News for 'Urban Local Bodies'

Did Climate Change Matter In Gujarat Elections?

Did Climate Change Matter In Gujarat Elections?

Rediff.com8 Dec 2022

Better living conditions must be an integral part of all political campaigns. But this will only happen if the public pressures the political class to understand the irreversibility of climate change and make the environment a crucial part of their manifestos.

A message for Modi from India's crisis-hit farmers

A message for Modi from India's crisis-hit farmers

Rediff.com7 Dec 2015

Farmer interest groups predict that unless the government corrects its agricultural pricing and procurement policy, it will face a political blowback.

Shiv Sena always suspected Shinde's closeness to Fadnavis

Shiv Sena always suspected Shinde's closeness to Fadnavis

Rediff.com30 Jun 2022

Eknath Sambhaji Shinde, who on Thursday became the 20th chief minister of Maharashtra, once drove an auto-rickshaw to earn a living before rising as a formidable Shiv Sena leader.

A schizo polity called Tamil Nadu

A schizo polity called Tamil Nadu

Rediff.com11 Jun 2019

Why did such a 'socially conscientious' people adapt to cash-for-votes and the like, as fish to water? N Sathiya Moorthy offers an explanation.

The 10 biggest policy mistakes of the past

The 10 biggest policy mistakes of the past

Rediff.com9 Jul 2015

There are conflicting signs on India's investment cycle.

Sasikala brings EPS-OPS rift out in open

Sasikala brings EPS-OPS rift out in open

Rediff.com28 Oct 2021

The revived factionalism in the AIADMK, if not curbed now, has the potential to split the party vertically, warns N Sathiya Moorthy.

'Governance of cities has become horrendous'

'Governance of cities has become horrendous'

Rediff.com10 Sep 2014

'Disparity is not only in Mumbai; you see it in every city. The other day, I saw right next to the mansion of Mukesh Ambani worth Rs 5,000 crore for one family, thousands of people sleeping on the pavement. This is the urban India you have created!'

Green signal for 5G trials but Chinese vendors kept out

Green signal for 5G trials but Chinese vendors kept out

Rediff.com5 May 2021

The Department of Telecom on Tuesday approved applications of telecom companies -- Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and MTNL -- for conducting 5G trials but none of them will be using technologies of Chinese entities. The list of telecom gear makers approved for trials include Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, C-DOT and Reliance Jio's indigenously developed technologies.

COVID-19: How Mumbai has been done in by poor planning

COVID-19: How Mumbai has been done in by poor planning

Rediff.com21 May 2020

Urban planners and real estate experts say bad town planning in Mumbai and rising deaths during the ongoing pandemic are a "sad reality". Dev Chatterjee and Raghavendra Kamath report.

AAP 2.0: 'More prominent' role for Sisodia, snub for Somnath Bharti?

AAP 2.0: 'More prominent' role for Sisodia, snub for Somnath Bharti?

Rediff.com11 Feb 2015

Aam Aadmi Party, set to form a government after its Delhi assembly election win, may keep three of its former ministers out of its new cabinet and is likely to give a "more prominent" role to senior party leader Manish Sisodia, sources said on Tuesday.

Nirmala Sitharaman's first Budget puts brakes on some funds for states

Nirmala Sitharaman's first Budget puts brakes on some funds for states

Rediff.com10 Jul 2019

Nirmala Sitharaman has designed the revenue mix in such a way that while Centre's share in taxes would grow a massive 25 per cent, states' share would grow a dismal 6 per cent.

TTV's road to fighting polls fraught with legal issues

TTV's road to fighting polls fraught with legal issues

Rediff.com15 Mar 2018

TTV Dinakaran's road to reaching the poll stage could still be strewn with legal difficulties, as much as political problems from other new players, like actors Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

'Lockdown has changed the environment around us'

'Lockdown has changed the environment around us'

Rediff.com15 May 2020

'If we want a better life, we have to treat nature better, and behave properly.' 'That's nature's message to us.'

Lakshadweep administrator has Modi's ear, and trust

Lakshadweep administrator has Modi's ear, and trust

Rediff.com16 Jun 2021

Given Narendra Modi's trust in him, Praful Khoda Patel is unlikely to back down in Lakshadweep.

