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Finance Commission Recommendations to Cities Paltry

THE road map for the next five years for devolution of funds to the states as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission(XV FC) is ready. The XVFC has met in the last few years and the previous year was the year of Covid pandemic and as a natural corollary-lessons to be learnt. However, the recommendations of the XV FC tend to belie the aspirations of the states and the people from getting a due share. The structure of recommendations is reduced on the basis of need and equity and more discretionary with the union.

The Newsclick Story: Brazen Attempt to Silence People’s Voices

EARLY on February 8, 2021, dozens of officials from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) descended upon eight locations in Delhi and started a simultaneous raid. All these locations were connected to the independent news website Newsclick. Included among these locations were the main office premises, the homes of its editor in chief Prabir Purkayastha, its editor Pranjal Pandey, well-known writer Geetha Hariharan, and homes of other administrative and technical personnel.

Kisan Movement: Exploring the Class Underpinnings

PRIME Minister Modi is evidently upset with the growing resonance in the country with the never-say-die movement of the kisans. The movement which has now assumed the form of vigorous united and peaceful resistance is the rallying point of various sections of the class-differentiated peasantry in India. It is this remarkable unity which defines both the spread and depth of the resistance. It is faced with this granite stonewall that the prime minister betrayed his sense of frustration!

MNREGA Being Turned into ‘A Guaranteed Uncertainty’

“THESE schemes are making the labourers lazier. Hence, they don’t heed anyone. They are just impossible”.These are the regular comments heard with respect to the labourers in our day-to-day lives. Going another step ahead are some who question the very scheme and strongly advocate for the removal of these schemes. These remarks are very often heard about the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).

Urban in the Budget, even Rhetoric Missing

THE budget for the year 2021-22 was placed in the background of the ravaging pandemic and with a hope that the urban centres, which saw the worst kind of forced-reverse migration in recent times would be addressed holistically. The budget speech began with the recognition of the crisis that the pandemic has brought to the nation and its people, the finance minister whilst recognizing the role played by essential workers offer very little to them in return.

Modi’s Parliament Speech: Insidious Insinuations against Struggling Kisans

IN an hour and a half long speech, replying to motion of thanks to the president’s address to the joint session of parliament, PM Modi spent most of the time patting himself and his government on the back hailing the president’s address. The fact of the matter is that this speech is prepared by the union cabinet, presided by the PM, which the president reads out.

Subverting Law and Justice: Amit Shah Rules the Roost

PRIME Minster Modi in his first post Republic Day Mann Ki Baat, lamented that ‘insult to the National Tri Colour hurts’! Its sounds ironical because, he has in the past, several times mentioned that he is a proud Swayam Sevak of the RSS, an organisation which refused to hoist the national flag atop its headquarters in Nagpur for many years after independence. The mouthpiece of the Sangh had vigorously criticised the adoption of the tri-colour as the national flag in its mouthpiece Organiser.

Occupational Safety Code Rules Ignore Workers, Serve Interests of Employers

THE Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified draft rules under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code on November 19, 2020, inviting objections and suggestions, if any, from the public. Accordingly, the CITU submitted its objections within the stipulated time debunking the draft rules in totality.

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