We reproduce here a letter Shailesh Gandhi, former central information commissioner, has written to the chairman of parliament standing committee in the matter of the proposed amendments to the RTI act. 27/09/2013 Shri Sh
Shubha Sarma, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, is inspired by Tolstoy, Chekov, O Henry and Indian literary greats like Premchand and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Like these literary greats, Sarma has woven compelling narrative of sh
Coal India Limited (CIL), the world’s largest producer of coal, averted a strike by its executives after assuring them of bonus payouts that may cost the state-owned company as much as $152 million. According to officials demands for
State Bank of India has cancelled the check-off facility to its officers’ federation making it the bank’s biggest measure to come down hard on trade union activities. According to a report in Mint, the country’s largest b
Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) has recorded a growth of 15.4%. According to a new report in The Times of India, the company has achieved a record turnover of Rs 1406.70 crore during 2012-13 as against Rs 1218.65 crore achieved durin
The alcoves were the venue of many meetings between those who played a pivotal role in the unification of India and transfer of power from the British to Indians. It was from here that the great VP Menon who supported Sardar Patel worked hard to c
By directing the government to provide for a “none of the above” button on the electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the forthcoming state and general elections, the supreme court on Friday gave the power of choice to the citizen.
Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) forced by payment defaults to the tune of Rs 6400 crore by the Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) is considering shutting down part of its 5,700 MW thermal power generation capacities next month. Acco
ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) is slowly but surely foraying into foreign shores. OVL has expressed interest in bidding in the fourth licensing round for seven offshore and one onshore oil/gas blocks in Tanzania. The matter was discussed between minister o
On account of its annual financial performance for the year 2012-13, public sector SJVN Limited has paid a dividend of Rs 255.99 crore to the government of India, which is holding 64.5 percent equity in the company. SJVN had declared a tot
Last week, a special CBI court found Rashid Masood, a Congress Rajya Sabha MP, guilty of nominating undeserving candidates to medical seats. It was a ‘scam’ that broke out when Masood was minister of state for health in
Bihar, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, apart from seven other states, are the “least developed” Indian states, while Gujarat, whose model of development and industrialisation is a raging debate across the country following Narendra Modi&rsqu
Having watched the payments crisis of the National Spot Exchange Limited (NSEL) unfold from the sidelines, the Securities and Exchange Bureau of India (Sebi) has now jumped in to probe if there were any alleged irregularities in the financial stat
(Editor`s note: This article, written in September 2013, soon after the BJP announced Narendra Modi as the party`s PM candidate, reflects on the "fragility of the Indian ego" and its enactments in Indian politics. Th
Eight years after a Mumbai consumer activist sought an answer from the state information commission on why Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL), like other public organizations, not complying with RTI Act, another activist has taken up the issue and is rea
According to the Bombay stock exchange website, Housing and Urban Development Corporation`s (HUDCO) tax free bonds issue, targeted to raise up to up to Rs 4809 crore, has already garnered Rs 1585 crore. According to a news report in the Fi
Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 is easily the most hotly debated of the 470-something provisions in the new legislation. Bhaskar Chatterjee, the CEO and director-general of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, put it well at a public
With a view to protecting consumers against paying hidden interest amounts, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has banned banks from giving out zero percent interest rate schemes on credit card purchase of consumer goods. The move, which comes just a
GAIL (India) Ltd. has entered into an understanding with Petronet LNG Ltd for reserving 2.5 million tonnes (mt) annually exclusive capacity in the planned expansion of Dahej LNG terminal to meet the demand. According to a news repor
With five key states going for elections later this year and the 2014 general elections approaching, the government has announced setting up of the seventh pay commission which comes as good news for central government employees. “Pr
