-The Business Standard Expresses government's resolve to attract Rs 5 lakh crore investments in 5 years Maharashtra government on Monday downplayed the ongoing controversy over the multi crore irrigation scam. Instead, the state Governor K Sankaranarayanan in his address to the joint session of the Maharashtra Legislature said during the drought year, importance of creation of new irrigation potential is quite obvious. In 2011-12, an irrigation potential of 1.08 lakh hectare was...

-The Hindu Citizens march from Vrindavan to Delhi to demand a right to their lifeline – the Yamuna Why are thousands marching presently from Vrindavan to Delhi? Not for jobs, special privileges or land rights. But for their lifeline river Yamuna, which for many of them is integral to their daily chores, as to them the river is much more than a mere physical entity. It is well known that the folklore associated...

-The Times of India Is urban India drowning in its own excreta? Nearly 80% of the sewage generated in India flows untreated into its rivers, lakes and ponds, turning the water sources too polluted to use. The end result: groundwater in almost the entire country has nitrate levels higher than the prescribed levels - a result of sewage leaching into India's groundwater aquifers. These grave figures were revealed at a meeting of...

-Live Mint Evasion of duty of over Rs.50 lakh to be made non-bailable offence; arrest provisions under service tax proposed The government may find itself in hot water on budget proposals that make duty evasion beyond a certain threshold a non-bailable offence, allow arrest on suspected withholding of service tax, and provide tax authorities powers to recover dues from a defaulter’s bankers.   Although finance minister P. Chidambaram in his budget presentation on 28...

-The Hindu Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s budget for 2013-14 will be remembered not only for its strategies to stimulate economic growth and control fiscal deficit, but also for the importance given to the needs of the underprivileged sections of our society. In the field of agriculture, he has adopted the following three pronged strategy: 1. Defend the gains already made in the original green revolution areas like Punjab and Haryana: For this purpose...