The Supreme Court has paved the way for start of trial in the Palmolein oil import scam. CVC J Thomas is an accused in the case. The apex court disposed the petition filed by K Karunakaran after his death. With this the interim order staying the trial also becomes ineffective. K Karunakaran, who was four times chief minister of Kerala, died in December last year. The case relates to the alleged loss of...

Managing high agriculture commodity prices is becoming a concern for policy makers in India as well as globally. While Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has already warned of a ‘food price shock’, concerns are raised that this situation could worsen as various exporting countries could consider restrictions which will further create supply bottlenecks. As global food prices hit a record high, India just trails behind with food inflation touching a 23-week...

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar, who is leaving for Delhi tomorrow, will take up with Prime Minister the issue of a special package to the farmers who have lost their corps in the recent rains. He will also meet food and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and others. Reddy along with finance minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy, chief secretary SV Prasad and other officials, reviewed the various efforts...

Krishi Bhavan supports endosulfan companies; Kerala protests THE timing and the message of the conference could not have been more stark. At a time when the endosulfan problem is in the limelight, sparking calls for a nationwide ban on the pesticide, its manufacturers staged a remarkable feat. They held a three-day conference on rural prosperity at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan, venue for high-power official meetings, and put across the message that the hazardous...

Even as the new year brings little cheer on the price front, the famed apathy of our officials continues to move the common man to tears. Nearly 200 tonnes of onions imported from Pakistan are lying at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) at Nhava Sheva while officials pass the buck for not releasing the bulb to onion-starved markets. The affected traders have indicated that the cargo is stuck for want...