-Outlook Nagpur (Maharashtra): During the last 72 hours, 12 farmers from Vidarbha region in Maharashtra committed suicide due to crop losses, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samittee Chief Kishore Tiwari announced here today. According to press release issued by Kishore Tiwari, 12 farmers took their lives. All the farmers belong to the cotton-producing belt of western Vidarbha. Saiyad Ansar Ali of Chikhalvardha village, Khushal Kapase of Dahegoan village, Punaji Manvar of Mangkinhi village, Someshwar Wade...

-The Times of India KOLHAPUR (Maharashtra): The Kolhapur district is one among 10 in Maharashtra to be selected for the Bharat Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyan, an initiative of the Union ministry of women and child development to combat the gender imbalance in India. Altogether 100 districts were selected for the project across the country, of which 10 are from Maharashtra. Other districts include Aurangabad, Jalgaon, Sangli, Buldhana, Beed, Washim, Osmanabad, Ahmednagar...

-The Hindu High fluoride levels in water in 14,132 habitations in 19 States With drinking water in 14,132 habitations in 19 States still containing fluoride above the permissible levels, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry fears that a huge population is at risk of serious health conditions such as skeletal fluorosis. The Ministry has now urged the Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry to ensure the supply of safe drinking water in these...

-The Hindu Business Line   The CAG report details how these have neither helped industrial development nor boosted the economy Nearly a decade after the Special Economic Zones Act was brought into force, it is evident that the move has not helped industrial development. After examining SEZs in terms of background and objectives, fiscal incentives and facilities, approval process and administration, as well as life cycle, State-wise distribution and overall performance, parts of a...

-The Times of India AURANGABAD: With Marathwada being most affected by drought and near-total loss of crops forcing more than 500 farmers to commit suicide during the past one year, noted economist and former member of Maharashtra State Planning Board, H M Desarda, has suggested to the state government that there is immediate need to return to the low external input sustainable agriculture (LEISA), which alone can rescue farmers from the...