Indian farmers have much to celebrate this year with a bumper wheat harvest. As predicted by the ministry of agriculture, wheat farmers have begun to harvest what is shaping up to be a record crop, projected at 84.27 million tonnes. We are growing more wheat than ever before. The earlier record of 80.8 million tonnes of wheat production was achieved in 2009-10. Estimates show that foodgrain production including wheat, rice, pulses...
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Kerosene cut due to ample LPG
-The Times of India The ministry of petroleum and natural gas on Saturday said that kerosene allocation to Gujarat has been reduced, keeping in view the substantial LPG penetration in the state. Gujarat's monthly quota of kerosene for distribution under the public distribution system (PDS) has been slashed by 32.19% from 76,712 kilolitres (KL) in 2010-11 to 52,020 KL in 2011-12, effective from June 1. The state government had raised...
More »Weighing The Scales by Anuradha Raman
A caveat: Is the Lokpal the right authority to investigate judges? Legal luminaries think otherwise. Five Points Of Contention Pro-Lokpal Bill activists want the higher judiciary to come under the purview of the new law. Jurists think otherwise. Point: Nowhere in the world is there an ombudsman to whom the entire higher judiciary is made accountable Counterpoint: The Lokpal Bill must ensure powers to probe corruption charges against SC and HC judges Independence of...
More »Medicinal plants to get good quality tag by Kounteya Sinha
India's wonder plants with medicinal properties will now come with a special "good quality tag" with the government putting in place a voluntary certification scheme for medicinal plant produce based on good agricultural practices and good field collection practices. This, the government said, will enhance confidence in the quality of India's medicinal plant produce and make available good quality raw material to the ayurvedic and herbal drugs industry. Under the scheme, launched...
More »The great land grab by Venkitesh Ramakrishnan
The farmers' agitation in Uttar Pradesh brings into focus the indiscriminate acquisition of land by the state for corporate-led development. ON May 19, three days before the formal observation of the second anniversary of the United Progressive Alliance government, Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi made a categorical announcement that in the monsoon session of Parliament scheduled to begin in July the ruling coalition would bring in legislation that...
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