-The Times of India Kozhikode: Despite a looming agrarian crisis, farmers in Wayanad have become the guardians of critical agro-biodiversity by nurturing traditional rice varieties which are fast becoming extinct. They have won exclusive farmers' rights for 10 more traditional rice varieties under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act (PPV&FR), 2001. With this, the number of rice varieties registered as 'Farmers' varieties of Wayanad' has become 16. Seedcare, an association...

-Press Release from India Resource Center New Delhi: A proposal to tax sugar sweetened beverages like tobacco in India is being welcomed by public health advocates. The proposal to increase sin taxes on aerated drinks is part of the recommendations made by India’s Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian on the upcoming Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill in the parliament of India. Taxation to reduce consumption of tobacco has been successful when used...

Varanasi, which is known as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency during 2014, has hit the headlines recently due to people's struggle for water rights. Altogether 18 village councils (Gram Panchayats) of Varanasi have written recently to Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board to stop overexploitation of groundwater by the Coca-Cola bottling plant, which is situated in Mehdiganj (please click here to access their letters). &NBSp; The village councils, which have...

In a recent Gazette notification, the Government of India has removed the controversial provisions made in the PDS Control Order that was issued in March, 2015. This means that no more there will be a ceiling placed on the number of Antyodaya cards issued by any state. &NBSp; The earlier order, which was issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution on 20 March, 2015, says that "when...

-PTI Thiruvananthapuram:&NBSp; The Congress-led UDF government in Kerala today made it clear that it would not backtrack from implementing the National Food Security Act and said a survey to identify the beneficiaries is underway. &NBSp;&NBSp; &NBSp; State Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob informed the Assembly that the government had already requested the Centre for some more time to implement the Act. &NBSp;&NBSp; &NBSp; "We will not backtrack from implementing the National Food Security Act. We...