-The Economic Times SILIGURI: Low level of price realization and severe shortage of storage space, potato farming is in downturn this sowing season in northern West Bengal. It is one of the highest contributing zones to national potato yield. Sowing for potato is showing a declining trend in north Bengal. “I cannot take chance again after the hardship I had to face with my last year’s crop,” said Jiban Mandal, a veteran...

-Frontline.in The Assembly elections have put under intense scrutiny Narendra Modi’s Gujarat model of development which is touted as worthy of replication throughout the country. Audit reports of the CAG provide ample evidence of it being inefficient, corrupt and not beneficial to the common people. THE standard indicators of development, as is understood in theory and practice, comprise a range of indices, and not necessarily the level of private investment in...

-Hindustan Times The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) is facing a shortage of investigators for conducting surveys, a response to an RTI filed by Hindustan Times revealed, raising questions about the quality of data being generated from these surveys. The field operations division of the NSSO, which is responsible for collecting primary data, has around 24% of positions vacant for the posts of junior and senior statistical officers. Data from NSSO is central...

-The Indian Express Banks are now caught in a dilemma even as they stare at a decline in loan growth — considering the surge in deposits since November 9. Mumbai: Struggling to cope with bad loans and the aftermath of the demonetisation decision, Indian banks have taken a hit on lending. Loan growth plunged by Rs 1 lakh crore in the fortnight that ended November 25, according to estimates. According to...

-Business Standard Say old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes coming back to banking channels in much higher proportion than expected New Delhi: Burdened by the deluge of suspected black money cases after demonetisation of high denomination currency, two staff associations of income tax (I-T) department have in a recent letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said they are reaching the breaking point. "Personnel and infrastructure are severely short," the Income Tax Employees...