-The Indian Express Farmers can install solar panels on their fields that can generate income in addition to regular crop agriculture. Of its several new initiatives, the Narendra Modi government has set out at least two very ambitious targets, which are also quantifiable. One is achieving 100 giga-watts (GW) of solar power generation capacity by the year 2022. The other is doubling farmers’ income — presumably in real terms — also by 2022,...

-The Hindu Mihir Shah on the importance of an integrated policy for groundwater and surface water Mihir Shah, water policy expert, member of the erstwhile Planning Commission and in recent months head of several committees tasked with reforming India’s water laws, says existing institutions are inadequate to address our water needs. Which is why, he says in an e-mail interview, India needs an overarching water commission. Excerpts: * The proposed National Water Commission...

-Deccan Herald New Delhi: A large number of farmers in drought-affected states are debt-ridden and many are migrating from their villages, according to a survey by an NGO. According to ‘Lessons from Desolation: A Citizen’s Report on Impact of Drought and Learnings for Future,’ prepared by Action Aid, 40-65 % of the farmers in the drought affected states are indebted while 20 % have migrated to nearby towns and cities in search of...

-Economic and Political Weekly Pavitra Mohan (amrit@aajeevika.org) is the Director of Aajeevika Bureau's Health Services and the co-founder of Basic Healthcare Services. Kumaril Agarwal (kumaril_msw@yahoo.com) was a research associate with Aajeevika Bureau during this study. Priyanka Jain (priyanka.jain@aajeevika.org) is with the Centre for Migration and Labour Solutions, Aajeevika Bureau. Remote parts of southern Rajasthan such as Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and Rajsamand are characterised by a predominance of tribal groups and a high...

-The Indian Express On Independence Day, we salute our freedom fighters. We also remember Lal Bahadur Shastri who gave us the slogan, jai jawan, jai kisan.   PM Modi needs to move from slogans to action to transform agriculture.   Atal Bihari Vajpayee expanded the slogan to jai jawan, jai kisan, jai vigyan. The present government has an array of slogans for the farmers. Prime Minister Modi has coined so many — swacchh bharat,...