-Down to Earth Suitable policies need to be in place in order to enhance the prospects for contract farming in the state A 52-year-old, better-off farmer from Sehjo Majra in Ludhiana district of Punjab has been practising contract farming for more than 20 years. This farmer contracts with four companies — Pepsico Pvt Ltd, Pagro Foods Ltd, Fieldfresh Foods Pvt Ltd and Sungro Seeds Pvt Ltd. However, his longest association has been with...

-The Hindu The government should re-establish its role as the principal employment generator With his announcement that 10 lakh government jobs will be provided over the next 18 months on a “mission mode”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent four messages. One, the creation of employment is indeed a problem and can no longer be hidden from the public discourse. Two, the private sector, especially modern sectors such as the service and manufacturing...

-Down to Earth India’s plan to have electric scooters and bikes comprise 80% of its 2-wheeler market has hit a snag due to e-bikes bikes catching fire  Unsafe batteries and faulty pack design may have triggered fires in electric two-wheelers in India, the Centre for Fire Explosives and Environment Agency (CFEEA) reported last month. The centre was asked to probe into the circumstances of the fires, which have killed at least three persons...

The transport sector is important for the smooth functioning of an economy. The supply chains for various products and by-products (both domestically as well as internationally) can work efficiently only if the transportation of raw materials and inputs, and final goods and commodities takes place without disruption.   Due to economic growth, India’s annual CO2 (i.e., carbon dioxide) emission has expanded from 1.19 billion tonnes in 2005 to 2.44 billion tonnes...

-The Telegraph Wages and salaries raised with effect from January 1; planters asked to clear dues before July-end Siliguri: The state labour department issued a notification on Tuesday for an interim hike of 15 per cent in wages of workers and salaries of staff and sub-staff in tea gardens of north Bengal with retrospective effect from January 1. According to the notification issued by state labour commissioner Amarnath Mallick, the daily wage would...