-PTI Irked over non-submission of property details by some bureaucrats, the government is considering strict action, including withholding of annual increment, against the defaulters.  The government has already issued repeated reminders to a number of officials of Central Secretariat Service (Under Secretary and above level) seeking their Immovable Property Returns (IPRs).  "Despite this, some of them have not submitted IPRs. It has been noted that many of them give details of the returns...

-Reuters SUPALI: Two years ago, Vilas Yelmar took out a 200,000 rupee ($3,610) bank loan to develop a small grape orchard in a dusty hamlet southeast of Mumbai. The bank has repeatedly asked for the loan to be repaid, but Yelmar, whose annual income has risen to 2 million rupees, has spent the money on a new sport utility vehicle and a lavish family wedding. He is one of an increasing number...

A prolonged dry spell in most parts of India is hurting the sowing schedule for paddy, a major kharif crop, raising the country's anxiety about monsoon rains, as parched fields urgently need moisture to plant crops. The weather office has forecast normal rainfall in the June-September monsoon, but showers in the months before the rainy season are vital for soil moisture required to raise paddy nurseries and subsequently to sow the...

An expert panel has blamed the increase in commercial plantations for destroying forests, erosion of soil and water bodies in the Western Ghats. According to a Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel report, which was submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) by its Chairman, Prof Madhav Gadgil, water guzzling crops and monoculture plantations such as tea, coffee, and cardamom are responsible for depleting forest wealth. “These crops have aggravated the...

Giving right to food is not enough to deliver food, say speakers at a conference on food security Agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan has called for setting up a body headed by the prime minister for effective execution of the National Food Security Bill (NFSB) once it is enacted. All chief ministers should be members of this board, he added. NFSB was cleared by the Union Cabinet and introduced in Parliament in...