional amendment, the Bill can take care of all related changes," said a top UPA minister.
United Way, an alliance of MNCs and social agents, works on a belief that philanthropy finds new ways of giving in times of economic distress, says Sreelatha Menon.
The finance ministry has appointed a Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, which will soon roll out a National Pension Scheme for the informal sector or for whoever wants to join.
A new government plan aims to multiply the number of skill development centres and the number of people who get vocational training.
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