-The Business Standard State budgets are raining sops to pull farmers' votes With elections staring at them, several state governments are suddenly waking up to the demands of farmers and offering sops to the agriculture sector in their budgets, even as farmer organisations say the state and Central governments should do more.    Karnataka, which pioneered the trend of having a separate agriculture budget--similar to the railway budget at the Centre — brought...

-The Times of India Why isn't aam admi smiling? The question's relevant, since some cheer's apparent in government circles over wholesale price index-based inflation falling to 6.62% in January. Headline inflation, it's said, will drop further by March-end. To common people, the WPI inflation figure's a meaningless number. If WPI inflation's dipped a fourth successive month, food prices have been riding high for far longer. Policymakers periodically recommend release of foodgrains from...

-The Economic Times Brands may be spending million to promote an eco-friendly-image, but when it comes to actual sales, organic and 'planet-friendly' products have failed to move cash registers for retailers, whether it's fresh produce, groceries or even clothing. Top food retailers like Future Group, Reliance Retail and Spencer's Retail say sales from organic vegetables, fruit and food products account for less than 2 per cent of total food sales, even three...

-Outlook Malkangiri (Odisha): Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today launched the Re 1 a kg rice scheme for the poor in Odisha from the backward and tribal-dominated Malkangiri district. Patnaik, who distributed cheap rice to members of the Bonda tribe, had announced the scheme on Republic Day. It would provide rice at Re 1 per kg to people living below poverty line (BPL) as well as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, disabled and beneficiaries of...

-PTI Triggering a fresh debate in the context of the brutal gangrape in Delhi and youth protests that followed, President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday raised a question whether the country's legislature reflects emerging India or does it need radical reforms. Asking whether corruption has overtaken morality in life, he said elected representatives must win back people's confidence and the anxiety and the restlessness of the youth has to be channelised towards change...