-Business Standard In last one month, chana futures prices have risen 17.37 per cent and on Thursday it closed at Rs. 6812 per quintal on NCDEX New Delhi: The government has launched a multi-pronged drive against price rise of essential commodities with different agencies doing their bit to ensure smooth supply and action against hoarders as well as profiteers. Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Thursday barred launch of...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: A month has gone by since the Supreme Court issued directions to tackle drought but it is "business as usual" for the Centre and the affected states, civil society organisations have said. Worse, government intervention is even less than what it used to be in colonial times, they said. A quarter of the country is drought-hit at present. On May 11, the apex court had pronounced the Centre guilty...

-Livemint.com There is an emphasis on increasing farm productivity, but this might not always align with greater profitability While inaugurating the Krishi Mela at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for a “three-pillared” approach to farming, which included crop farming, agro forestry—that is, planting timber trees along farm peripheries—and animal husbandry. This is an important enunciation of how Indian agriculture works as an integrated system in...

-GovernanceNow.com A report on public hearing at in Gumla of Jharkhand Jharkhand has reached a make-or-break point in the battle against hunger. For the first time, the National Food security Act (NFSA) makes it possible to ensure that no one sleeps on an empty stomach. Many people, however, are still struggling to secure their entitlements under the Act. By way of reality check, a careful survey of NFSA was recently completed...

-The Hindu Gaya (Bihar)/ Gumla (Jharkhand): It was a few tense minutes for nearly 1,000 residents gathered under a shamiana in Bharno block office in Gumla district, about 50 kilometres south of Ranchi. The crowd was awaiting the arrival of Sunil Kumar Keshari, the ration shop dealer of Bharno. “Out of 200 residents of Pandarni village, only three can get rations from Keshari’s shop,” said Sukramani, a resident of the village. Clearly it...