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‘Democracy frustrating’ |
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The Statesman
Kolkata, 29, Jnauary 2008
“Citizens’ Report on Governance & Development 2007”, released by Professor Sunanda Sanyal today. The report was prepared by the National Social Watch Process. |
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Parliament fails in citizens report |
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Hindustan Times
2 July 2007
Ambiguities are understandable in context to socio-economic realties, but continued sense of ambiguities leads to imponderable difficulties in the area of governance, 2007 Citizen's Report on Governance and Development
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The 'Citizens Report on Governance and Development, 2007', presented to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh |
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The Hindu
9 July 2007
Speaking after receiving the report, Dr. Singh stressed the need for more public accountability of institutions of governance such as the judiciary and Parliament. He said institutions such as Social Watch were important to monitor governance and provide constructive feedback to the government at various levels. Dr. Singh said key programmes with high investment could be more effective with the participation of citizens and credible non-governmental organisations.
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House too 'busy' to work |
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The Financial Express
30 June 2007
"If you thought parliament was all about 'democracy at work', read on. Slogan shouting, walk-outs and boycotts resulted in parliament losing 26% of its time to interruptions in the 14th Lok Sabha. " shocking waste of time, considering that each minute of parliament costs the exchequer Rs 26,035", says a citizens Report on Governance and Development 2007" brought out by the National Social watch Coalition (NSWC)."
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Parliament disruptions costs Rs.20 cr to exchequer |
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The Hindu
6 January 2008
Speaker Somnath Chatterjee hopes that it will be a different story in 2008.
"I hope that Parliament will be able to identify and deliberate on the real national issues concerning the common people of the country," he said when asked about the outlook for the new year. The disruptions cost a fortune in view of the fact that the per minute expenditure of running the Lok Sabha alone was put at Rs 22,089 during 2006-07 which is likely to go up to Rs 24,632 this year. This way the Lok Sabha alone lost a whopping Rs 17,22,94,200. |
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Rhetoric and Reality: Report says House standards declining |
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Nearly 11,500 farmer suicides in last six years |
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The Statesman and DNA
1 July
"The Study, carried out by a conglomerate of voluntary organizations called national Social watch Coalition says that at least 11,387 farmers have committed suicide between 2001-2006." |
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Parliament: neither of nor for the people |
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Shasan va vikas per Nagrik Report zari |
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Sansad aur vidhansabhaon main Garima kee girawat |
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Sansad- Vidhansabhaon main sadakchaap Rajniti Hawi |
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Pichhle Chhe Barso main 11,500 Kisano ne Atmahatya Ki |
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Citizens 'Report on ‘health of government', One World South Asia |
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Rs. 6,500cr for Poor Unspent |
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The Asian Age
30 June 2007
"Half of the Rs. 13,000 crores given to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) to provide jobs for the rural poor during 2005-06 has been allowed to lapse. This is just one of the many details highlighted by the "Citizens Report on Governance and Development 2007" collated by the National Social watch Coalition (NSWC), which comprises civil society organizations from 14 states." |
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Engaging India: Crime and politics |
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By Jo Johnson, South Asia bureau chief, Financial Times (FT.COM)
Published: May 3 2007 02:50 | Last updated: May 3 2007 02:50
Part of the explanation, according to Himanshu Jha of Social Watch India, an NGO, is that criminals now see political office as a business opportunity. He is convinced that some political parties are now even demanding large upfront payments from their candidates, knowing that those elected can later more than recoup their ’investment’ by hawking favours, siphoning off funds for development or selling in the market foodstuffs destined for a midday meal scheme for school-age children.
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Indian Parliament Bars Lawmaker Arrested for People Smuggling |
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April 26, 2007
By Bibhudatta Pradhan
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A cancerous growth in India's body politic |
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By Amelia Gentleman
International Heral Tribune
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Social Watch India, a political watchdog, reported last year that 125 of the 538 members of Parliament have criminal cases pending against them. Around half of these cases relate to relatively minor allegations, the other half concern serious charges that could lead to jail terms of five years or more.
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Focus back on MPs with criminal past |
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Santwana Bhattacharya
Indian Express Thursday, April 26, 2007
Study by Social Watch shows 125 MPs have criminal cases against them
The Social Watch data, tabulated from affidavits submitted by MPs to the EC and later to Parliament, also shows that all major political parties have members with criminal antecedents.
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BJP MP arrested at airport with |
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Reuters, Thu Apr 19, 2007
Many Indian MPs are seen as corrupt and Social Watch India, a watchdog, said in a report last year that more than 30 percent of lawmakers aged between 36 and 45 years were facing criminal charges. |
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1/4th MPs of Lok Sabha are tainted |
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ibnlive.com (New Delhi, April 18)
According to the Citizen's Report on Governance and Development - 2006, prepared by the National Social Watch Coalition, at last count nearly 25 per cent of Lok Sabha MPs had criminal cases against them.
