BEYOND USUAL SUSPECTS A case for neglected species in wildlife research and conservation For most of us wildlife is represented by large mammals like elephant, rhino, lion and tiger, may be birds like hornbill, raptors, peafowl and waterfowl and awe inspiring reptiles like marine turtles, crocodiles, python and king cobra. …
The violence in Bhatta-Parsaul villages is a reminder of smaller clashes in western Uttar Pradesh since 2007 over land acquisition. In August 2010, Tappal block in Aligarh saw similar protests, leading to a clash between farmers and the police. The compensation given to these farmers against land acquired for the …
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced here on Wednesday her government's decision to increase the number of those to whom rice is being made available at Rs. 2 a kg.
THE Planning Commission of India has disowned any responsibility for bringing companies involved in public-private partnership (PPP) projects under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The Commission said individual ministries which have tied up with private companies are responsible for these projects. There were several RTI applications filed seeking information …
Recent evidence has demonstrated that substantial changes in cycling levels can be achieved in the UK, with the potential for increasing cycling being greatest in the city regions. This report explores the potential impact of a step change in the delivery of interventions to support and promote cycling in the …
It was quarter to nine on a cold December evening at the Kalighat tram depot in south Kolkata. A row of tramcars stood like ghosts under an iron shed. At the corner of one coach an elderly man clad in khakis read the newspaper in the dim light of a …
NEW DELHI: As it struggles to get a grip on its finances in the post-Commonwealth Games scenario, the Delhi government on Monday got a Central grant of Rs 1257.86 crore in the Budget. Up from last year's Rs 1080.51 crore, this year's grant sets aside Rs 500 crore for infrastructure …
The Indian economy this year (2010-11) has been characterized by robust economic growth and steady fiscal consolidation. Inflation continues to be high even though it has come down markedly from where it was at the start of the fiscal year. There are structural challenges that face, concerning economic governance, efficiency …
It is rather naive to delink urbanisation from the rising lifestyle aspirations and the imperatives of economic development. Opportunities, power and prestige are some of the irresistible attributes of the growing urban centres which attract migrants on a large scale. In India economic liberalisation and urbanisation have become complimentary to …
2010 was a loud year for the environment. High profile projects—from Vedanta to Posco and Navi Mumbai airport to Lavasa—hit the headlines for non-compliance with environmental regulations. While 2009 was the 25th anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy, it was only last year that we were all outraged by the …
THE Centre has approved Rs 3,300 crore grants for infrastructural development in 60 Naxalite-affected districts of the country. The scheme Integrated Action Plan for Selected Tribal and Backward Districts was passed on November 26. The scheme will be implemented over the next two years. A government press release said a …
THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) on November 17 announced its decision to invest US $20 million in a private equity fund for water related infrastructure. While the bank is not new to such deals, it is the first time it has invested in an equity fund like this. The Asian …
THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) that supports infrastructure projects in Asia and the Pacific region is finalising its new public communication policy. It faces a tough challenge: ensuring access to information to communities affected by the projects it funds. To meet this challenge, the bank will have to do away …
The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission adopted a reform-linked funding approach, the culmination of two decades of active debate and experimentation in the urban development sector. Yet, progress of both fund utilisation and reforms under the programme has been tardy. As a second phase of the mission is planned, …
Considering the role and importance of rational and orderly growth of urban centers, the Government of Punjab intends to streamline the development process in urban settlements to ensure that these settlements continue to achieve their objectives of improved efficiency and productivity. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a stringent check …
The latest Cooum river restoration project in Chennai aims to focus on slum eviction as an achievable first step. A 19-kilometre elevated expressway on the river is also planned. Together estimated to displace over 18,000 families from the banks of the Cooum, these two projects testify to how waterfront development, …
An analysis of the Union Budget 2010-11 must take account of the fact that while expenditure on infrastructure is geared primarily towards meeting the long-term development needs of the business community, social welfare expenditure merely serves the purpose of immediate political gains of the parties in power.
IVRCL, Nagarjuna Construction & Lanco Have Orders Worth Rs 8k Cr Trushna U & Sai Deepika Amirapu HYDERABAD JUST two days after returning to power, Congress government in Andhra Pradesh has started releasing funds to infrastructure companies implementing big-ticket irrigation projects in the state, valued at over Rs 1.2 trillion. …
Minerals are a valuable natural resource being the vital raw material for infrastructure, capital goods and basic industries. As a major resource for development the extraction and management of minerals has to be integrated into the overall strategy of the country's economic development. The exploitation of minerals has to be …
