-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday agreed to rework the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill, bowing to criticism from the BJP and regional parties. BJP had Attacked the original draft of the bill, promised by the UPA in 2004, saying it was loaded against the majority community and marked an assault on the powers of states. Besides, regional parties also opposed the first draft of the legislation because...

-The Hindu Appachi eco-logic cotton project is a unique organic cotton contract farm model in the Western Ghats region of Kabini Reservoir. The project covers nearly 1,200 farmers spread over 1,875 acres. Over 17 per cent of the area comes under reserve forests of both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and exposing the cultivation fields to wild animal Attacks is forcing farmers to start cotton cultivation on a mono cropping basis instead of...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Lawyers and activists have condemned the union government for defaulting on the deadline to frame rules to regulate acid Attacks. With the Supreme Court granting the government a fresh four month extension on Tuesday, activists called for an end to systemic "lethargy" and "insensitivity" on crimes against women. Alok Dixit, who runs a campaign called Stop Acid Attacks, isn't optimistic about the extended deadline. "This isn't...

The Pension Parishad is holding a dharna in Delhi for the rights of elderly since 26 November. It has demanded that a Universal and Non Contributory Old Age Pension System should be established with a minimum dignified amount of monthly pension not less than 50% of minimum wage or Rs 2000/- per month, whichever is higher. Despite several rounds of talk held between the campaign leaders and the Government in...

-IPS   Food security activists who secured a moratorium on introducing genetically modified brinjal (aubergine) into India fear that their efforts are being undermined by the release of GM brinjal in neighbouring Bangladesh. "India and Bangladesh share a long and porous border and it is easy for GM brinjal varieties to be brought over," says Suman Sahai, director of Gene Campaign, a Delhi-based research and advocacy group devoted to the conservation of...