Increase awareness on RTI in rural areas: Panel

Noting that people living in rural areas are most vulnerable to corrupt practices and they are the ones who know very little about their rights under the RTI Act, a parliamentary panel in its report has asked the transparency watchdog Central Information Commission to run campaigns to spread awareness about the law among such population. tns

Lok Sabha passes Bill on child protection

The LS on Wednesday cleared radical amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act making district magistrates responsible for child protection, mandating background checks for those interested in setting up child shelters and stipulating qualifications for child welfare committee members. “We can’t wait for children to become victims,” Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said. tns

Aware of China developing border infra: Govt

The government on Wednesday said it was aware that China is developing infrastructure in border regions opposite India in Tibet and Xinjiang autonomous regions, and that it keeps constant watch on all developments having a bearing on the country’s security and takes all steps to safeguard it. PTI

Rajya Sabha passes Finance Bill

The RS on Wednesday returned the Finance Bill, 2021, without proposing any new amendment, thus completing the Parliamentary approval for Budget 2021-22. FM Nirmala Sitharaman, however, had to cut short her reply after sharp exchanges with Trinamool Congress members. TNS