While the Gujarat government may have announced a 'farmer-friendly' land acquisition policy developed by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation's (GIDC), farmers have so far given mixed reactions to it. Right ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit scheduled in January,GIDC has gone all out to ensure a hassle-free land acquisition process, as the upcoming meet is likely to generate demand for large tracts of land for industry.Saurabh Patel, state industries minister,...

Italy, the United States, Greece, Belgium and the United Kingdom top a list of two dozen developed countries that let their most vulnerable children fall even further behind, with enormous consequences not only for the youngsters themselves but for the economy and society at large, according to a new United Nations report released today.“As debates rage on austerity measures and social spending cuts, the report focuses on the hundreds of...

Media is business, journalism is not. With these stinging words, developmental journalist and Magsaysay Award winner for journalism P Sainath grabbed the attention of the 250 media students attending Mumbai's Sophia Polytechnic's annual lecture, 'Catalyst for Change', on Thursday. The topic was 'Paid News', on which there cannot be a more well-informed speaker than Sainath who has consistently highlighted the menace in his writings. Sainath said since 2008, some 3000 journalists...

As pressure builds on China and India to accept greater obligations to cut down carbon emissions, both countries have asserted that measures to combat climate change need to factor in the principle of equitable access to development opportunities.Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said developing countries have to strike a balance between growth objectives and emission mitigation as experts reminded that developed nations have over-used their fair share.“I want to reiterate that...

Twenty five years after the beginning of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, the movement buzzes with inputs from activists and students. But, dogged by many limitations, is there a positive end in sight?An increased and meaningful interface between tribals and non-tribals came about...The air enveloping the ghats at Koteshwar is heavy with spirituality. Devotees, tourists and other visitors throng the place every day to pray at the several temples around the...