-Business Standard Skymet says rains will be normal in August Southwest monsoon has shown marked improvement over central and eastern parts of India in the past few days, narrowing the cumulative deficiency for July to 15 per cent from a high of 50 per cent. However, the situation is worrisome in parts of central Maharashtra, Marathwada, Rayalseema region of Andhra Pradesh, some districts of Telangana, and north interior Karnataka, where the total seasonal...

-Business Standard Why the public-private partnership model in education doesn't get a show of hands from its naysayers   Jaipur   July 8, 1 pm: Around 500 school teachers were protesting outside the building of Shiksha Sankul, which houses the various educational departments in the state. They burnt effigies of the education minister, demanding the Vasundhara Raje-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government withdraw the order on increased man-days. The teaching fraternity wanted the government to revisit...

-PTI NEW DELHI: The country has received only 83 per cent of rainfall in July with the situation in parts of central and southern India remaining particularly grim, even as the weatherman predicted an improvement in the situation in coming days. "Until now, July has witnessed minus 17 per cent of rainfall," India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Laxman Singh Rathore said. He, however, said that there was no need to panic as...

-The Times of India PALANPUR/BHUJ: Heavy rain coupled with gusts paralyzed four districts of north Gujarat even as at least 27 people died across the state in rain-related incidents in the 48 hours until 4pm on Tuesday. Banaskantha district was the worst hit as incessant rain caused a flood-like situation, especially in towns bordering Rajasthan, the epicenter of deep depression that is bringing rainfall in Gujarat. "Eight people have died in the district...

-Business Standard Letting states pass their own law could come in conflict with provisions in the land law of 2013 The Union government's proposal for states to have their own land acquisition laws that may pull down any or all the four pillars of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act could run in to an unprecedented legal hurdle. The 2013 law the United Progressive Alliance government had passed hinges on four pillars - consent,...