“We need a change in mind set, where the wilful or non-cooperative defaulter is not lionized as a captain of industry, but justly chastised as a freeloader on the hardworking people of this country,” said the RBI governor in his recent lecture at IRMA, Anand. An unedited transcript of his speech

A recent UGC-sponsored seminar on the incidence of cyber crime, hosted in Kolkata, drew attention to the safeguards to be adopted as also the right procedure to be followed in order to obtain redress. Amrita Mukherjee reports.

The recently promulgated ordinance amending the national law related to land acquisition dilutes several clauses of the earlier legislation that were meant to protect the rights of holders. Kanchi Kohli summarises the key changes brought in by the ordinance.

The Modi government has moved fast and furious on charting a new policy regarding intellectual property rights but Shalini Bhutani’s recap of recent developments shows that much of it has been with an overt focus on industry.

A series of recent executive orders, amendments to law and ministerial directives either seek to curtail avenues of public participation and consent over projects of critical impact, or do away with them altogether. Kanchi Kohli tracks the trend.

Around 40 RTI activists in the country have been killed in recent years, several of them after the Whistleblowers Protection Act was passed. Satarupa Sen Bhattacharya explores why the said law has been unable to achieve its stated end.

The government’s push to the amended land acquisition law overlooks provisions in other acts that address closely related issues such as food security and conservation of biodiversity, writes Shalini Bhutani.

As Parliament debates the amended land acquisition and mining laws, Himanshu Upadhyaya draws attention to the report of an audit of Odisha’s resettlement and rehabilitation policy that clearly highlights the threats to displaced communities.

A meticulous initiative by an NGO in remote tribal districts of Odisha has brought women from the local communities together, enabling them to wrest their rights and entitlements under laws such as the FRA and MGNREGA. Abhijit Mohanty writes on the project.

While a list of approved amendments to the proposed law on regulation of real estate is yet to be made public, it is now clear that the Bill will apply to commercial projects as well. Here is a round-up of the recent developments, from PRS Legislative Research.

No, net neutrality is not just about IT and activists! If you're still wondering why over two lakh people have already written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) about that, and whether you should follow suit, Supriya Unni Nair has some details for you.

Shalini Bhutani takes a close look at the law and ensuing policy on trade in India, and asks whether the regulatory framework on trade issues nurtures the idea of public consultation.

Tripura’s revocation of the AFSPA is certainly a positive move from a human rights perspective. But it leaves unaddressed the issue of justice for those whose lives were torn apart by the excesses under the Act, writes Anjuman Ara Begum.

You don’t have to fear police harassment if you report or help an injured accident victim. You don’t even have to reveal personal details unless you wish to testify. Here’s a summary of the “Good Samaritan” guidelines that the apex court has now made compulsory for states to follow.

Anviti Chaturvedi of PRS Legislative Research discusses how the Aadhaar project started, why the courts have stepped in to examine its legality, and some aspects of the recent judgement.

This past August the Code on Wages was introduced in the Lok Sabha and subsequently referred to the Standing Committee on Labour for examination. Vinayak Krishnan of PRS Legislative explains the Code and its pros and cons.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament began today and will continue till August 10, 2018. It is scheduled to have 18 sittings during this period. PRS Legislative Research outlines what is in store in the upcoming session.

The rule of law guides our legislative, executive and judiciary and all other institutions yet our country is in chaos. Harish Narasappa analyses the role of reason in making the rule of law stronger and effective to bring order in the country.

M P Veerendrakumar is a staunch opponent of FDI. He predicts that the new deals signed in the Indian media will hit small and medium newspapers and open the floodgates to foreign control.

Does Indian media influence readers' opinion? As 2004 draws to a close, what lessons can be drawn from the NDA's much analysed India Shining campaign and the surprising elections outcome that followed? Arvind Rajagopal, the author of Politics after Television, talks to Chitrangada Choudhury.

The All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) describes itself as a 'left oriented women's organisation committed to achieving democracy, equality and women's emancipation'. Sudha Sundararaman, 46, took over from Brinda Karat in November. Ambujam Anantharaman caught up with the new leader of AIDWA.

K N Govindacharya, the pracharak-turned-politician who led the Bharatiya Janata Party into power in the 1999 elections, is today a staunch campaigner against the politics and economics of globalization. He now promotes swadeshi development and says he has renounced party politics. N P Chekkutty caught up with Govindacharya.

Many believe that in business, environmental values and a pro-poor focus are liabilities. But a set of global factors are going to change the rules of the game, warns Stuart Hart, a leading authority on the implications of sustainable development and environmentalism for business. An India Together exclusive interview.

Narendra Jadhav is Principal Adviser and Chief Economist at the Reserve Bank of India. He is also a Dalit and strong advocate of reservations in the private sector. His recent book Untouchables : My Family's Triumphant Journey Out of the Caste System in Modern India has received wide acclaim. India Together's Subramaniam Vincent talked with him recently.

