-The Business Standard The economic logic - and political reasons - behind the giant shift of spending power to the states Interim Budgets are not supposed to do this. This is precisely what they are not supposed to do. They are not supposed to lay out a policy change so vast it disempowers the next central government. But that's what P Chidambaram has done - and it appears to have been...

-DNA Maharashtra: To stop the destruction of forests and increase its green cover to 33% as laid down in the national policy, the state forests department has launched a campaign to rope in villagers to voluntarily enable regeneration of forests. It has distributed subsidised LPG cylinders and grants for biogas plants and stall fed and high value milch animals (as against scrub fed cattle) to around 40,000 families living on the periphery...

-The Business Standard Chidambaram may announce higher fund allocation for the social sector, with focus on education, food, women and rural masses In his last Budget speech as finance minister in the UPA-II government, P Chidambaram will have a lot to say on Monday but much of it is likely to be high on intent and low on content. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, interim Budget 2014-15 is likely to be...

-DNA The government's lack of focus on agriculture shows its lopsided priorities. In the coming months, about 1.5 crore farmers who quit agriculture in the past seven years, are likely to trudge back into the villages. In normal circumstances such a massive reverse migration - from the cities back to the villages - would have been a sign of inclusive growth. But economists are taking this U-turn as a sign of...

-The Hindu TISS chief seeks parity in trade tariff KASARAGOD (Kerala): With neo-liberal economic values holding increasing sway in contemporary society, India should strive to ensure a level playing field among nations to safeguard interest of small-time business groups and farmers in the country, Director of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) S. Parasuraman has said. "If you are talking about level playing field for all nations, after having become part of the...