AHMEDABAD: With potato prices ruling at Rs 20 a kg in retail in the domestic market, traders from Jammu and Kashmir have started importing potato from the two Line of Control (LOC) trade posts of Srinagar and Poonch. With zero import duty on import at the LOC trade points, Pakistani potato is cheaper than the Indian variety by 20% to 40%. India's potato production is expected to be 33.5-34 million tonne...
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Wal-Mart in bribe scandal
-The Telegraph The New York Times has reported that Wal-Mart, the US-based retail giant, hushed up an internal investigation sometime after the company was told of a bribery campaign to obtain licences and facilitate rapid expansion in Mexico. Some of the alleged instances of bribery are certain to ring a bell in India where it is not too difficult to bend rules for a price. The New York Times said its “examination...
More »Now, consumers junk Centre for Science and Environment report-Ratna Bhushan & Sarah Jacob
Fast-food chains McDonald's and KFC, and packaged food brands like Lay's chips and Maggi noodles reported normal sales this weekend, despite a study on Friday alleging high levels of trans-fat, sugar and salts in their food on Friday. Analysts say it is natural for consumers of chips, burgers and noodles to ignore Centre for Science and Environment's warning because they know what they are getting into when they consume chips and...
More »A scam in pulses import? CAG estimates Rs 1,200 crore loss on import of subsidised pulses by Tejinder Narang
In December 2011, CAG tabled a well-analysed audit report in Parliament claiming a loss of 1,200 crore, or $250 million, on the import of subsidised pulses through 2006-11 under the supervision of department of consumer affairs (DCA) of the food ministry. The government's intention to introduce such a scheme cannot be faulted: during 2005-08, seven million tonnes of wheat was imported at high prices, chana (chickpeas) values spiked from 21...
More »Economic census delayed again due to lack of personnel by Rishi Shah
The government's ambitious economic census to create a comprehensive database of the economic profile of India's households and businesses has been pushed back again because of lack of personnel. The census department is right now busy with the survey to enumerate people below poverty line and feels a simultaneous economic survey will stretch its resources undermining the data quality. "There has been a decision taken to delay the economic census as conducting...
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