-The Hindu     In spite of the rosy picture painted by the World Bank, the prospect of eliminating extreme poverty remains distant In a protracted period of gloom and persistent recession with feeble signs of recovery in a large part of the developed world, the World Bank, Brookings Institution and others can be forgiven for their euphoria over the accomplishment of a key Millennium Development Goal (MDG) - of halving extreme poverty in...

-The Economic Times India's GDP growth has almost halved from 9.2% in 2010-11 to 5% in 2012-12. Major problems include a high current account deficit, high fiscal deficit, and lack of Bank Credit for small and medium enterprises. All three problems can be mitigated substantially by one single measure - reducing excess food stocks. So say Ashok Gulati and Surabhi Jain, chairman and joint director respectively of the Commission for Agricultural...

-The Times of India   HYDERABAD: The Centre has finally made clear how the direct cash transfer of LPG subsidy would take place in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Anantapur, Chittoor and East Godavari districts from June 1. Consumers, who have already linked their Aadhaar number to their bank account and LPG consumer number, will receive their LPG subsidy directly into their Aadhaar-linked bank account within 3-4 days of booking the cylinder. The consumer will then...

-Live Mint A SWOT analysis of 24 companies that are drawing up plans for their entry into banking Mumbai: The deadline for applying for a banking licence expires on 1 July. At least two dozen companies, both in the private and public sectors, are busy drawing up plans for their entry into banking, being opened up again a decade after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed the entry of two...

-The Business Standard The latest suicide in Vidarbha underlines the need for flexible loan repayment norms for farmers Is it better to give compensation to dead farmers, or to provide loans and insurance to those who are alive? In the case of a majority of cotton farmers in Maharashtra, who are struggling against shrinking land size, production costs and debts, there is neither credit or insurance when alive nor compensation on death. Farmers caught...