-Down to Earth Activists claim the move was in response to the tribals’ protest against mining in their forest For the first time in 10 years of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), the Chhattisgarh government has cancelled forest rights allotted to tribals of Ghatbarra village in Surguja district. In an order issued on January 8, 2016, the state forest department stated that village residents were using their rights to oppose mining...

-Economic and Political Weekly A number of state agencies and non-governmental organisations have come forward to facilitate farmers/breeders to register their crop varieties and obtain plant variety certifi cates. But can these agencies bring forth a change in the mindset of the small farmers and seed savers' groups who view the current intellectual property regime with scepticism and continue to keep away from it? Shalini Bhutani (shalinibhutani@hotmail.com) is a legal researcher and...

-Economic and Political Weekly There are basic methodological and conceptual problems with recent research that ends up arguing that private school education is more effective than public education. Such findings have obvious policy implications but it is critical that research that informs policy is based on a correct reading of facts, keeping the larger vision of education in mind. Recent research into the cost effectiveness of public education vis-à-vis private education concludes...

-The New Indian Express   BHUBANESWAR: Effective leveraging of agriculture is the key to ensuring food and nutrition security. This can be achieved by taking steps to ensure that technological intervention in farms is done with agreement of farmers. This was one of the key points made by a panel of experts at a forum on ‘Farming System for Nutrition (FSN) initiative in Koraput', conducted by MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) here on...

-The Telegraph Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is worried about the safety of these "stubborn, independent and aggressive" denizens of the hills. Cyclone Hudhud could prove to be more aggressive. Special relief commissioner P.K. Mohapatra said the Bondas - a primitive tribe living in the Malkangiri forests that fall in the path of the approaching cyclone - have not experienced in the recent past such a storm that weather officials said could pack...