An unprecedented economic growth during the last decade has also seen increasing malnutrition, hunger and starvation amongst certain sections of society. India ranks 66 in the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO’s) World Hunger Index of 88 countries (Inter-national Food Policy Research Institute). More than 200 million people in this country are denied the right to food. One-third of all underweight children (57 million) in the world due to lack of...

-Mainstream Weekly   We, the concerned citizens, feel deeply disturbed by the continued acrimony, tension and violence in the Junglemahal area of West Bengal. After the change of government in the State it was hoped that a dialogue between the new government and the Maoists in the Junglemahal would commence which would address the real problems affecting the people of the area and lead to their solution. This would set an example...

Supreme Court displeased with Centre's failure to suggest measures   The Supreme Court has indicated that it may ask the Central government to set up special courts to try cases of damage done to public property in agitations. A Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and S.J. Mukhopadhaya on Tuesday expressed displeasure at the Centre for not coming out with suggestions to prevent damage to public property and said special courts would be directed...

Village studies are a treasure trove of information on economic and social changes A noteworthy feature of research on Indian agriculture is the resurgence of interest in village studies. Such studies – that include resurveys of villages studied earlier – provide insights into the livelihood prospects of the majority of people who continue to work in the countryside. They are an important mode of research to understand agrarian relations that often...

-The Times of India The Centre on Saturday announced a Rs 6000-crore package for the handloom sector, doubling the announced financial relief, in what is seen as an outreach to the weaver community with authorship of Rahul Gandhi ahead of crucial UP elections. The sop increased with the government including individual loan defaulters, who are not part of a cooperative for loan amnesty, and in giving incentive for timely payment of loans...