Tomatoes are expected to fetch a wholesale price of Rs1,150-1,350 per quintal in October this year, more than what is expected in August and September, according to an econometric analysis by GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. Under a project, 'Establishing and Networking of Market Intelligence Centres in India,' underway at the Pantnagar- based varsity to help farmers know the likely prices of agriculture commodities well in advance of sowing,...

To facilitate larger lease holdings of land for agro-based units The amendment allows the lease period for 15 years instead of five years Accounts of the panchayati raj institutions placed under the purview of CAG Rajasthan has amended its tenancy laws to facilitate larger lease holdings of agricultural land for longer periods by entrepreneurs who are interested in setting up agro-based products. The move takes into account the big potential the State has...

The Union Environment Ministry plans to review its compensatory afforestation scheme next month, with Minister Jairam Ramesh saying he is “horrified” by reports on the implementation of the scheme in some States. The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority, better known as CAMPA, has over Rs. 11,000 crore, including accrued interest. The money, which had been lying in CAMPA's bank accounts since 2002, was finally released for partial distribution to...

Scavengers, street vendors and other informal workers are falling further behind as the global economy recovers, amid rising competition from hordes of new working poor , a study released Wednesday said. A survey of people struggling in the so-called "informal job sector" in nine Asian, African and Latin American countries found they had largely missed out on the benefits of the rebound from the 2008 financial crisis. "Incomes have risen for some...

“While the UPA has focused on bettering the lot of the Dalit community, it is dominated by upper caste Hindus, very few of whom are genuinely concerned about the plight of dalits,” the American Embassy said in a cable sent under the name of Ambassador David Mulford on June 22, 2005 ( 35177: confidential), and accessed by The Hindu through WikiLeaks. ‘Little upward mobility' “This ensures that dalits will continue to be...