-The Times of India MUMBAI: Indian villages are powering their own economy, but contrary to conventional belief , it's not government largesses which are the drivers, but their own self-sustaining models. Growth at the bottom of the pyramid is at unprecedented level, and the transformation is stark. The factors driving this transformation are dramatic improvements in rural roads, electrification, cell phones and water supply which are raising wages and increasing job opportunities...

-The Times of India PM Manmohan Singh described Italy's provocative decision to not send back the two marines accused of killing Kerala fishermen as unacceptable, and the government lodged a "strong protest" with the Italian ambassador and asked for the duo's return. With government coming under attack from the opposition for alleged collusion with Italy, Singh was said to have told a group of Left MPs from Kerala that what Italy did...

-The Hindu New Delhi examining Rome’s decision which may hit ties Kochi: Italy on Monday refused to return two of its marines being tried in India for killing two fishermen while on duty aboard a merchant ship. The move caught India by surprise as the marines had been let off once before and had returned. The Foreign Office said it was examining the communication received late in the night from Rome but sources...

-The Business Standard State budgets are raining sops to pull farmers' votes With elections staring at them, several state governments are suddenly waking up to the demands of farmers and offering sops to the agriculture sector in their budgets, even as farmer organisations say the state and Central governments should do more.    Karnataka, which pioneered the trend of having a separate agriculture budget--similar to the railway budget at the Centre — brought...

-The Times of India It appears to be one step forward and two steps back for the government in so far as pruning of fuel subsidy bill is concerned. The latest example is the oil ministry's order asking state-run fuel retailers to supply cooking gas cylinders at subsidized rate to non-domestic consumers such as canteens, medical institutions and mid-day meal kitchens. The order on cooking gas, issued on Tuesday, comes close on...