-The Hindu   The water markets of Marathwada are booming. In the town of Jalna alone, tanker owners transact between Rs.6 million and Rs.7.5 million in water sales each day Thirst is Marathwada's greatest crop this season. Forget sugarcane. Thirst, human and industrial, eclipses anything else. Those harvesting it reap tens of millions of rupees each day across the region. The van loads of dried-out cane you see on the roads could end...

-The Hindustan Times A UN report has described India’s water pollution situation as a “time-bomb” while praising social activist Anna Hazare’s village Ralegan Siddhi for using the scarce commodity in a rationale manner. In a stinging remark on water administration in India, the report says India is able to treat just 10 % of its city sewage and industrial waste discharge, the most polluting source for rivers and water bodies. “Presently, only...

-The Economic Times The government plans to significantly liberalise foreign direct investment (FDI) norms for single-brand retail to attract big bucks into the sector. The finance ministry has asked the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) to amend the policy to allow single-brand retailers to bring different brands belonging to the same product line under one company. It has also asked DIPP - the government department that frames foreign investment rules...

-Outlook Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who today completed one year in office, claimed that his government has created 'path for permanent development' of the state and people's faith in democracy has increased. "We can claim that in the last one year we have created path for the permanent development of the state. The government has worked in every sector and taken the state forward," Akhilesh said here on the...

-The Times of India Amid talk of stimulating growth with sops to industry, the Centre has chided the private sector for performing abysmally on making the workforce inclusive by boosting dalit presence in its ranks. The industry in 2006 promised voluntary affirmative action to persuade the UPA-1 government to drop plans to enforce reservation in private sector through a legislation. Reviewing the updated results of affirmative action provided by the industry, Union social...