-The Hindu   The urban future depends on making cities intelligent, and that applies equally to both new and old parts of the city Smart cities, the flagship project of the Bharatiya Janata Party's urban vision, have received a firm financial allocation in the Union budget. The government has provided Rs.7,060 crore to build 100 smart cities as satellite towns on the outskirts of large cities to accommodate the burgeoning urban population. Foreign...

-The Times of India JAIPUR: The number of girls in the state's government schools is decreasing since last three years. For the 2013-14 period, in primary section, for every 100 boys, the ratio of girls enrolled is 87, said the District Information System for Education (DISE) survey. This is less than the national average of 93 girls for 100 boys. The state's performance is poorer compared to States like Bihar (98),...

-Down to Earth No acknowledgement from government as unofficial drought spells ruination for farmers in central and north-west India Even though IMD will declare a drought confirmation later in the year, the unofficial drought continues to exist. The threat of one of the worst droughts looms large over India. The India Meteorological Department declared that the country as a whole received 43 per cent less rainfall till July 11, 2014. The average amount...

-PSainath.org The revenues foregone in 2013-14 could fund the rural jobs scheme for three decades or the PDS for four and a half years.  It was business as usual in 2013-14. Business with a capital B. This year's budget document says we gave away another Rs. 5.32 lakh crores to the corporate needy and the under-nourished rich in that year. Well, it says Rs. 5.72 lakh crores but I'm...

-The Financial Express Global rice trade doesn't operate on market principles. Rather, it is guided by politics, vested interests and weather Rice is a political commodity. Governments all over the world maintain regimentation on rice production and trade through price controls and subsidisation, tariffs, phytosanitary and environmental safety standards-sometimes in a whimsical manner. On July 6, the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) notified investigations (to be completed by April 2015) on...