With more than 60% of Bihar reeling under drought-like conditions and the state recording 20% rainfall deficit, the government is set to declare over two dozen districts drought-hit, officials said on Monday. "The state cabinet in its meeting Tuesday will formally declare more than two dozen districts drought hit," said an official of the state disaster management department. Vayasji, principal secretary of disaster management department, told IANS that the drought...
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Posco Project likely to displace 470 families
A day after initiating land acquisition process for Posco-India’s mega steel plant project near Paradip, the Orissa government on Wednesday said 470 families could face displacement due to the mega plant. “The Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) had already finalised a compensation package for the affected families,” Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suryanarayan Patra informed the State Assembly. The steel major required 4,004 acres for the Rs. 51,000 crore project...
More »PDS universalisation should be time-bound by Biraj Patnaik
The latest recommendation by the National Advisory Council on the National Food Security Act represents a significant shift in the debate on food security in the country. The discussions in the NAC suggest that the debate has largely been around the universalisation of the Public Distribution System. There also seems to have been other decisions taken by the NAC, especially on the right to food of vulnerable people and children’s right...
More »Right To Education likely to be watered down by Akshaya Mukul
In what could end up diluting the Right to Education Act, the government is considering a crucial amendment whereby schools will not be required to admit all applicants and can screen and select most of the students who will gain entry. The "admission-as-an entitlement" provision will be limited to only the poor children in the neighbourhood and seats for them will be pegged at 25%. Put simply, schools will continue...
More »OECD: Rich Countries Raised Farm Subsidies in 2009
The world’s rich countries boosted government support for agriculture in 2009, according to a report that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released last week. The report, “Agricultural Policies in OECD Countries: At a Glance 2010,” is part of the OECD’s annual effort to quantify and assess the support that its 31 developed country members provide to their agricultural producers. The OECD found that the Producer Support Estimate (PSE)...
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