-The Telegraph Nagpur: The Maharashtra government has given a slew of private companies permission to conduct field trials of genetically modified crops at state agriculture universities' farms, rejecting its dissenting agriculture minister's suggestion for a public debate first. Before this, no Indian state had allowed field trials of GM crops since October last year, when a Supreme Court-appointed expert panel recommended a 10-year moratorium on such trials - though the court has...

-The Indian Express The UPA government's ambitious Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act was notified on Tuesday, and will come into effect from January 1 next year. The rules to the Act, however, are yet to finalised. The Act, which replaces the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, has sought to correct the low rates of compensation under the old Act by providing compensation of up to...

-The Hindu There has been "a phenomenal increase" in the levels of fine particles in the atmosphere over India, especially those generated by human activity, according to research published recently by a team of Indian scientists. Such particles, known as aerosols, contribute to the growing levels of pollution in the country. In addition, these particles scatter and absorb light. As their levels in the atmosphere increase, they can cut the amount sunlight that...

-The Hindustan Times New Delhi: The sting of dengue has turned more lethal this year with at least 15 persons falling prey to the bite of the aedes mosquito, compared to just four in 2012. Moreover, October recorded the highest number of dengue cases -- 2,442 - for the same month's reading in the past six years in the national capital. However, out of the 15 casualties, only six are confirmed dengue...

-Reuters NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: India looks set for bumper harvests of winter crops such as wheat, chickpeas and rapeseed in the wake of a strong monsoon that has left the soil moist and topped up reservoirs. The crops will follow bountiful summer harvests of rice and soybeans due to the rains, with New Delhi looking to boost agricultural growth to cool double-digit food inflation and revive a slowing economy as manufacturing struggles. With next...