THERE has been quite widespread media coverage of the serious drought afflicting large swathes of India – particularly in Maharashtra, Telangana, Rajasthan, Bundelkhand and even Punjab. Many areas have seen two consecutive years of problems arising not only from rainfall deficiency but also serious crop loss owing to unseasonal rain. With nothing to eat for humans or livestock, distress migration from many areas is a very visible phenomenon.

RECENTLY, the government had to retract its proposal to tax withdrawal on provident fund deposits. Apart from sharp criticism and opposition from labour unions, there was also an overwhelming opposition from the employed sections, both government and private, who were not organised, to this proposal. A petition opposing taxing of EPF went viral and social media platforms were abuzz with witty criticisms against the government on the above two issues.

THE Left Front government of Tripura took another path breaking step by introducing pension scheme for anganwadi workers and helpers at their attaining the age of 60 years and also social pension schemes for female domestic workers, transgender persons, leprosy patients and AIDS patients. The decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of the council of ministers. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar briefed the media about the decisions at the secretariat. 

BREAKING from tradition, the BJP-led NDA government has chosen to issue a two (as opposed to single)-volume edition of the Economic Survey, released as per convention on the day before the budget for coming fiscal year 2015-16 was presented. The Survey is meant to be a ‘state of the economy’ report that identifies the positives that can be leveraged and the negatives that need to be addressed when the finance minister rises to present his budget. It is as much an assessment of the situation as a justification of the direction that the budget would take.

THE All India Road Transport Workers’ Federation (AIRTWF) organised a two-day seminar-cum-workshop at Tirupati on December 6 and 7 to discuss the pros and cons of the Draft Road Transport and Safety Bill, 2014 and its implications. The meeting was hosted by the APSRTC Staff and Workers Federation and was attended by political leaders, transport experts and professionals, legal experts and representatives of state motor vehicle departments, besides federation members and leaders.