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India's war on poverty: Easy victory unlikely |
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By Amelia Gentleman
International Heral Tribune
FEBRUARY 28, 2006 |
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SOCIAL WATCH Report 2006 |
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Social Watch publishes a yearly report. |
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Controversies waste House time |
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By Namrata Biji Ahuja
New Delhi, January 20
Parliament is wasting time on political controversies, reveals the Citizen's Report on Governance and Development - 2006, prepared by the National Social Watch Coalition, that was released on Thursday by former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral. |
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Frayed tempers cost Parliament dear: Report |
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New Delhi, PTI
While the cost of running Parliament has gone up phenomenally down the years, so has the time lost in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha due to the `frayed tempers' of the legislators.
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India Shining: No way says group |
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New Delhi, January 20, 2006
After assessing governance and development in India, an independent group reports that there is hardly any good news. It says, India is whining and not shining, a newspaper said.
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India whining: Dirt in Parliament |
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Aloke Tikku
New Delhi, January 19, 2006
After assessing governance and development in India, an independent group reports that there is hardly any good news. It says, India is whining and not shining. |
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Many lawmakers are lawbreakers, says report |
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Rakesh Bhatnagar
New Delhi, January 20, 2006
Young lawmakers are more prone to breaking laws. Mind you, 30.4 per cent of MPs between 36 and 45 years, who have been elected to the 14 th Lok Sabha are facing criminal cases in different parts of the country. And 18.3 per cent of them are facing grave charges, a report by Social Watch India says.
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Politics-Criminalization |
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New Delhi, January 19 (PTI)
There is a proliferation of people with criminal record fighting elections, blurring the line between crime and politics further, a report by an NGO alleged. |
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CITIZEN'S REPORT ON GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT : 2006 |
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Parliament is wasting time on political controversies, reveals the Citizen's Report on Governance and Development - 2006, prepared by the National Social Watch Coalition, that was released on Thursday by former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral. |
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MONITORING INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNANCE |
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The second Citizens Report on Governance and Development seeks to analyse and understand the performance and working of key institutions and arenas of governance in relation to social development and from the perspective of citizens and the civil society. |
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GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY : LOCAL GOVERNANCE WATCH |
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In a report on auditing institution of the State for making democracy work, the section on Panchayats become critically important as the introduction of the Panchayat Raj system through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment is the most definitive step towards re-energizing democracy in the history of independent India. |
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BROKEN PROMISES : POLICY WATCH |
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Democratic governance can be realised only in a milieu of people-centred policies and practices. Unfortunately, the Indian polity and the state have perfected the rhetoric of democratic governance, which in reality is divorced form a policy framework rooted in a peoples rights discourse. |
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SEEKING ACCOUNTABILTY : PARLIAMENT WATCH |
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The idea of a vibrant, independent and accountable parliament is central to making democracy work. In a parliamentary democracy like India, the responsibilities, roles and function of the parliament increase manifold. One of the biggest achievements of postcolonial India immediately after attainment of independence was, the establishment and institutionalization of the parliament. Over the decades, the parliament has been one of the most important pillars of Indian democracy. |
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ACCESS TO JUSTICE : JUDICIARY WATCH |
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The functioning of a democracy is dependent on the autonomy and efficacy of the three systems of the state, namely, parliament, executive and the judiciary. India in the last two decades has seen rapid erosion of the functioning of the parliament and the executive. |
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MPS FAILING IN THEIR DUTIES, SAYS REPORT |
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The Citizens Report on Governance and Development 2004 has criticised elected representatives for failing to perform their duties that was increasingly reflected in the rapid decline of democracy in the country.
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Addrssing to the Nation: Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chief Justice of India Supreme Court Bar Association Law Day Celebrations on 26th November, 2007, New Delhi. |
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26 November, 2007
Law Day is significant because it reminds us of our commitment to the values incorporated in the Constitution and provides us an occasion to take stock of the performance of Constitutional institutions towards promotion and realization of Constitutional goals. Judiciary is entrusted by the Constitution with the task of not only ensuring the working of the government according to the provisions of the Constitution but also protecting the fundamental rights of citizens by upholding rule of law and access to justice for everyone. |
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Health Sector Needs Better Infrastructure |
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Medical News Channel
30 june 2007
Reacting to the plight of tribals in mining affected areas of Orissa, highlighted by renowned activist, Padmashree awardee Tulsi Munda, Hameed said: 'I understand the plight and the 11th plan will address some of them." Munda said: 'Parliament and state legislatures are no more concerned about the poor and downtrodden. This is a sad state of affairs and we hope the recent report on governance will open the eyes of authorities towards the real problem." She was speaking here at the release of a report, Governance and Development 2007, prepared by the National Social Watch Coalition, a conglomerate of voluntary organisation from 14 states.
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