BREAKING NEWS

It refers to media-reports about Railway Board has made it compulsory to attach ID proof of RTI applicant with RTI applications. It was much desired to prevent fake RTI applications being filed in name of others. Department of Personnel and Training DoPT should issue a circular in tune with para 23 of verdict dated 02.11.2012 in the matter-Fruit and Vegetable Union versus Unknown (CWP 4787 of 2011) which requires ID proof compulsory to be attached with every RTI application, First Appeal and Second Appeal or complaint filed with Information Commissions. Already the aspect has been adopted at Odisha. Those who do not want to disclose their identity, can file RTI applications through post-box hired at some post-office. There is no logic in opposing the move wherein some NGOs and RTI activ...

A totally impartial review of security-cover to politicians has been done perhaps for the first time in Indian political system with security-cover cut even for many BJP and RSS leaders. This is why no one from opposition could cry over cut in status-symbol of security-cover available to many in opposition including former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. But still more is required when unnecessary security-cover still continues for several former political heavyweights including like Mulayamsingh Yadav. Union Home Ministry should have a further review of security-cover available to politicians with security either removed or reduced to bare minimum for leaders like Mulayamsingh Yadav. Thought should also be given for reducing heavy expenses in security-cover presently separately av...

Reserve Bank of India RBI through an RTI response (copy enclosed) openly shielded wrong-doings of torturing money-lending business by Non-Banking-Finance-Companies NBFCs like an NBFC-agent rather than regulatory-authority when the central Bank provided an analytical detail on suggestions to regulate NBFCs especially in their money-recovering process from those trapped in their net through luring mobile-calls. Significantly these NBFCs dominate loan-takers through financing by public-money of public-sector banks which is also unduly justified by RBI which avoided giving data of complaints against NBFCs. RBI justified filing of court-cases by NBFCs for recovery in cities other than of loan-takers despite NBFC-office being also in the city of loan-taker simply to unduly harass loan-taker a...

It refers to welcome unanimity cutting across party-lines putting apart religious sentiments against highly objectionable and indecent remarks by Samajwadi Party Parliamentarian Azam Khan on 25.07.2019 towards a woman member that too when she was chairing Lok Sabha proceedings. Azam Khan who often gives such indecent remarks outside Parliament also, deserves a fitting lesson so as to control him for future. It is good that now Lok Sabha Speaker has expressed for stringent-most action against Azam Khan with the victim woman Parliamentarian not ready to accept any late apology for ever-defiant Azam Khan. Otherwise erring Parliamentarians in past were never treated harshly for their such undesired behaviour during Parliamentary proceedings or for their misconduct as Parliamentarian. It may...

Mega-star Amitabh Bachchan once disclosed at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmadabad about his not advertising for cola-drinks after a school-student at Jaipur drew his attention about harmful ingredients in cola-drinks. It is significant that cola-companies voluntarily stopped selling cola-drinks in schools worldwide in view of increasing obesity in school-going children. Indian government should also not only ban advertisements but even sale of cola drinks in the country. Earlier also, soft-drink manufacturers were asked to remove an oil from their products which was found to be harmful for health. It is time that Union government, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and soft-drink manufacturers should revive drinks like old and famous rose-flavoured ones, which can n...

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has welcomed the health ministry’s recent move to ban colistin use in food-producing animals. On July 19, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) notified the prohibition of sale, manufacture and distribution of colistin and its formulations in food-producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements. The move is expected to help regulate antibiotic misuse in these animals and contain antimicrobial resistance (AMR). “We welcome the health ministry’s move to ban colistin use in food-producing animals. It will help preserve this last-resort antibiotic for humans and save lives from deadly antibiotic-resistant infections. It will go a long way in fighting antibiotic resistance,” said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director ...