Vehicle scrappage announced in Budget 2021-22 a welcome measure

It will help reduce vehicular pollution in urban areas, besides boosting the sale of newer vehicles, including electric ones

80% of Ganga will be clean by March 2019: Gadkari

The government says it is trying to ensure devotees get a clean river during the upcoming Kumbh Mela in January

As told to Parliament (March 16, 2022): India to triple nuclear power capacity this decade

All that was discussed in the House through the day  

India's ambitious plan to boost biofuel likely to fail without roadmap

In Chhattisgarh, which was supposed to emerge as a biofuel hub by 2014, the plan for establishing biodiesel industry never took off

Fuel efficiency standards: Did Centre buckle under pressure from industry?

The government has stalled standards that could have made heavy-duty vehicles guzzle and pollute less. Is it hand-in-glove with the industry or …

Finally, stricter rules for transporting livestock in India

The amended rules specify the size of partitions for different categories of livestock and poultry inside transport vehicles

Farmers' union threatens stir over move to amend land acquisition Act

There is speculation that provisions relating to 'fair compensation' may be tinkered with

Air pollution

The Modi government released the National Air Quality Index (AQI) for public information

Fishworkers demand separate fisheries ministry at the Centre

Says BJP’s national policy on fishing and fishers released in 2012 recommended the same

Scheme against jobs

Government is bent upon shrinking jobs for the poor by fundamentally changing the rural employment guarantee scheme against the advice of its …

MGNREGS won't subsidise rural toilets, says Gadkari

New study shows the small improvement achieved in sanitation between 2001 and 2011 not enough to improve health outcomes

Union Budget 2018: Merely increasing funds for Clean Ganga will not ensure results

A CAG report had said underutilised funds and an absence of a long-term plan affecting rejuvenation of Ganga

Don’t take away Gram Sabha’s powers under FRA: activists petition Modi

‘Central government's attempts to do away with consent of Gram Sabhas for diverting forests unconstitutional’

Ministers mount pressure to dilute Forest Rights Act

Tribal affairs minister asked to withdraw objections to Maharashtra’s Village Forest Rules that allow forest department take control over …

Why Marathwada is becoming a graveyard for farmers

Season after season of failed crops is pushing farmers to the brink of desperation, while the inaction of the Maharashtra government is allowing …

Dark twist to bright tale

Three tigers die in a week under mysterious circumstances; total 32 deaths in two-and-a-half years; all in the forests of Corbett, a showpiece of …

A reminder to Vasundhara Raje

Why employment has to be guaranteed through an Act, not a scheme

As told to Parliament (July 26, 2021): Some 418 electric vehicle charging points set up across India

All that was discussed in the House through the day

Leverage scrappage investments for bigger gains

An important step forward. Needs firmer commitments on incentives for green recovery

Reservoir of corruption

How irrigation projects in Maharashtra harnessed money, not water

Concern over the government’s moves to dilute the requirement for Gram Sabha consent in violation of the Forest Right’s Act (FRA)