Rural women have nothing to lose by speaking out. Urban women have their bank accounts, education certificates and some 200-300 saris in the cupboard. They have a high tolerance for violence, says Ruth Manorama, in this interview with Charumathi Supraja.

Journalist, teacher and author of Black Lentil Doughnuts and Dreams for the Dying, C K Meena decimates stereotypes in her writing. A free-wheeling conversation with Charumathi Supraja.

''First - there is a law, then there is awareness, then comes assertion and then action,'' says Leila Seth, former Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh and first woman judge at the Delhi High Court. Charumathi Supraja caught up with her in Bangalore recently.

While the global epidemic of violence against women (VAW) stems from a culture of misplaced masculinity, the role of men in ending the same cannot be ignored. Mallika Dutt, CEO of global human rights organization Breakthrough, talks to India Together on the Bell Bajao! campaign that emphasises the fact.

Given the complex and dynamic political scenario in India today, where is the country's leadership headed? How will people vote in the assembly elections this year and how will it impact the national outcome? Eminent political scientist Sandeep Shastri shares his views on that and more with Satarupa Sen Bhattacharya

With the government clearing Telangana as India's 29th state, long-standing demands for separate states in other parts of the country have gained fresh momentum. This could be a foretelling of many more states to come, but would that necessarily augur ill for the unity of India? Noted historian Ramachandra Guha shares his thoughts.

Abdul Nasser Madani, a key accused in the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts, waits in vain for his trial to be speeded up after countless adjourned sessions of court. PN Venugopal recounts the circumstances of the case and talks to Madani himself to discover how rules become exceptions in such cases.

Subramaniam Vincent recounts his experiences on paying living wages for domestic labour, even as benefits for unorganized sector workers are beginning to appear on the radar screen of governments in India.

Too many times in the last five days, the Anna Hazare-led movement against corruption was labeled 'apolitical', almost as if to call it political would taint it somehow. Subramaniam Vincent analyses the 'victory'.

As long as we engender a society that allow law enforcers to get away with their own crimes, law breakers will only be emboldened. We must make Police Complaints Authorities around the country meaningful, says Subramaniam Vincent.

As India votes in the midst of a rising campaign crescendo that pits one individual against the other, Subramaniam Vincent urges the electorate to prioritise a 'better parliament.'

Shruti Gupta on a project in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkand that uses technology to enhance income generation opportunities through productive use of natural resources.

Nityanand Jayaraman reports on the recent engagement of a delegation from Bhopal seeking justice in the United States.

Campaigners for justice in Bhopal end the year on an optimistic note, reports Tarun Jain.

Chanderi fabric is close to becoming the first product to be granted the GI status in India. Varupi Jain begins a two-part series on the significance of GI for India through the eyes of Chanderi.

Himanshu Upadhyaya chronicles the unchecked financing improprieties around Madhya Pradesh's Maheshwar Hydroelectric Power project.

Neeti Deewan reports on how determined women ended a four-year long drought in two Madhya Pradesh villages by deepening a pond on their own in a few months.

Around 80,000 children in Madhya Pradesh are suffering from severe malnutrition. So stark is the situation that one evaluation report has said that even if the children were saved, they may go blind due to lack of vitamin A. Sachin Kumar Jain chronicles continuing negligence in government departments in M.P.

Thousands of women in Madhya Pradesh were elected in the last panchayat elections; since then, the story has taken a dismal turn. More than 1,300 women sarpanchs face false charges of corruption. About 50 have been removed from office through forced no-confidence motions. They have been threatened and humiliated. Shuriah Niazi reports.

Monies allocated for rehabilitation of persons affected by the Narmada dams have traveled a different path than to the people. A recent audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General has confirmed significant corruption in rehabilitation works in Madhya Pradesh and a culture of impunity amongst state officials, finds Himanshu Upadhyaya.

Why did police use force and evict tribal villagers in Ghateha, M.P. on 19 April, when it was clear by all accounts that their land claims had not yet been legally settled by the state government, one way or other? Aparna Pallavi investigates, even as villagers remain absconding for fear of persecution.

In late August, the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered a judicial inquiry on allegations of large scale corruption in distribution of compensation to families affected by Sardar Sarovar/Narmada Project. Himanshu Upadhyaya tells the continuing story of a scam.

Twenty years ago Sehore was a very livable town. It had a beautiful microclimate and was surrounded by forests and water bodies that never dried up. Today it is becoming a village again, finds Kalpana Sharma.

Beneath Jairam Ramesh's recent turnaround on a 400 MW MP hydel project, was a series of interventions by Digivijay Singh with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Himanshu Upadhyaya digs deeper.

An independent committee appointed by the state validates and upholds most of the objections raised by civil society against attempted privatisation of water supply in Khandwa. Shripad Dharmadhikary, Rehmat and Gaurav Dwivedi discuss the report.

A social audit of the Corporation of Delhi finds public money is routinely redirected away from the purposes it is intended for. But citizens can monitor its uses, as Parivartan shows.