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.

FEBRUARY 18, Basant Panchami was a day when cold, wintry days were replaced by balmy spring weather.  A day of rejoicing. For the families of Komal, Kajal and Roshni, young teenagers closely related to each other, Basant Panchami will always bring back memories of young lives blighted by violence.In the afternoon of that day, the three girls went as usual to collect fodder from the fields. When they did not return after a couple of hours, Kajal’s mother, Bitola, and Roshni’s brother went looking for them.

THE Delhi state committee of the CPI(M) organised a press conference on February 23, on the theme “Subversion of Justice, Role of State Agencies”, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the communal violence in North East Delhi.  Brinda Karat, CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member, K M Tiwari, secretary, Delhi state committee and six persons representing the families of the deceased/injured addressed the press conference.Representatives of the bereaved families laid bare the partisan role of the Delhi police in the communal violence.

IN the week before the historic nationwide farmers’ struggle completed three months on February 26, the BJP has begun to pay a heavy political price for its pro-corporate adamancy.STINGING SLAPS TO BJP INPUNJAB, WEST UP & HARYANAOn February 17, the results of the elections to eight municipal corporations and 109 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Punjab were declared. The BJP was handed down a stinging defeat even by urban voters. Of the total 1,815 seats in the 109 municipal bodies, the BJP won only 38 seats.

THE announcement of the privatisation policy of public sector enterprises (PSEs) in the union budget has been greeted with euphoria by the corporate media and rightwing economists.  “Modi has changed”, “Extraordinarily bold” and “Real reforms at last” were some of the comments by these circles.What evoked such cheer amongst big business and financial speculators?  What was announced in the budget has now been set out by the department of investment and public asset management under the union finance ministry as a memorandum entitled “New Public Sector Enterprise (PSE) policy for Atma Nirbha