Since 1947, successive governments have missed innumerable opportunities to put the country on the path of sustained, inclusive growth. Time and again, quixotic ideology has led to meaningless debates, antediluvian policy and inexplicable strangulation of capacity buildup in both physical and social infrastructure. Even today, while the gap between current and projected national demand and supply is well acknowledged, the government continues to drag its feet in creating the policy...

India could face serious problems in providing food security, if the present gap between the consumption and production of pulses is not filled, according to a report by industry body Assocham. "If the production of pulses in the largest producing nation dips, it becomes difficult for the global markets to fill up the gap," Assocham said in a statement today. India is world's largest producer and consumer of pulses. However, still there...

The food subsidy bill for 2010-11 could shoot up by nearly Rs 25,000 crore to touch Rs 80,000 crore, putting further pressure on the government’s finances, a food ministry official said on Tuesday. The government has budgeted Rs 55,578 crore for the current fiscal. The sharp increase in the subsidy is because of higher minimum support price ( MSP )) for crops and the government holding food stock that are nearly three times...

Production this year likely to be 24.5 million tonnes, compared to internal demand of 23 MT The Centre has allowed export of 5 lakh tonnes of sugar. It has asked sugar mills to register themselves for seeking the Release Order for exports under Open General Licence (OGL). They have been allowed to export raw, white and refined sugar, but no export subsidy will be given. Export only from new output The OGL export...

Fog not only delays trains and flights, causes road accidents and makes the winter season depressing but also causes the prices of eggs to rise. The recent increase in egg prices is attributed to fog and the prices are likely to increase again as soon as the visibility drops. To add to that, onions and tomatoes are also becoming more expensive. According to Shabir Ahmed, secretary, Poultry Federation of India, eggs...