Non-Congress states have performed better in the MGNREGA corruption index. The Supreme Court has “officially” declared corruption in the 2G case. All licences stand cancelled. The 2G scam has been the most talked about corruption case in India. Land grabs and mining are the other two areas of widespread corporate and public (bureaucrat and politician) corruption.

Distribution reforms in power sector should be accelerated for capacity addition to yield results. At a time when India has staked its claim to a seat at the high table alongside world powers, around 57% of rural households and 12% of urban households have no access to electricity. That partly explains why India’s per capita consumption of power of around 717 units a year is way below the world average of 2,600 units and developed countries’ average of 8,000 units.

New Delhi In a breather for GVK group company Alaknanda Hydro Power Co (AHPC), the Supreme Court has allowed the construction of the R3,675-crore Srinagar hydel project in Uttarakhand without any hindrance.

A bench headed by justice Dalveer Bhandari, while seeking reply from Anuj Joshi and Bharat Jhunjhunwala, the petitioners before the Uttarakhand High Court, said: “We make it clear that the construction of the dam may go on without any hindrance. However, during the interregnum period, public hearing by the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) as directed by the high Court, shall remain stayed.”

The International Advisory Panel (IAP) on National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) on Thursday attributed India’s better health indicators to work accomplished under various components of NRHM.

In a meeting held on Thursday, Jeffery D. Sachs, head of IAP along with his team of experts with Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Prof. Sachs commended India for the incredible progress.

New Delhi: Goa and Kerala seem to be the best places in which to be born, while Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa are the worst. According to the latest Union health ministry data, Goa recorded the lowest infant mortality rate — 10 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, followed by Kerala at 13. MP recorded the highest IMR at 62, followed by UP (61) and Orissa (61).

The National Green Tribunal has sought the stand of the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) on a plea to ban setting up of new industrial units in "critically polluted" Noida till its environment quality is improved through a "remedial action plan". A bench of justices A Suryanarayan Naidu and GK Pandey has also issued notices to pollution control boards of Uttar Pradesh and the Centre, besides the UP State Industrial Development Corporation, and sought their responses by February 23.

Located on the banks of the Ami river, this constituency in eastern Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a rather unusual election campaign by a nominee of Rahul Gandhi — one centred around pollution and environment with economic, cultural and political overtones. Vishwa Vijay Singh, 39, has launched many agitations under the banner of the Ami Bachao Manch over the past three years to save the river from industrial effluents that threaten the local flora and fauna besides posing health hazards.

After 4,000 deaths and 19,000 victims over seven years, encephalitis has made it to the election manifestoes of most parties in Uttar Pradesh in 2012. On ground zero in eastern Uttar Pradesh, however, it is still to figure in the candidates’ campaign. Voters are angry and frustrated but say they are not surprised. Some are determined not to vote at all on February 8 and 11, when the seats in these areas go to polls.

The government’s plan of ushering in a green revolution in eastern states doesn’t seem to have taken off in the country’s biggest paddy (de-husked) rice producing state of West Bengal. Till January 20, only 50 per cent of the total funds allocated for the state were released by the Centre.

Officials said a reason for the low funds was the lack of fresh proposals from the state.

Innovation in cold chains and warehousing can make the country a leading exporter of horticulture products. Absence of proper cold chains and associated logistics in India leads to wastage of fresh produce to the extent of 25-30%, annual equivalent of over . 50,000 crore. About 30-40% of these losses occur in farmers’ fields and in packing, the remaining in transportation and marketing. A study by Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, revealed that more fruit, vegetables, poultry and dairy products end up in trash bins than on dining tables.