-Livemint.com The GST Council has fixed a 12% GST rate on fertilizers, up from the current 4-8% rates, depending on raw materials used and in which states the products are sold New Delhi: India’s landmark tax reform, the goods and services tax (GST), may not be good news for farmers. Retail prices of commonly used fertilizers and micronutrients are likely to increase, not only raising the cost of cultivation but also leading...

-DNA Death of tribal kids during monsoon period when their parents don't get work has been a major issue since past many years. Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sumit Mullick on Wednesday held a core committee meeting to review the ongoing measures to prevent death of infant in the tribal areas. He directed health, women and child development and tribal departments to take necessary precautions for preventing various diseases whcih occur during the monsoon. Additional...

-IANS Patna: Greenpeace India, the environment protection organisation, has welcomed and lauded the Bihar government's decision to give priority to organic farming. "This initiative will prove sustainable for the agriculture and food security in the long run," a Greenpeace official said here on Monday. According to the organisation, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the state's Agriculture Department officials to give priority to organic farming, and said it should be the basis...

-Livemint.com Little has changed in terms of infrastructure gap between India’s rich and poor states between 2005-06 and 2014-15 From expressways in Uttar Pradesh to Road tunnels in Jammu and Kashmir, large infrastructure projects are showcased by state governments as examples of development politics. Have these efforts been successful in bridging the infrastructure gap between Indian states? A look at the changes in the Mint state infrastructure index between 2005-06 and 2014-15 shows...

-The Times of India When cycling enthusiast Amit Bhatt moved to Gurugram from Delhi some eight years back, he was counting on clean air and clear Roads. But eight years later, Bhatt, the head of urban transport at World Resources Institute (WRI), has had to seriously cut down on cycling. That's because over the years the air in Gurugram has become so foul it's now quite unbreathable. TOI did an analysis of...