-The Hindu   The All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) has condemned the latest increase in the price of petrol by Rs.5 a litre. “The increase is unwarranted, particularly because International Prices of oil had shown a declining trend in recent weeks. This is indeed a post-election gift to people from the UPA government,” a statement issued by AIDWA said on Monday. “For the common people, who were reeling under relentless price rise for...

-The Economic Times   India's grain bins are overflowing and the forecast for a normal monsoon promises another bumper crop, but political disagreement over a bill to secure food rights for the poor means the country is expected to steer clear of large-scale exports. Shipments from the world's second-biggest producer of wheat, sugar and rice could come as a relief for governments across Asia who are trying to combat food-led inflation,...

Participants at a United Nations summit today outlined a 10-year plan to support the world’s most vulnerable countries overcome poverty, calling on the private sector to play a greater role in the fight, urging wealthy nations to step up their aid commitments and demanding the elimination of many trade barriers. The Istanbul Programme of Action to spur development and economic growth was made public at the end of the Fourth UN...

-The Economic Times   In the steepest hike ever, state- owned oil companies today increased petrol price by about Rs 5 per litre with effect from midnight tonight. The increase in petrol price, which the oil firms had been holding since January even though crude oil had touched a two-and-a-half-year high, came a day after election results of five state assemblies were announced. IndianOil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum will hike rates between...

-ToI   The government patched together an intricate—and flawed—fertiliser system over the last 40 years. It now wants to dismantle that monster. The challenge before it is to preserve its pro-agriculture and pro-poor objective, while correcting the flaws that crept in, reports M Rajshekhar If it all goes to plan, buying or selling fertiliser will never be the same for the 120-odd companies that make up this Rs 1,00,000 crore industry or...