Modi sarkar's Operation Clean Sweep

Modi sarkar's Operation Clean Sweep

Rediff.com1 Oct 2014

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch his dream 'Swachh Bharat' campaign on Thursday.

CM Kejriwal keeps crucial power, finance, home portfolios

CM Kejriwal keeps crucial power, finance, home portfolios

Rediff.com28 Dec 2013

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday allocated portfolios to his six Cabinet colleagues while keeping the key departments of home, finance, power and vigilance with himself.

Covid-19 scare: 30 states, UTs in complete lockdown

Covid-19 scare: 30 states, UTs in complete lockdown

Rediff.com24 Mar 2020

A tweet by the Press Information Bureau said the states which have imposed lockdown in all districts include Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland. The other states are: Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Ladakh, Tripura, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Haryana, Daman Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Karnataka and Assam.

Pro-CAA remark puts Rajini in BJP's court

Pro-CAA remark puts Rajini in BJP's court

Rediff.com7 Feb 2020

While critics and protestors have multifarious arguments to offer, the defence of CAA has been uni-dimensional and uni-focussed as has been the case with most policies of the Modi government and the political positions of his party. But to be drawn into an issue that has assumed more than local and national dimensions, Rajini has knowingly or otherwise, taken the plunge and in favour of the BJP -- or, so it has come to be seen, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

Forging alliances key to polls in newly-born Telangana

Forging alliances key to polls in newly-born Telangana

Rediff.com4 Apr 2014

All the major parties seem to be waiting for their rivals to blink first as forging alliances has apparently become a tricky affair in the newly-born state of Telangana, which has 17 parliamentary and 119 assembly constituencies that will go to polls on April 30.

Cong releases manifesto; jobs, NYAY, farmers top focus

Cong releases manifesto; jobs, NYAY, farmers top focus

Rediff.com2 Apr 2019

The Congress chief said if his party is elected to power, its government would spend 6 per cent of the GDP on education.

Niti mulls Rs 125 crore for lucky draws to boost e-payments

Niti mulls Rs 125 crore for lucky draws to boost e-payments

Rediff.com11 Dec 2016

In the wake of scrapping of old Rs 500/1,000 banknotes, Niti Aayog has asked National Payments Corporation of India to frame a new scheme to incentivise digital payments.

'The government's priorities are all wrong'

'The government's priorities are all wrong'

Rediff.com14 Apr 2020

'The prime minister did not think that COVID-19 was a serious challenge as late as March 20.'

SC slams govt's vaccination policy as 'prima facie arbitrary'

SC slams govt's vaccination policy as 'prima facie arbitrary'

Rediff.com3 Jun 2021

The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to place on record all relevant documents and file notings reflecting its thinking culminating in the COVID-19 vaccination policy, and the purchase history till date of all jabs including Covaxin, Covishield and Sputnik V.

Steely Stalin steals Modi's show too

Steely Stalin steals Modi's show too

Rediff.com2 May 2021

Stalin owes his victory this time, like in 2019, to the hate-campaign of the local Hindutva forces, which kept haranguing him, and even his dead father, notes N Sathiya Moorthy.

'It is a no-brainer that there will be a very sharp rebound next year'

'It is a no-brainer that there will be a very sharp rebound next year'

Rediff.com29 Sep 2020

'The CEA suggested that could be as high as 19 per cent.'

How Amit Shah gave BJP last-mile push in Gujarat civic polls

How Amit Shah gave BJP last-mile push in Gujarat civic polls

Rediff.com8 Mar 2021

When Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Gujarat to cast his vote in the urban body polls, learnt of the poor voter, instead of heading home he went to the Motera stadium, organised a control room, and was on the phone with practically everybody assigned duty on the ground: MPs, MLAs and BJP office-bearers. His single commandment was to check the voter list and phone or personally get people to the booths, reports Radhika Ramaseshan.

Madhya Pradesh: Many employees still get fourth pay panel salary

Madhya Pradesh: Many employees still get fourth pay panel salary

Rediff.com7 Jul 2016

Madhya Pradesh has nearly 750,000 employees who would share the benefit of the pay hike.

