-The Indian Express As the Modi government completes three years, here are three potentially game-changing steps it could now take to harness the sector’s unrealised potential Amidst the predictable tidal wave of opinion pieces to mark the Narendra Modi government’s third anniversary, one little event last week squeezed its way into the inside pages of a few newspapers. This was a call for a “farm strike” in Maharashtra from June 1,...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: An umbrella organisation of publishers of educational books has pointed out that a 12 per cent tax has been levied on children's colouring books whereas "semi-pornography" books have been exempt under the goods and Services tax, drawing attention to the perceived contradictions in the new levy regime. "Semi-porn for free, but pay for colouring books," the Federation of Educational Publishers in India (FEPI) has titled its short media...

-Livemint.com Experts say a government-sponsored pledge loan scheme could still help Maharashtra tide over the tur crisis and provide relief to farmers Could Maharashtra government and the Centre have mitigated Maharashtra’s tur (pigeon pea) crisis by facilitating and encouraging pledge loans? Yes, say farm sector experts, bankers, warehouse industry officials and former government officials. Pledge loans are loans secured by farmers from banks against their farm produce deposited at a warehouse. Timely government intervention...

-Livemint.com The Indian statistical system is failing to fulfil the needs of 21st century policymaking The Indian state has often been a source of bewilderment to observers and analysts, and a source of frustration for its citizens who marvel at the state’s ability to perform complex tasks—such as running a successful space mission—while failing to perform many basic tasks such as ensuring the survival of newborns. Perhaps no other organ of the...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: For the middle class, an immediate impact of GST would be the higher premium outgo due to the increase in rate of tax on insurance following implementation of the Goods and Services Tax. For families that own a car and pay for health and term insurance the increase in annual outgo would be close to Rs 1,000. "The immediate impact will be an increase in the tax...