The Union government will set up an independent financial institution to give funds for effective functioning of the self-help groups (SHGs) and better empowerment of the rural poor. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi announced this while launching the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), which will be funded through financial institutions. As of now, banks will be mobilised to extend loans to the tune of Rs. 6,800 crore this year at subsidised rates...
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Crop losses rising as nearly 40% of pesticides spurious : ICAR
-The Financial Express THE rising sale of spurious pesticides in the country is resulting in crop damage, top agricultural scientists said on Wednesday. S Ayyappan, director general, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), said around 40% of pesticides used in the country is spurious. “Research and development needs to be given a boost in this field (pesticides) and for this the main participation should come from the private sector, and a...
More »A billion dollar credit from World Bank to clean up the Ganga
The World Bank has approved $1 billion as credit and loan to support India's efforts to clean up the Ganga river. The sprawling river basin accounts for a fourth of the country's water resources and is home to more than 400 million people. The $1.556 billion National Ganga River Basin Project with $1 billion in financing from the World Bank group, including $199 million interest-free credit and $801 million low-interest loan, was...
More »Shanti Bhushan invites Pranab for public debate by K Balchand
Civil society members of the joint committee on the drafting of the Lokpal Bill have invited the government representatives for a public debate on the six contentious issues they could not resolve at Monday's meeting of the panel. In a letter, committee co-chairman and senior advocate Shanti Bhushan has invited Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who heads the committee, to participate in a national debate, which the civil society members intend...
More »The great land grab by Venkitesh Ramakrishnan
The farmers' agitation in Uttar Pradesh brings into focus the indiscriminate acquisition of land by the state for corporate-led development. ON May 19, three days before the formal observation of the second anniversary of the United Progressive Alliance government, Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi made a categorical announcement that in the monsoon session of Parliament scheduled to begin in July the ruling coalition would bring in legislation that...
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