Political and Social Issues:

Citizens did not have the power in determining the functioning of a Government. The only role that they played was voting it in, and voting it out after five years as a punishment, if it did not perform well.
Speakers at a session on ‘Governance and the Role of Young Indians' at the 8th Young Indians' National Summit with the theme on “Taking Charge” agreed that only a participative democracy could ensure effective governance.
They appealed to young Indians who were “taking more interest in governance and itching to bring about changes” to get involved in governance by taking charge of the neighbourhood. Without that, taking charge of the country would look overwhelming.
According to them, good governance would become a reality only when there were changes brought about in the laws and regulations that bred corruption, rather than looking for it in a single magic wand like the Lokpal Bill.
Governance is simply not administration, but includes representation and equity. Something is amiss in the Indian context even in terms of representation. Though elections happen often, there is a disconnect between the elected and the electorate
Terming corruption as only one of the problems that people of India faced, they also said that each region had its own peculiar problems.

Sharad Pawar said that schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) had created shortage of farm labour in the country and the Ministry was working towards finding a solution to it.
There is scarcity of farm labourers after the launch of the scheme. Even the few who agree to work are inefficient and lazy and don't work on time. Thus, a farmer can hardly depend on such people. This not only reduces agricultural output, but also increases the cost of cultivation
Several farmers have told me that unskilled workers have lost interest in farm labour as they get attractive wages and easy work outside
We have suggested that unskilled labourers working and getting wages under MNGREGA should be asked to work in fields for some months.
We have also suggested that changes should be made in the method in which wages are paid to labourers. The Centre should pay three-fourth of the wages while the farmer who employs such labourers should pay one-fourth

Small retail in the country will not only co-exist with big retail but it will also grow at a minimum rate of 13 per cent in the coming decades, Anand Sharma, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, said
It had taken 18 to 20 months for the government to reach the present position as it engaged in “extensive consultations” with stakeholders — States and associations of industry, farmers, consumers and retail traders.
He emphasised that the Centre's role was to provide an “enabling policy framework” whereas the implementation of the policy was left to States.
53 cities, having a population of one million and more as per the 2011 Census, qualified for FDI in multi-brand retail.