-The Hindu A vast majority of snakebite deaths globally — up to 64,100 of the 78,600 deaths — occur in India with Uttar Pradesh reporting the highest number of deaths followed by Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan  That snakebite (a neglected tropical disease) is a public health problem in India and many other low- and middle-income countries has been long known. But a global estimate of deaths due to snakebite was not known...

-The Telegraph Sarson Satyagraha has claimed that India is nearly self-sufficient in mustard oil production New Delhi: A group of farmers and scientists on Friday announced its intention to step up resistance against what they view as the Centre’s moves towards the release of genetically modified mustard for commercial cultivation. “We will activate all possible democratic and non-violent avenues available to us and ensure that GM mustard planting does not end up being...

-Hindustan Times The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the Centre’s response to an application seeking moratorium on the release of genetically modified (GM) mustard even as the Centre assured there will be no “precipitative action” from its end till November 10, the next date of hearing. The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the Centre’s response to an application seeking moratorium on the release of genetically modified (GM) mustard even as the Centre...

-The Telegraph In a remarkable development, for the first time in 20 years, currency in circulation (CIC) declined during Diwali week. With the increased acceptance of digital payments in the country, over-reliance on cash is slowly fading away. Over the years, the Indian cash-led economy has now changed to a smart-phone led payment economy, says a research note.   In the report, Dr Soumya Kanti Ghosh, group chief economic adviser of State Bank...

-The Hindu How significant is the development of the Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11)? Why are some activist groups opposing the commercial release of the crop? What are their allegations? How many transgenic crops are commercially cultivated in India? The story so far: The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), India’s apex regulator of genetically modified plants and food products, has approved the environmental release of Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11), a genetically-engineered variant of...