WITH the introduction of short-term, high-yielding varieties of cereal and oil-seed crops, the cropping intensity has now reached almost 300 per cent in Punjab. Moreover, the intensive use of chemical fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides involve greater use of scarce groundwater resources. The water table has gone down alarmingly resulting in huge investment on installation of costly submersible pumps to draw water for irrigation. This does not auger well for sustainable...

The Right to Information (RTI) Act will be amended to avoid frivolous or vexatious requests and prevent the Centre from disclosing information relating to the Cabinet papers so as to ensure the smooth functioning of the government. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions gave this information to RTI activist Subash Chandra Agrawal, who wanted to know whether there was a proposal to introduce amendments in the Act. The government also...

Universities to provide infrastructure Courses will meet needs of specific communities CHENNAI: At least ten community colleges will be started by each university to provide vocational training to unskilled workers by September 1, a meeting chaired by Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy decided on Wednesday. A. Ramasamy, Vice-Chairman, Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE), said universities would provide infrastructure and faculty support, while the Directorate of Technical Education would provide the...

The reconstructed National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, will consider the food security Bill as its first priority when it meets again next month. At its first meeting held here today, Gandhi’s team decided to meet again on July 1 to discuss the Bill and finalise its recommendations. NAC has also decided to revisit the Communal Violence (prevention) Bill, which has been lying with the...

The system of statistical data collection in India needs reform in order to meet actual requirements.  * There is a concern that caste-tribe-religion wise data may cause them to be used for political ends * Another concern is that they may consolidate rather than reduce consciousness around identity in terms of caste and religion * These fears are not borne out by experience; if anything, the experience is to the contrary The use...