-Business Standard The programme will cover both water-scarce and flood-affected areas in India Ahmedabad: Ahead of the monsoon, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) will be reaching out to 100,000 villages with its water conservation programme. The Nabard will be working with villagers on better use of water for agriculture and household purposes.   Amid a drought-like situation in several areas, the Nabard targets to help farmers extend water availability and...

-The Hindu Doctors’ objections to prescribing medicines by generic names fly in the face of a recent report on substandard drugs In a surprise move on April 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government will soon make it mandatory for doctors to prescribe medicines by generic names. The decision was to ensure drug prices remain affordable and patients get a wider bouquet of options instead of being forced to...

-Outlook Six months after the announcement of demonetisation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RBI has declined to share details of the note ban process, saying it would be detrimental to the country's economic interests. Replying to an RTI query, the central bank said disclosing such details may impede future economic or fiscal policies of Government of India. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was asked to provide a copy of the minutes...

-IANS As per the report, the disruption caused by demonetisation had ‘greater and longer-lasting’ impacts for lower-income individuals, households and businesses. The Indian government’s demonetisation measures did not impede future black money flows in new denominations, a UN report said on Monday. According to UN Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2017, complementary measures to demonetisation would be required to target all forms of undeclared wealth and assets. “Broader structural reforms...

-TheWire.in Raising productivity, reforming land policies and solving the remunerative price mess will require massive amounts of public investment and political will. Is the Modi government up to the task? The Niti Aayog recently came out with its ‘Three Year Action Agenda’ – a plan that covers a time period that is politically crucial as it leads up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In its chapter on agriculture titled ‘Agriculture: Doubling Farmer’s...