-Hindustan Times The farmers want to take out the rally on Outer Ring Road, while the police have suggested alternate routes. With protesting farmers refusing to budge from their decision to take out a tractor rally on Republic Day, the administration has geared up to stop them. Hindustan Times' sister publication Livehindustan reported that Uttar Pradesh government has asked supply officers in all the districts to not give diesel to protesting farmers. Thousands...

-TheWire.in Minister of State for Food Danve Raosaheb Dadarao had stated before Lok Sabha that the high-powered committee had approved the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, a claim denied by the Punjab CM. New Delhi: The Farm ordinances – which consequently paved the way for the three controversial farm laws in September 2020 – were promulgated and introduced in parliament in June 2020 without the report of the high powered committee of Chief...

-CaravanMagazine.in In 2006, the Bihar government deregulated the agricultural sector, and largely removed government oversight over food grain procurement. Previously a majority of food grain procurement happened through the Agricultural Produce Market Committee, a marketing board run by the state government that would organise mandis—wholesale markets—where farmers could directly sell their produce to the Food Corporation of India or the State Farming Corporation at the established minimum support price. The MSP...

-TheWire.in Development administration is a specialised job. At present, bureaucrats are transferred from one department to another with little attention to whether they have knowledge of agriculture or industries. The new year calls for a basic change in priorities – a need to focus on the development of rural areas. The current farmers’ agitation has thrown into sharp relief the failure of the government to understand the concerns of a large section...

-The Indian Express Though overall trends do suggest an improvement in population control, use of modern contraception, reproductive and child health, immunisation and social determinants of health, a complete overhaul is needed to identify and address the multidimensional aspects of child malnutrition. Population-based surveys form the bedrock of the country’s health information systems. Use of accurate and nationally representative data can be instrumental in policy Planning, programme design, health system monitoring and...