-The Times of India CHANDIGARH/FAZILKA: What was a laughing stock when started 12 years ago is today all set to become a part of the policy the United Nations plan to make for the world. A business model -- Library Model and Radio Taxi Model -- for enabling small and marginal farmers to hire equipment for farm operations at affordable prices was recently showcased in an event of UN in Indonesia...

-The Statesman Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed anguish over suicides by farmers, whose condition has not improved despite the high rate of economic growth. The reason for this distressing state of affairs is that economic policies are badly crafted. The primary effort of the Government has been to increase agricultural production. The price factor is not taken into consideration, the perception being that the farmer will be better off...

-The Hindu   The national discourse is so superficial that it only talks of foreign direct investment, investment allowance, tax sops and the like which are just about a twentieth to a sixth of the national economy. It did not even notice paragraph 102 in the Union budget speech which is about half of India's economy. Commentators see facts hidden in budgets as the "devil's in the detail." This presumes that only...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Apprehending further increase in onion prices from next month due to short supply, the government appears set to import the key kitchen ingredient to cool down domestic prices. While a formal decision is expected next week, sources said public sector companies have been asked to look at the possibility of shipping onion from Pakistan, China, Malaysia and Iran. Officials said there are indications of wholesale prices...

-Mid Day   A visit to the APMC in Vashi revealed that calcium carbide - referred to as ‘carpet' by traders - which is known to cause cancer, food poisoning, nausea etc - is being used indiscriminately to ripen the fruit faster, so as to increase sales Think before you sink your teeth into those juicy, delicious mangoes. For, they could have been ripened artificially using calcium carbide, a deadly chemical that is...