Bihar in reverse gear

Workers don’t count

Blog Intro:  The recent strike reflects how the workers’ bargaining power has been crushed, and the impotence of the Left to lead them The recent strike reflects how the workers’ bargaining power has been crushed, and the impotence of the Left to lead them

Victim of its success

Land of discord

Fall of golden fibre

Hard work pays

It seems like a throwback to the Soviet era. Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced a competition to find Russia’s best workers. Putin told a cabinet meeting that there would be cash prizes for the winning welder, stone mason, electrician, miner and lorry driver. Russia’s Ministry of Health and Social Development has already started selecting regional candidates through employers and trade unions.

Workers of the world, relax

Work less, produce less, consume less and live more. With better income distribution we can all have happier, healthier and less ecologically detrimental lives. That is the credo of the website. It is not written in mirth.

Kiln Eco-

India's construction sector contributes about six per cent to her Gross Domestic Product. In the Tenth Five-year Plan currently unfolding, that figure is likely to go up. The plan envisages massive construction activity across the country. Over 60 per cent of the total plan outlay is likely to be spent on construction components alone. Question is: how many bricks does that translate into?

Afforestation wages in cash

THE NEXT time labourers in Chhattisgarh working for projects under the Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority, or CAMPA, get paid, their wages will not be deposited in a bank account. They will be paid in cash. This July 26 order of the state forest department violates a Supreme Court order. The court order says all funds under CAMPA should be utilised as per the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) guidelines. Under NREGA, payments can be made only through bank accounts. This is to avoid misuse of funds.

Letters

Issues over tea