Stalin declares war on Governor Ravi, but within the Constitution

Stalin declares war on Governor Ravi, but within the Constitution

Rediff.com7 Feb 2022

The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu had begun seeing Governor Ravi's decisions and actions as a part of the state BJP's non-stop criticism of its government and directed from Delhi, a view strengthened by the governor's decision to return the NEET exemption bill, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.

Why India should talk about menstrual hygiene and safety

Why India should talk about menstrual hygiene and safety

Rediff.com7 Mar 2019

If we are able to provide safe, hygienic toilets, and affordable sanitary napkins, we could stop girls from dropping out of schools and help women feel more confident.

Will BJP's ally play spoilsport for its candidate in RS polls?

Will BJP's ally play spoilsport for its candidate in RS polls?

Rediff.com18 Mar 2018

While the BJP has the numbers to send its eight candidates to the Upper House, its ally, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, which has four MLAs in the 403-member UP assembly, holds key to the fate its ninth nominee.

Indian Movies I Loved in 2022

Indian Movies I Loved in 2022

Rediff.com22 Dec 2022

In a year of overwrought spectacles that slavishly sucked up to the audience, I found refuge in a bunch of 'mainstream' Indian films that espoused such old-fashioned values as dedication to craft, close observation and casual bravery, explains Sreehari Nair.

So what happens when Anandiben turns 75?

So what happens when Anandiben turns 75?

Rediff.com18 Jul 2016

In the wake of recent resignation of Union Minister Najma Heptulla due to the undeclared age bar of 75 years for ministers put by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, now speculations are rife in Ahmedabad on the fate of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who will touch the line in November.

Hardly a drop to drink, but water not a poll issue for Dravidian majors

Hardly a drop to drink, but water not a poll issue for Dravidian majors

Rediff.com26 Mar 2019

At first look, the reader would be aghast at the similarities in the DMK and AIADMK's manifestos, wondering if the same hand had drafted both. Yet, when it comes to drinking water and irrigation supplies, both parties are equally silent on the subject -- as if summer did not exist, as didn't water scarcity, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

Governor Caught In Centre-Tamil Nadu Crossfire

Governor Caught In Centre-Tamil Nadu Crossfire

Rediff.com20 Apr 2022

The DMK feels its genuine gestures have had no bearing on the governor's politico-administrative conduct, which is 'more political and politicised than administrative and Constitutional', observes N Sathiya Moorthy.

Fadnavis seeks Rs 10,000 crore from Centre to tackle Maha drought

Fadnavis seeks Rs 10,000 crore from Centre to tackle Maha drought

Rediff.com7 May 2016

Fadnavis said they also discussed the short- and long-term measures to tackle drought situation.

Saudi Vellakka: Every Face Counts

Saudi Vellakka: Every Face Counts

Rediff.com17 Jan 2023

I thought Saudi Vellakka a glancing, loving depiction of the judicial system as a pageantry filled with performers trying to do right by everyone, do everything by the book, and failing despite their best attempts, observes Sreehari Nair.

'Government of India should penalise Tamil Nadu government for floods'

'Government of India should penalise Tamil Nadu government for floods'

Rediff.com25 Nov 2015

'The Chennai floods in particular clearly show there is a nexus between corruption, disaster, destruction and death.' 'Urban development in India is the source of all corruption.'

Indian urbanisation 'messy', reforms needed: World Bank

Indian urbanisation 'messy', reforms needed: World Bank

Rediff.com24 Sep 2015

World Bank report on Thursday called for initiatives at the policy and institutional level to tap the economic potential it offers.

Where Does AIADMK Go From Here?

Where Does AIADMK Go From Here?

Rediff.com12 Jul 2022

There is nothing to suggest that the DMK stands to gain from the AIADMK split nor is there anything indicative of an extraordinary advantage for the BJP, independently or in the company of the AIADMK, explains N Sathiya Moorthy.

MHA says states can't dilute lockdown 4.0 guidelines

MHA says states can't dilute lockdown 4.0 guidelines

Rediff.com18 May 2020

In a communication to the chief secretaries of the states and Union territories, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said the guidelines for the fourth phase of the lockdown were issued after taking the views of the states, following a video-conference held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with chief ministers on May 11.