-The Hindu Agriculture and allied sectors show improvement The Central Statistical Office (CSO) released on Friday estimates of 2013-14 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, pegging it at 4.9 per cent. In 2012-13, the economy grew at 4.5 per cent, the lowest in a decade. Since the growth during the April-September 2013 was 4.6 per cent, a full-year CSO estimate of 4.9 per cent implies that the economy is expected to grow at...

-The Hindu Creates toxic smoke and poses serious environmental threat, says petition Mumbai: The National Green Tribunal has banned the burning of tyres at public places, such as roads and areas surrounded by residential buildings and also during protests by political and religious groups as it is likely to cause health hazard. The Western Zone Bench of NGT was hearing the petition against the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the State of...

-Live Mint The scheme represents Rs.2.3 trillion spent on wasteful rural consumption This week marked the eighth anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's key rural intervention, launched in 200 districts initially in February 2006. To the extent that such populist schemes helped raise wages without raising productivity. They have contributed more to inflation than to rural wealth. Worse, such schemes have...

-Down to Earth Police and transport department ignored months of protests by users of non-motorised transport After months of protests against an unprecedented embargo on cycles and other forms of non-motorised transport, activists in Kolkata have filed a public interest petition before the Calcutta High Court. The petition was filed on January 18 by non-profit Switch On along with Prasant Purkait, a user who delivers pest control services on a humble bicycle....

-The Indian Express BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Government is toying with the idea of introducing laddu - made of millets - in the menu of mid day meal (MDM) to add a "dash of sweetness" for the school children. It is also contemplating to add banana to the platter. At a high-level meeting here on Thursday, the addition of a sweet dish in form of millet laddu and fruit in form of banana...