The Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, will announce the organic farming policy of the State in Kozhikode on May 17. An official spokesman quoted the Agriculture Minister, Mr Mullakkara Ratnakaran, as saying that the policy proposed the setting up of an organic farming zone in each district so at least 30,000 hectares could be brought under organic farming. About two lakh farmers are sought to be involved in the process....
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A case of too little, too late or is there some cause for celebration? : The RTE Act 2009 by Dipa Sinha
India’s record in providing education to its children has been very poor. Low education levels have an impact on income, productivity, health status and standard of living. As per 2001 Census, the overall literacy rate of India is still only 65.4%, with many states having a literacy rate less than the national average. While the male literacy rate is around 76%, only about 54% females are literate1. What is important...
More »The Kernel Of Bad Ethics by Suman Sahai
IF DISRUPTIONS over phone tapping and the India Premier League controversy had not taken Parliament sessions hostage, the Rajya Sabha may have passed the controversial Seeds Bill in the week of April 26, when it was slated to come up for discussion. The government was keen to give this Bill the force of law as soon as possible because the seed industry wants it. The Seeds Bill originally proposed in 2004...
More »Inside the Maoist insurgency in India's Jharkand state by Alpa Shah
The guerrilla fighter was tough, experienced, leading a platoon of around 60 insurgents. "I am from a very poor family," the fighter told me. "Life was very difficult. I joined the party and now I understand many more things. I think revolution is the only option." One thing you should know about this hardline Maoist rebel - she is a young woman. She is one of the growing numbers of poor...
More »No water under the bridge here by P Sainath
Many projects for supplying water in Vidarbha remain on paper, though the money allotted is very real. Sarada Badre and her daughters have stopped their bi-weekly 20-km walking trips. That was their routine for a while. “The orange trees have withered and there's no water anyway,” says Saradabai at her home in Sirasgaon village in Amravati district. In theory, watering their 214 orange trees shouldn't be too hard. Though the nearby...
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