-The Times of India The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has sounded an alert over a deficient monsoon, directing ministries to help states facing drought-like situations by operationalizing contingency plans to distribute seeds, augment fodder and power and deal with drinking water shortages. PMO said the monsoon season rainfall is likely to be 92% of the long-term average (LPA), less than the 96% LPA predicted in June that itself was a downgrade from...

-CNN-IBN With deficient monsoon rains throughout the country so far, experts have now warned that the drought situation can no longer be ignored and that it is the time to act. Food Minister KV Thomas admitted on Tuesday that the situation is worrisome and that the government will have to take measures to check hoarding as deficient rainfall will lead to crop failure. Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP) Chairman Ashok...

-The Indian Express Government exercises discretionary powers in land allotment to benefit a favoured few The story of the 28 plots allotted in Uttar Pradesh in 2005 by the erstwhile Samajwadi Party government headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav appears to be another textbook case of how state governments use their discretionary powers in land allotment to give great deals on prime property to politicians and government officials, and their cronies and families....

-The Telegraph The Union government today announced contingency measures, including the rollout of alternative crops and additional power for irrigation, in response to the persistently poor monsoon rainfall. The crop area sown this year is about 8 million hectares lower than last year but agrometeorology experts say the cumulative area sown with rice can be determined only around early August. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has directed various ministries to co-ordinate their efforts with...

-CNN-IBN The mahapanchayat of 200 villages that met on Monday to discuss the violence at Maruti's Manesar plant demanded a CBI probe into the incident. Fearing job losses, the mahapanchayat came out strongly in support of the Maruti management and against the workers who are accused of wreaking havoc at the plant. The mahapanchayat also suggested recruitment of more locals to avoid similar incidents in future.   Meanwhile, the auto industry has said it will...