-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: Even as the Narendra Modi government is trying to formulate a politically acceptable Land Acquisition Bill, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has asked all state governments to submit their land acquisition legislations to check if they have built in adequate safeguards for Scheduled Tribes. The move comes after BJP-ruled Rajasthan government's legislation irked the commission. NCST has served a notice to Rajasthan government for deviating from...

-Hindustan Times If you thought climate change was only about melting glaciers and sinking islands, you have underestimated it. A report by C40, a global network of 82 megacities--including Delhi--committed to fighting climate change, says that at least 70% of these urban centres are already affected by climate change. Not all of them are coast or hill towns. As population is increasing in these megacities, rising pollution, growing congestion and mounting waste...

-The Hindu ADT-39 variety has been planted and 60 prisoners involved in raising the crop TIRUCHI: Expanding farming activity on its vast stretch of lands, the Tiruchi Central Prison authorities have gone for paddy cultivation. Paddy nurseries were planted on two acres of jail lands by engaging convicts recently. Prison authorities said the ADT-39 variety had been planted and the harvest would be done in three months. Ahead of taking up this activity,...

-Hindustan Times Ranchi: Jaidev Mahto, 65, mortgaged 2.5 acres of land to repay a bank loan of Rs 25,000. A resident of Bardaha village in Dhanbad district, Mahato had taken the loan against his Kisan Credit Card (KCC) for Kharif crops that were damaged completely due to scarcity of rainfall this year. Hemant Singh, 50, a farmer of Pyraguri village in East Singhbhum district, took a KCC loan of Rs 28,000 for...

-Down to Earth The villages are now officially recognised and have been renamed as Tehri Bhagirathi Nagar, Ghonti Village and Chhaam After nearly four decades of struggle by displaced residents, the Uttarakhand government has finally recognised three villages as revenue villages, displaced due to the construction of the Tehri Dam. With this recognition, the villages will now have land rights, basic amenities like electricity, water, health services, educational institutions, banks, post offices...